2022 NFL Free Agency: Brandon Scherff and 9 Other OL Who Make Sense For the Jaguars

Which offensive linemen could the Jaguars realistically target in free agency?

Free agency is nearly upon us. On March 14, the two-day legal tampering window will begin before the new league year begins and players across the entire NFL will find new homes.

After an unpredictable free agency period last offseason in which the Jaguars didn't target many of the top free agents they were projected to, there is no telling if this year will be different. The operative word in last year's free agency cycle, led by then-head coach Urban Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke, was "value".

Will this again be the case with Baalke back at the helm, this time joined by new head coach Doug Pederson?

"Are we going to go out and add talent? Yeah, we're going to add talent. We're going to add competition. We're going to bring value to the roster. Every team does that, and we're no exception to that," Pederson said last week.

"But I see talent here. I said I think in my opening remarks a couple weeks ago that it's not an overnight fix, and it's going to be a fix that we've got to do it one player at a time, one coach at a time, and get it turned around."

In an effort to identify which free agents make the most sense to potentially be those players Pederson referenced, we are going to go through each position group to determine who the best fits are, ranking them in order. 

2022 NFL Free Agency: Chris Godwin and 9 Other WRs Who Make Sense For the Jaguars

Next up: offensive line. 

1) Brandon Scherff

This one is obvious. Much like the Jaguars targeted Andrew Norwell as the top offensive guard option in 2018, Brandon Scherff could be another swing for the fences at the guard position as the Jaguars enter a year of an offensive line in flux. The fact the Jaguars have both starting guards set to hit free agency in Norwell and A.J. Cann could suggest the Jaguars go hard after at least one guard, too. 

Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher coached Washington's offensive line alongside Bill Callahan from 2018-19, giving Scherff 19 games of starting experience with Rauscher as one of his primary coaches. He hasn't played a full season since 2016 but his play when healthy has still been some of the best in the league, and the Jaguars need guard help. Going after a guard early in free agency worked out for Doug Pederson and the Eagles with Brandon Brooks in 2016, so could Scherff give Pederson a chance to find magic yet again? 

2) Terron Armstead

You won't find many tackles on this list because the Jaguars already have some in-house options in Walker Little, Jawaan Taylor and their 12 draft picks, including the strong possibility of an offensive tackle going No. 1 overall. With that said, it would feel wrong to put together a list of the best offensive line options in free agency and not include Terron Armstead.

Armstead has been one of the NFL's best offensive tackles since the Saints made him a third-round selection in 2013 and even the fact that he will be 31-years-old during the 2022 season doesn't change the fact that he can still play. He would be a pricy option at left tackle but if Pederson wants to roll the dice on an established veteran instead of Little or a rookie, then Armstead makes sense.

3) James Daniels

I have been a big James Daniels fan since he was a prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft and nothing over the last four seasons has changed that. He was moved around a great deal as Chicago's offense played musical chairs, but the fact that he has starting experience at left guard, right guard and center is a good sign for his value moving forward. 

With the Bears running a similar offense and blocking scheme over the last few years to what Pederson and his staff will be installing, Daniels seems like a natural fit. He may be best at right guard where he played in 2021, but he has the potential and ability to really fit into any interior spot the Jaguars feel they need the most help at.

4) Laken Tomlinson

Few players were more important to their team's running game success than Laken Tomlinson was to San Francisco's. Tomlinson was dominant at times in Kyle Shanahan's scheme, paving the way for a variety of running backs and becoming one of the defining faces of San Francisco's physical and efficient rushing attack. For a team like the Jaguars who have a need at left guard, Tomlinson is going to be one of the top options.

While there is some question of whether Tomlin was more of an extension of the 49ers' offensive system and could see his play decline in a new offense, there has been enough good tape put out by him over the last several seasons to suggest the durable former first-rounder is a potential top-tier starting guard. 

5) Alex Cappa

A true draft-and-develop success story from Tampa Bay's front office and coaching staff, Alex Cappa makes a lot of sense as a potential answer at right guard. The former  Division II Humboldt product has started 33 regular season games and three postseason games for Tampa Bay and helped Tampa turn into one of the league's best offensive lines over the last several seasons.

There is a chance Tampa Bay could look to retain Cappa after the shocking early retirement of All-Pro guard Ali Marpet, especially with center Ryan Jensen set to hit free agency. If they don't, however, then the Jaguars should show considerable interest in the strong run-blocker.

6) Austin Corbett

A former second-round pick who only spent a little over a season in Cleveland before a trade to Los Angeles changed his career, Austin Corbett is a solid young guard who could be even better over the course of his second contract than his first. Corbett, who will turn 27 during the 2022 season, started 40 games over the last three regular seasons for the Rams, along with six playoff starts.

Corbett has spent time at both guard positions and has even been looked at as an option as a center in Los Angeles. He doesn't have the individual peaks of other options on this list, but he is a nice fit for the Jaguars' apparent zone-blocking scheme and is coming off two strong years as a starter. 

7) Mark Glowinski

A forgotten man when it comes to the Colts' offensive line success, Mark Glowinski seems like the type of lineman who could see his career take off on his next contract. Glowinski has started 55 games at right guard for the Colts over the last several years and has shown the ability to win in a number of ways and as both a zone and gap-scheme blocker. 

With Glowinski spending the last several years with Frank Reich and 2021 on the same team as Jaguars' offensive coordinator Press Taylor, there are no shortage of connections and near-connections to make for Glowinski and the Jaguars. He has been a mainstay in the Colts' offense thanks to his consistency and he could bring the same value to the Jaguars.

8) Ethan Pocic 

Whole Ethan Pocic will never be the face or driving force of an entire offensive line, you can get by with him as one of your weaker starters and still put out a strong starting five. Pocic is better as a run-blocker than as a pass-blocker and has guard/center flexibility, making him an appealing option as a potential starter at left guard or as a swing interior lineman.

9) Oday Aboushi

Oday Aboushi has been mostly a right guard in recent years, but he is another starting-caliber lineman who has the flexibility to play multiple spots along the interior offensive line. He has rarely been a full-time starter and has just 13 starts under his belt in the last two seasons, but he had serious flashes in five starts with the Chargers at right guard last season. He could be a cheap option who outplays his deal. 

10) Morgan Moses

A starting-caliber offensive tackle who could replace Jawaan Taylor at right tackle right away if that is what the Jaguars determine is the best route moving forward, Moses is another former Washington offensive lineman who played under Phil Rauscher. Moses is an experienced and durable veteran tackle who has 112 starts under his belt in the last seven seasons and could bring a much-needed veteran presence to the offensive tackle room.