Report: Jaguars ‘May Wind Up Dealing’ Andrew Norwell

Albert Breer of SI.com has reported the Jaguars went to Andrew Norwell about redoing his contract and reducing his cap hit, but it appears the result may be the guard ending up on the trading block.

The Jacksonville Jaguars may be one of countless NFL squads set to move an expensive veteran off their roster this March, even if the team is far from strapped for salary cap space.

Veteran left guard Andrew Norwell was the lone Jaguars player mentioned by SI.com's Albert Breer in his list of veterans who have been or could be talked about as potential trade candidates this month. 

"Norwell is making $12 million this year (with a $15 million cap number) and $13 million next year (with a $16 million cap number), and the Jaguars went to him asking for a reduction on that. The result of that? They may wind up dealing him," Breer wrote.

Considering Breer's history of reporting on the Jaguars (he was the first in the media to connect them and Urban Meyer), this shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt. It appears that Norwell's place on Urban Meyer's first team could ultimately be up in the air. 

If the Jaguars approached Norwell about a possible contract restructure, that indicates they are likely most skeptical about his level of play meeting his high cap number -- he is set to be the team's highest-paid player in 2021, after all. 

The Jaguars are set to lead the NFL in cap space in over $85 million and frankly don't need to take any current cost-saving measures, but Meyer has stood by his strategy of wanting "the best of the best". If the Jaguars think that any potential cap savings from moving on from Norwell would give them a leg up in adding another impact player, they would more than likely explore that.

It is interesting, however, the Jaguars could look to completely reshape their offensive line in a year of transition. Norwell isn't the elite guard the Jaguars paid him to be in 2018, but he is a solid starter. With left tackle Cam Robinson set to be a free agent on March 17, the Jaguars could feasibly have two starters on the left side of the line in a year in which they are starting a rookie passer. 

What the Jaguars could even net for Norwell is another question in totality. Norwell likely offers more value to the Jaguars than he does to any other team, so it is hard to see him fetch more than potentially a fourth-round pick after two years of inconsistent play and one solid year in Jacksonville. 

If the Jaguars move on from Norwell in the coming weeks, the following players are the top guards currently scheduled to be free agents: Brandon Scherff, Joe Thuney, or Gabe Jackson. Each of these players would be an upgrade over Norwell, but the Jaguars would be wise to ensure they can land any of the three before moving on from a competent starter like Norwell. 

The in-house replacement for Norwell could be 2020 fourth-round pick Ben Bartch, but the Jaguars would be rolling the dice on asking Bartch, who struggled with pass protection as a rookie, to block for the eventual No. 1 overall pick.

Trading OL Andrew Norwell

Dead Cap to the #Jaguars
Pre June 1st: $6M ($9M saved)
Post June 1st: $3M ($12M saved, $3M in 2022)

New Team Acquires
2021: $12M ($0 GTD)
2022: $13M ($0 GTD)https://t.co/1S3Nm0Cp7T

— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 5, 2021

Norwell signed a five-year, $66.5 million deal with the Jaguars in 2018 after an All-Pro season with the Panthers. Since then, he has started 40 of a possible 48 games.