With the Jacksonville Jaguars three days into their offseason workout program, left tackle Cam Robinson has signed the franchise tender, which was assigned to him on March 8.
This offseason marked the second time that the team decided to tag Robinson. They did so last year as well, which allowed them to retain Robinson on a one-year deal worth $13.75 million. However, with him being tagged twice in a row, he will see an increase of at least 120% in his salary, and he will now make at least $16.662 million.
The Jags decided to keep Robinson as they came into the offseason needing to bolster their offensive line, which struggled to keep rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence upright at times. However, Robinson was far from the worst problem on the line and was able to register a pass-blocking grade of 76.6, according to Pro Football Focus.
Retaining Robinson wasn’t the only notable offseason move the Jags made on the offensive line. They also signed guard Brandon Scherff in free agency, who is a one-time All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler.
While Robinson has signed the tag, the Jags still have until July 15 to work on a long-term deal with Robinson. It’s something that new coach Doug Pederson has expressed interest in at the NFL owners meeting last month.
“To bring great guys back like Cam is to protect your quarterback,” Pederson said. “We want the offensive line to be solidified. We want guys up there that have been around. Cam is a big part of that, so we’re excited obviously to retain him. Hopefully, we will work out a long-term deal with him, so he’s around more than a year.
“But as it pertains to the draft, that’s kind of its own separate deal right now. I’m sure we’re going to have more depth (offensive tackle) at that position. You can never have enough offensive linemen.”
This latest news surrounding Robinson could mean the Jags may go with a pass-rusher first overall, though they could select tackles Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu to play either guard or right tackle on the line. Still, this signing moves the needle toward Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker more than any other players, but time will tell what the Jags ultimately do.
