2012 NFL Free Agency: Guy Whimper

Over the course of the next few weeks I'm going to look at the Jaguars with contracts expiring at the end of the 2011 league year in March.

After a relatively positive start to the 2011 regular season, everything fell apart late for offensive tackle Guy Whimper. While he did very strong as a run blocker for the Jaguars and was certainly a large part of why Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jaguars run game found success against eight and nine man fronts, his pass blocking quickly went from adequate to atrocious.

With Eben Britton injured for much of the year following back surgery, Whimper started for the Jaguars in all but one game. For the season he allowed 13 sacks per ProFootballFocus in those 15 games or just under one sack a game, a terrible ratio by any standards.

Yet at 28 years old and with only five years of NFL experience under his belt, Whimper is still a player that can improve his play and could still be a valuable run blocker for the Jaguars if used in a backup role.

Whimper starting at right tackle is an experiment I really don't wat to sit through another season of watching, but if the Jaguars have the personnel to allow Whimper to be used as a rotational player or a backup he may be a strong player of depth for the team.

With the strong play of undrafted rookie, Cameron Bradfield, in his first NFL season, the Jaguars will likely have some competition in training camp already with the return of Britton and third-year tackle, Kevin Haslam. While Monroe is essentially assured a starting role at left tackle, Britton and Bradfield could compete for the starting right tackle position or the Jaguars might consider bringing in additional talent for the spot.

Another contract with the Jaguars for Whimper will likely depend upon the team's planned moves in free agency and also depend on how comfortable they are with the players they currently have on the roster.