Should the Jaguars franchise tag Cam Robinson?

NFL teams can begin using the franchise or transitional tag designation this week, if they so choose. Many teams will have a handful of options to use the tag on, but the Jacksonville Jaguars currently only really have one player who is considered tag worthy, and that’s starting left tackle Cam Robinson.

Robinson was originally a second round pick for the Jaguars in the 2017 NFL Draft and has started 47 games so far in his NFL career. The 25-year old tackle has had his ups and downs, his best seasons being his rookie year and this past season, when he was a season removed from a torn ACL in Week 2 of his second NFL season.

The Jaguars have a decision to make with Robinson however, who is likely going to be a hot commodity if he hits free agency. For one, he’s only 25 and has been a solid starter at the left tackle position, a spot teams covet and often struggle to even find a serviceable starter for.

The current franchise number for an offensive lineman is $14.5 million, which is something the Jaguars could easily afford with their over $80 million in cap space for 2021. The Jaguars are in a bit of a bind at left tackle however, as really their only realistic options are to tag or re-sign Robinson or make a move for someone like Baltimore Ravens left tackle Orlando Brown.

Sure there are some veteran free agent options like Trent Williams, but in all honesty I don’t see the Jaguars in play for a veteran who is heading towards the end of the line and it’s likely they’ll want to go to a team considered a contender. If the options aren’t Robinson for at least one more year or Brown Jr., then the Jaguars are looking at gambling in the 2021 NFL Draft for a rookie left tackle.

I do think the Jaguars should use the franchise tag on Robinson, unless they already have another move up their sleeve, but I do not think relying on a rookie left tackle at this point is a particularly good option.