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Who Should Start at Left Tackle for the Jaguars? · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville, Jack Wars fans, welcome in to Duval Daily, presented by Gen Jack.com.
• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Luga, thanks so much for being here Tuesday, December 9th.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right now, we're talking about the Jack Wars left tackle position.
• 0:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a pretty fascinating situation to dive into, walker little, signed a contract last year with the Jack Wars during the season, Trent Balky, for whatever reason,
• 0:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Never negotiated new deals during the season, but Walker Little during Trimbalki's final year here in Jacksonville, that was the player he said I have to lock him down to a new contract.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: And at the time, I said I think this is a good thing.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: $15 million a year for a starting left tackle, who I think plays out an average to above average level.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I thought that that was a very good decision at the time.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I thought he would come into the 2025 season
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: that he's a good value.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: There have been moments this year where he's looked like a good player.
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unfortunately, there have been far too many moments where he has looked below average at best.
• 1:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's in those moments against really good teams, against really good past wrestlers, where Walker Little has crumbled the most.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not like he's played down to competition, which he's done some of that as well.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: But like, when they're going up against really good wrestlers, Walker Little simply has not been able to hold a candle to them on far too many place, far too many past rush reps, past pro reps for him.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's been bad.
• 1:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so we're gonna dive into the Jaguar's go back to him when he's healthy, or do they stick with Cole Van Lannon?
• 1:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Heck of a question.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all being here.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll just check out Genjag.com, pick up some new Duval gear, help support the channel, look good while doing it.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: So little, just kind of recapping where we're at, and he left the Titans game with concussion, didn't play this last week against the cults.
• 2:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: We can look at the individual games.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I can just looking at the games.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can literally tell you right here.
• 2:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Cincinnati, horrible game against Tray Hendrix and multiple plays where his inability to stay in front of Tray Hendrix and legitimately help the Jack Wars lose that game.
• 2:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Help the Bengals win that game.
• 2:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: There was a lot of things in that game
• 2:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: play one little detail that gone differently, the Jaguars would want.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Walker little did not help the Jaguars in that game.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he was a liability.
• 2:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: The next week against the Houston Texans, he was a liability against the Neil Hunter Will Anderson in company.
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Had a couple good weeks in a rogue in San Francisco, Kansas City, Seattle, he was getting his butt kick.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he was getting rocked by off ball landbackers.
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Against the Rams the whole offensive lines don't get up, but yeah, he was part of that Against the Raiders it was pretty good Then you get the Texans game where the Jaguar's fall apart literally in my opinion The catalyst for the Jaguar's loss in that game was Walker little's inability to in any way slow down to Neil Hunter Chargers game pretty good cardinals game good Tennessee
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he got obliterated by Gehard Ward on a spin move inside, and I don't, maybe he was already feeling concussion symptoms that I don't know, but that was a little bit before he ended up leaving the game and not returning with the concussion.
• 3:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bottom line is he is getting paid as a starter, even if it's a low in starter.
• 4:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is not performing like a starting level player in my opinion.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not a starting level player that you can feel comfortable with, like not even average in my opinion.
• 4:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And a lot of games he's been average or better than average, but then in a lot of games he has looked like, it couldn't be worse out there.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Legitimately.
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Colve and Lannon, he's played everywhere for the Jaguars this year.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Outside of center, he's played every position, left tackle, left guard, right guard, right tackle.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: and at tackle specifically, which is where he's played more over the last month, both right and left.
• 4:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's played a little guard in there as well, but I mean against the Titans, he had to play a right guard and then when Walker Little went down, he had to play left tackle.
• 4:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's insane.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he was looking better at left tackle in my opinion, than right guard.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Played great against the cults this past week.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you just look at the numbers, his past pro-efficiency, 96.5, called Manlandans, which isn't like out of this world, but his past pro-efficiency at tackle has actually been better than it was at guard.
• 5:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's gotten three penalties and 375 offensive snaps.
• 5:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's nothing crazy.
• 5:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's allowed one sack, one quarterback hit.
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Walker little his pass pro efficiency is 94.5 and a 2% difference at this level.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, Colvin landed at 96.5.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: That means he's winning his reps 96.5% of the time in pass pro.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: 94.5.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're like, oh, it's only 2% 2% is massive at this level.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a big difference.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Penalty wise they're on about the same track.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, Walker little has seven penalties in about
• 6:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: a little less than 800 snaps.
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think COVID-19 is nastier the way he plays the game.
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's more technically refined.
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, when I look at the hand placement, his hands are always inside right here.
• 6:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when he strikes, when he locks those hands, that's where
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And to me, that's really impressive.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's really impressive seeing him burying guys in the dirt.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Him and Ezra Cleveland together on the left side.
• 6:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's pretty cool.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would.
• 6:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would start him, even with Walker Little Healthy, and see how it goes.
• 7:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your next opponent is going to be the Jets.
• 7:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have some talent upfront on the edge.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would start Coleman Landon and see how that, I mean, I would keep this train rolling.
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was almost perfect against the cults.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, this game he had against the cults was a statement game.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was so good.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: and in a big part of a lot of the positive plays the Jaguar's hat.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And COVID-19 and he does not look the part, the same way that Walker little looks the part like get off the bus type of deal.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, Walker little six with seven, 320 plus pounds.
• 7:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: COVID-19 is a little shorter, doesn't have the same length, doesn't have, you know, that same look.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he's playing better football.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think he's stronger.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's tougher.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's more focused and dialed.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's more locked in.
• 8:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think he's playing better.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: So to me, yeah, I would roll with him.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Moving forward at left tackle this year.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And thanks can change.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if he goes out and he has the same issues, I mean, you can figure it out.
• 8:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Week to week, it doesn't have to be like, you put COVID and landed in it and now Walker little's never gonna play again.
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's not the situation, but right now, he's playing better football than Walker a little.
• 8:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that's easy to say.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I also think he's like a more physical run blocker, not just the past pro part of it.
• 8:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's a more physical run blocker.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And
• 8:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Even though Walker Little was this second round pick, who maybe if COVID and injuries hadn't happened, could have been a first round pick potentially.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Colvay Lanam was a six round pick.
• 8:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, you look at the athleticism.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not like Walker Little's like some crazy athlete compared to Colvay Lanam.
• 9:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Colvay Lanam is actually more athletic in some ways than Walker Little.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you look at their testing, if you look at the way they play,
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Colvin and Lannon coming out of Wisconsin and he was a guy I liked in college.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I liked him at Green Bay.
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I was excited when the Jaguar was traded for him several years back.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he's 27 years old, Walker Little's 26 years old.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's about a year older, but you know, that's insignificant difference in my opinion.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Colvin and Lannon, his 10 yard split.
• 9:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: 90th percentile, 20 yards split 60 fifth percentile, 40 yard dash, 79th percentile, vertical jump, 72nd percentile, broad jump, 70th percentile, three cone drill, 93rd percentile, and this is against offensive tackles, not just offensive linemen.
• 9:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: 20 yard shuttle, 70th percentile, what you start to see, however, is the height length, all that type of stuff is way below average.
• 10:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he's a good athlete.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now walk her little, not quite as good of an athlete, but he has the height, the length, all that stuff that you're looking for more than Colvin Lannon.
• 10:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he does have some, little has some impressive athleticism, you know, quickness and
• 10:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: 10 yards, but 20 yards split 40 yard dash, not nearly as good as coal van linens.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he has a good vertical jump, good broad jump, good three cone, 79th percentile, 20 yards shuttle.
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's 90th percentile high, he's got a good wing span, all pan size, all that stuff.
• 10:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: But coal van linens just plays the game better.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right now, that's not like a
• 11:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: long-term sweeping statement that Colvin Lannan needs to be the Jaguar's left tackle of the future.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not saying he can't be, but I'm not saying that he definitively should be right now.
• 11:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: One issue with the Jaguar's situation though is like, if you do roll with Colvin Lannan, and he does play well.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And
• 11:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: then you get to the off-season whenever that may be.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully it starts in February for the Jaguars.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you know what I mean, how do you handle the contract situation?
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because Walker Little, I mean, you just look at Walker Little's contract.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: $24 million in dead money next year.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you cut him, pre-June 1, you're not saving any.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you're
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not good.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Kind of post-June one.
• 12:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's gonna $18 million in dead money next year.
• 12:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: You don't say of anything by cutting on pre-June one.
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Cut post-June one.
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can have a million dollar cab savings.
• 12:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you decide that Walker Little is not your left tackle and you also decide that he's not what you want to have in the room.
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not going to be saving any money if he's not your starter next year, which the Jack Wars have shown if a situation isn't working out, this regime has shown that they can move on even if the money doesn't help, even if the cap space doesn't help, right?
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: They did it with Gabe Davis this year.
• 12:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: So there's that part of the equation.
• 12:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: is on a one-year deal.
• 12:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you decide that that's your guy, then you have to figure out how much does he get paid?
• 13:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: How do you keep him?
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: If he stays in the lineup, continues to play well, other teams are gonna be interested in him, because there's just not good left tackles, there's not good offensive linemen that consistently hit for agency.
• 13:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it could end up being a situation where the Jaguars have to kind of skillfully and tactfully navigate the future.
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I do think in the present, at this moment, Colvin and Landon should probably be the starter for the Jaguars that left tackle.
• 13:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's earned it.
• 13:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's played better.
• 13:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Walker Little has not played very well.
• 13:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let me know what y'all think in the comment section below.
• 13:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really appreciate y'all tuning in.
• 13:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 13:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.