Cam Robinson will be playing for his third head coach in as many seasons, but he’ll be playing under the franchise tag for the second year in a row.
The Jacksonville Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Robinson on Tuesday, the team announced.
Robinson, who earned $13.75 million in 2021, is due $16.662 million under the tag in 2022. He and the Jaguars can work out a long-term pact until the July 15 deadline. As a player getting a second consecutive tag, Robinson is due at least 120% more than his previous salary ($13.7 million), but the 2022 tag for offensive linemen ($16.662 million) exceeds that.
The left tackle garnered a 67.4 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021. Though that’s hardly eye-popping, it was the best in his career thus far and the best among starters on a struggling Jags offensive line that’s tasked with keeping franchise face Trevor Lawrence upright going forward.
Robinson, 26, has started all 61 games he’s played in since Jacksonville selected him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
New Jags head coach Doug Pederson, who relied on Pro Bowl standout Jason Peters to anchor the Eagles’ offensive line during his tenure there, will need to solidify the offensive line’s play going forward if the Jags are to find success. He’ll presumably look to Robinson to lead the cause.
With Robinson getting the tag, it also brings into further question what the Jaguars will do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Does this mean taking Alabama’s Evan Neal is now unlikely, or would Pederson and Co. consider selecting Neal and playing him at right tackle, where he played in 2020 with the Crimson Tide?