The Jacksonville Jaguars won in London on Sunday, but they’re staying there for another week without their left tackle. Anton Harrison will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee once the team returns home, according to ESPN, and the Jaguars won’t know how long he’s out until surgeons get a look inside.
So, how long will Harrison be out? Nobody knows yet. He could miss three to five weeks, or he could miss the rest of the regular season. Jacksonville is 4-1 after a strong start to the season and faces Houston at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, so the Jaguars need an answer at left tackle now, even if the long-term plan depends on what doctors find.
Walker Little gets the first shot
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Walker Little is expected to start against the Texans, and he’s the obvious choice. He took over after Harrison was carted off against the Eagles and played 31 snaps, earning an 87.9 pass-blocking grade, according to PFF. That came on just 19 pass-blocking snaps, so it’s a small sample, but it’s an encouraging one for a player who has started at left tackle before.
Little began this season as the swing tackle, which is exactly the role the Jaguars kept him for. If Harrison’s absence is closer to three weeks, this is likely the whole plan. Little holds the spot, and Harrison slides back in.
Other options at offensive tackle
A longer absence opens up other possibilities. The biggest one is moving Cole Van Lanen from right tackle back to the left side, where he played last season. That would put Little at right tackle, a spot he has also handled. The catch is that Van Lanen is still five games removed from a serious knee injury in January, and the team has described right tackle as his most comfortable position.
Behind them, second-year tackle Wyatt Milum becomes the primary backup. Head coach Liam Coen also has Patrick Mekari on injured reserve, and his eventual return would add another veteran body to the mix.
Then there’s the trade market. General manager James Gladstone has draft capital to work with, but starting-caliber left tackles rarely become available midseason, so a deal is the least likely route unless the surgery news is bad.
Harrison’s injury stings because he had been durable. The 27th overall pick in 2023 missed just three games in his first three seasons at right tackle before moving to the left side in training camp, and the Jaguars picked up his fifth-year option in April. Little starting Sunday is the short-term answer. The surgery will decide whether the Jaguars need a long-term one.
More on the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jaguars Underrated Rookie Class Ranked Below Average by Sports Illustrated
- Jaguars Stay Top Five in Every Major NFL Power Ranking After Wild Win in London
- Jaguars Snap Counts Show Bhayshul Tuten Pulling Away in a Backfield That Used to Be Shared
- Liam Coen’s Jaguars Found a Way to Win Ugly Across the Pond
