Will Jaguars designate OT Cam Robinson with franchise tag for second consecutive season?

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson is expected to make the final hires on his coaching staff this week.

But they are already on the clock toward making critical roster decisions. The first most critical decision will be determining whether fifth-year veteran left tackle Cam Robinson is the long-term answer at left tackle.

The two-week window begins next Tuesday and extends until March 8, when the Jaguars must decide if they will designate Robinson with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season.

The Jaguars have three options: franchise-tag Robinson for the second consecutive year, negotiate a long-term extension or allow him to enter free agency.

According to Spotrac, the sports financial website, the projected franchise tag value for offensive linemen in 2022 is $16.5 million. However, if Robinson receives the franchise tag for a second time, the Jaguars would have to pay him 120 percent of his previous salary. Robinson made $13.6 million last season.

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The NFL’s salary cap is expected to increase 14 percent this season, to $208.2 million per team, when the league's new year begins March 16.

However, the abbreviated period when teams are permitted to enter contract negotiations with free agents runs March 14-16.

How much salary cap space does the Jacksonville Jaguars have?

The Jaguars have the third-highest projected cap space among the NFL teams ($56 million). Only the Dolphins ($64.6 million) and Los Angeles Chargers ($57.5 million) have more available projected cap space than the Jaguars.

Robinson received a 67.4 overall grade by Pro Football Focus, allowing one sack and five penalties in 856 snaps. But Robinson has an emerging young left tackle behind him in Walker Little, a 2021 second-round pick. Though he had only 224 snaps, PFF issued Little a 68.8 overall grade last season.

Another option the Jaguars could consider is using the No. 1 overall pick to select Alabama's offensive tackle Evan Neal. He is the top-rated offensive lineman in the draft and could immediately start at left tackle, which would prompt moving Little to right tackle, resulting in Jawaan Taylor moving to guard or becoming a swing tackle.

Taylor's 12 penalties led the league and he allowed six sacks. Taylor's 60.3 PFF grade was the lowest among the Jaguars offensive line: left guard Andrew Norwell (67.1), second-year starting right guard Ben Bartch (62.7), starting center Brandon Linder (63.0) and backup center Tyler Shatley (60.7).

With quarterback Trevor Lawrence often pressured in the pocket, it's likely Pederson will look to upgrade the position. With the possibility Robinson could hit free agency, Norwell also could explore the free agent market if the Jaguars don't sign him to an extension.

The Jaguars restructured Norwell's contract last year to a one-year, $12 million deal in which only $9 million was fully guaranteed. If Jacksonville had not restructured Norwell's contract, he would have made $25 million over the final two years of his contract that included having the highest cap hit on the roster at $15 million.

DJ Chark likely to test free agency

Another big decision for Pederson and Baalke is whether to re-sign wide receiver DJ Chark to an extension or allow him to become an unrestricted free agent.

It appears Chark has already determined he will enter into free agency because he deleted all of the Jaguars images from his Twitter account and has unfollowed the franchise.

Chark, a second round pick in 2018, had his season in 2021 cut short in Week 4 when he suffered a broken ankle against the Cincinnati Bengals. A priority for the Jaguars in the upcoming NFL Draft and free agency is putting more playmakers on the field with Lawrence.

The best offer Chark could get from the Jaguars is a short-term "prove-it" deal after coming off the season-ending injury. But Chark is likely to pursue a deal that provides more years and money.

In Jacksonville, Chark never emerged as an elite No. 1 receiver. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2019 when he caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. But in 2020, Chark's numbers dropped to 53 catches for 706 yards and five touchdowns. In four games before his injury occurred last season, Chark caught seven passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Jaguars trades to acquire more talent could be ahead

The Jaguars need an influx of talent and they have significant draft capital with 12 picks, including the No. 1 overall for the second consecutive year.

The Jaguars have two third-round picks and four in the sixth round.

Still, the Jaguars need more veterans on the roster for depth and leadership. At this point, it cannot be ruled out the Jaguars could opt to trade picks or trade some of their existing veterans to bring forth more immediate help at critical positions like at wide receiver and tight end.

No spot on the roster is safe except for Lawrence, but it can't be ruled out that the Jaguars shop linebacker Myles Jack, who could bring forth several assets in a trade deal.

The Jaguars also could trade down with the No. 1 overall pick to add more elite talent. So for the next month or so, the Jaguars have plenty offseason decisions to make to solidify their roster.

As Pederson stressed in his introductory news conference, it is now going to be an overnight fix to get the Jaguars' turned around.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Cam Robinson's future with the Jaguars may include franchise tag