Why trading the Jaguars' equipment has huge implications

For the first time in eight years, the Jacksonville Jaguars will not have a familiar face starting left tackle.

The Jaguars traded longtime left tackle Cam Robinson to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, trading a 2017 second-round pick and a 2026 conditional seventh-round pick for a 2026 conditional fifth-round pick who can become a fourth-rounder.

After nearly 100 starts, the last piece of the 2017 AFC Championship team is gone. So what do we think of the trade? We explain it below.

Jaguars and Robinson appeared to be in a tough spot before the trade

Going into Week 9, things seemed a little uncomfortable for the Jaguars and Robinson. Simply put, Robinson seemed disconnected and uninvolved from Sunday's game against the Packers.

He never looked like he was even close to playing in a game where he wasn't in the starting lineup after clearing concussion protocol over the weekend. He kept his distance from the offense throughout the game and the Jaguars never played him, although they used a sixth lineman in certain formations and lost two different lineman during the game.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson didn't commit to signing Walker Little as starting left tackle at Monday's press conference, but the Jaguars' use of offensive linemen in Sunday's game said it all.

Given how Sunday went, it seemed like the Jaguars and Robinson were simply going their separate ways — especially considering the chances of Robinson returning to the team next year are already incredibly slim early in the season.

Jaguars have significant value, but what does that mean for Trent Baalke?

Given the chance of the Jaguars getting a fourth-round pick in the future, it's hard not to begrudge this value for the Jaguars. Yes, it's also a good deal for the Vikings to get a rental player with nearly 100 starts in a playoff season.

But that doesn't mean it wasn't good business for the Jaguars to land a future Day 3 pick for a player whose tenure with the franchise was clearly over.

With that in mind, some may assume that general manager Trent Baalke's 2026 pick means he's operating with some sort of job security.

Such a move does not mean that Baalke will make the choice; It's exactly the kind of value he could get for a bench tackle in a contract year. Don't expect this deal to do much for Baalke's job security, even though it may seem like it on the surface.

This is Walker Little's final audition

Walker Little never really got an in-depth look at left tackle. Now he will do it. Little started games in small samples in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but the Jaguars kept turning to Robinson. Now Little is given the chance The Guy at left tackle.

Nobody pushes him, nobody takes the job back. It's his job for the next nine games.

However, these are also the final nine games of Little's rookie deal with the team. These nine games will see Little make one final attempt to take over the role of the Jaguars' long-time left tackle.

If he plays well, there seems to be a chance he could return in 2025. If he doesn't, left tackle becomes a pressing need.

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