The starting job of Jacksonville Jaguars’ right guard Patrick Mekari could be in jeopardy this summer.
John Shipley of Jaguars on SI recently highlighted four positional battles to watch heading into training camp, one of which was Mekari at the right guard spot. While Shipley still expects Mekari to be the Week 1 starter, he may have to first earn that role by holding off Wyatt Milum.
“If I had to guess today who is the starting right guard in Week 1, I would say Patrick Mekari due to his experience,” Shipley wrote. “But it does feel like second-year offensive lineman Wyatt Milum, a top-100 pick just a year ago, is in a good place to compete with Mekari for a spot in the starting lineup.”
Shipley adds that Mekari’s experience and versatility are valuable elements to have up front. Those factors could also be differentiators for him if a full-blown competition does unfold.
Milum was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in 2025. But in addition to making the jump to the NFL level, Milum dealt with injuries early on, which set him back and left him playing catch-up.
Coming off the bench, Milum played 111 offensive snaps from Week 11 on. He allowed two pressures and no sacks over 39 pass-blocking snaps. Milum also graded out well as a run-blocker by PFF’s metrics.
Mekari, who the Jaguars signed in free agency in 2025, dealt with injuries of his own, which forced him to miss three games. On the field, his play was up and down.
He ranked 63rd out of 83 eligible guards in run-blocking grade. In pass protection, he gave up 34 pressures — the 12th-most among guards — and two sacks, ranking tied for 58th in pass-blocking efficiency.
All last summer, the Jaguars embraced competition along the offensive line, so there is no reason to believe they won’t do the same again, especially as this team looks to be much more effective in the run game in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Will recent Jaguars draft pick push starter for snaps in training camp?
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
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By Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire | USA TODAY Network
