Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Walker Little had a disappointing 2025 campaign, allowing 50 pressures, the second-most among offensive linemen, and nine sacks, the third-most, across 16 games and 15 starts. He began the year as the starting left tackle, but a concussion in Week 13 that caused him to miss the next two games resulted in Cole Van Lanen taking over the starting job in Week 14. Van Lanen was rewarded with a three-year, $51 million contract in January as the expected left tackle of the future.
Little filled in for the remainder of Week 16 at right guard and started the next three games there. He regained his old starting spot in the Wild Card Round after Van Lanen suffered a knee injury during the fourth quarter of the regular-season finale, which kept him out of that game.
The Jacksonville Jaguars blocker remains on the roster
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Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Walker Little (72) during the second half of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
So far, the Jaguars have not released or traded Walker Little, as a post-June 1 release would clear $900,000 in cap space, while a trade would free up $7 million. He is scheduled to earn an $11 million fully guaranteed base salary, $12 million in cash, and a $14.499 million cap hit in 2026. Additionally, he is set to earn a $12 million base salary, $13 million in cash, and a $15.558 million cap hit in 2027. The front office has yet to restructure Little’s contract, leaving both years unchanged.
This has left many fans wondering why the team has yet to move on from him.
Here’s a possible reason why the Jaguars haven’t moved their $40 million O-lineman
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Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (70) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Michael DiRocco ofESPN appeared on 1010 XL Jaguars, speculating that there is buzz that Cole Van Lanen may have torn his ACL in Week 18, which would explain the large brace he wore on his leg during pre-game warm-ups ahead of the Wild Card Round, and he knows for sure he underwent surgery. During the NFL Annual League Meeting, James Gladstone provided an injury update on the left tackle, stating that although he is ahead of schedule, they will get a better sense of his recovery once they begin the offseason program or training camp.
“He’s trending in a positive direction, and everything’s ahead of schedule in a really good way,” Gladstone said, via Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union. “I think once we get to the offseason program and training camp, we’ll have a firmer grip on when he’ll be full go. But as of right now, he’s trending to where we feel good about his availability.”
Ultimately, this is why the Jaguars have yet to move Walker Little, as they are waiting on Van Lanen’s recovery. If he is ahead of schedule, the team could always trade him later in the offseason or at the NFL Trade Deadline next November.