The Jacksonville Jaguars opened the door to training camp with an unexpected layer of uncertainty on the offensive line after placing two players on the active/physically unable to perform list.
Among them is Cole Van Lanen, the $51 million left tackle expected to anchor the unit and protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s blind side.
NFL insider James Palmer first reported the moves on Sunday, and the Jaguars quickly confirmed that both Van Lanen and undrafted rookie Garrett DiGiorgio had been added to the list. The team offered no details about the nature of either injury or any projected return dates.
Under league rules, players on the active/PUP list still count against the training-camp roster and can be activated as soon as they are medically cleared, yet they are barred from practicing while the designation remains in place. Every missed session therefore carries weight as Jacksonville evaluates an offensive line that showed clear progress a year ago.
Van Lanen’s absence is the more consequential of the two. The 2025 season ended for him with a knee injury that kept him out of the Jaguars’ Wild Card Round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Club officials had indicated during the offseason that he was expected to be ready for 2026, but the decision to keep him on PUP rather than clear him for the start of camp suggests the recovery is still incomplete. Last year the versatile lineman appeared in 16 games and made 10 starts, lining up at left tackle, left guard, right guard and right tackle.
Van Lanen finished the regular season with four consecutive starts at left tackle and helped the Jaguars post five games without allowing a sack, matching the league lead. That production led to a three-year contract extension worth $51 million, with $32.5 million guaranteed.
In the short term, Walker Little is the natural candidate to absorb additional left-tackle repetitions. Little started 12 games at the position in 2025 before Van Lanen took over late in the year.
The remainder of the projected starting five—Anton Harrison at right tackle, Ezra Cleveland at left guard, Robert Hainsey at center and Patrick Mekari at right guard—appears capable of handling a brief absence. A longer one, however, would reopen a competition that seemed settled by January.
DiGiorgio’s placement carries less immediate impact on the starting lineup but creates a different problem for a young player trying to make an impression. The 6-foot-7, 320-pound UCLA product signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent after five college seasons.
He started three years at right tackle before shifting to right guard in 2025 and earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition. He also participated in the NFL Scouting Combine and the East-West Shrine Bowl, and NFL.com ranked him as the top undrafted interior offensive lineman available.
Early practice time is critical for an undrafted free agent facing competition from veterans and other rookies such as Wyatt Milum, Jonah Monheim and Emmanuel Pregnon. Missing those initial sessions delays his chance to show the versatility needed to claim a roster spot.
Neither designation guarantees an extended absence, yet Van Lanen’s status will command the greater share of attention. Veterans report Tuesday, and the first open practice is scheduled for Wednesday at the Miller Electric Center.
Until Van Lanen is cleared, the Jaguars will continue refining their offensive-line depth without the player they just rewarded with a significant long-term investment.
