Brandon

Linder

“After much reflection, I have realized that the man I currently aspire to be is no longer aligning with the person I must become to play this game,” Linder said in a statement. “It is at this time that I have decided to close this chapter of my life and retire from the NFL.” A third-round pick back in 2014, Linder started 88 games over eight seasons with the Jaguars. Linder was a quality player when on the field, but he played a full season only once and was limited to fewer than 10 games in three of his final four seasons.

Recently back from injured reserve, Linder suffered a back injury last week and does not have a timetable for return. It is another blow to a struggling offense.

Linder had just returned from injured reserve after suffering ankle and knee injuries early in the season. A quality center when healthy, Linder has struggled to stay on the field of late. His absence would be a blow to an already banged-up and struggling offensive line.

O’Shaughnessy suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 and has been on injured reserve since. In the interim, the Jaguars traded for Dan Arnold, as he has emerged as the team’s de facto WR1. O’Shaughnessy is likely to play a reserve role upon his return, but it’s possible he’s involved enough to ruin the one reliable option in the Jaguars passing game. The Jaguars have a 21-day window to activate O’Shaughnessy and Linder or they will revert to season-ending injured reserve.

It’s a formality since coach Urban Meyer already told the media Linder would be sidelined for “4-5 weeks.” One of the league’s most impactful centers when healthy, the dropoff from Linder to backup Tyler Shatley is one that will likely hurt Jacksonville’s pass-pro moving forward.

It’s tough news for the James Robinson rushing shares as Linder is one of the premier centers in the NFL when healthy -- he seemingly gets hurt every year. Tyler Shatley is the direct backup to Linder, as he was last year, and should be the one-for-one replacement going forward.

It ends another injury-filled season for Linder, who has missed 14-of-48 games the last three years. Tyler Shatley will replace Linder for the final three games. Linder is signed through 2022 but has no guaranteed money beyond this season.

Linder will avoid injured reserve and prepare to return to the field as soon as he’s healed. With the Jaguars scheduled for a short turnaround against the Dolphins on Thursday night, it’s unlikely he’s good to go by Week 3. Tyler Shatley will start in the interim.

However, La Canfora adds “return likely not great.” Norwell has been a bust relative to the massive free agent contract he signed in 2018. Releasing him would create $5.5 million in cap space but leave behind $9 million in dead money. Still only 28 years old, Linder is signed through 2022. He remained solid in 2019.

He’ll have surgery. The injury compounds Jacksonville’s previous losses of multiple left tackles, robbing them of 2-of-5 starting offensive linemen. Linder was having a terrific season, grading out as a top-five center in PFF’s grades.