The Jaguars gave offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen a three-year, $51MM contract extension on Jan. 2. Two days later, Van Lanen suffered a knee injury in the Jaguars’ Week 18 regular-season finale. He missed the team’s wild-card round loss to the Bills as a result.
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After undergoing surgery and dealing with a lengthy recovery process, Van Lanen is finally ready to return. The Jaguars activated him from the physically unable to perform list on Thursday.
Van Lanen, whom the Packers drafted in Round 6 in 2021, joined the Jaguars in a minor trade ahead of his second season. Trent Baalke, then the Jaguars’ general manager, gave up a seventh-rounder for Van Lanen. The 6-foot-5, 312-pounder saw limited action in his first three seasons in Jacksonville, where he logged three starts in 34 games, but had the best year of his career in 2025.
After dividing snaps between guard and right tackle for the first two-plus months of the season, Van Lanen stepped in at left tackle in Week 13 to replace the demoted Walker Little. Van Lanen held the job until his injury and contributed to the Jaguars’ season-ending eight-game winning streak. Although Van Lanen’s play impressed GM James Gladstone, who authorized the extension, the 28-year-old may not reprise his role at left tackle.
Anton Harrison was the Jaguars’ full-time No. 1 right tackle over his first three seasons, but they have been using the 2023 first-rounder on the left side this summer. It appears that will continue, as “all indications” point to Harrison staying at left tackle, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.
If Harrison holds his own on quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s blind side, it should increase the lineman’s earning power on a potential contract extension. Harrison is already under wraps through 2027 in Jacksonville, which exercised his $19.1MM fifth-year option during the spring. Gladstone, who has extended Van Lanen and several other Jags in his year-plus as their GM, may attempt to get something done with Harrison next offseason.
Assuming Harrison enters the season at left tackle, a healthy Van Lanen figures to start on the opposite side. The 28-year-old has made three starts at right tackle, including two last season.
