Offensive lineman Jackson Carman did not live up to expectations in Cincinnati, as the team cut him after just three seasons. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Clemson product was supposed to grow with Joe Burrow and protect the young franchise quarterback. That didn’t happen, as Carman struggled as a rookie and never earned a chance to redeem himself. After appearing in 17 games while making six starts as a rookie, Carman only played 12 snaps last season.
Busts happen all the time in the NFL and, chances are, the Jackson Carman cut was justified. However, there aren’t enough reliable offensive linemen to go around, so some team could kick the tires on the former second-round pick. His college tape is decently impressive, and he has experience at both guard and tackle. Seeing as he shouldn’t cost more than the league minimum, the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens could kick the tires and see if there’s any untapped potential.
Saints, Ravens Could Target Recently Cut Jackson Carman
The New Orleans Saints offensive line has the potential to singlehandedly ruin the entire season. Chris Olave is one of the league’s better young receivers and the defense is loaded with playmakers on the back end, but none of it will matter if Derek Carr doesn’t have time to throw the football. No quarterback likes getting pressured, but Carr is one of the worst against a collapsing pocket. Erik McCoy is a fine starter and first-round pick Taliese Fuaga has promise, but the other three spots are active liabilities. Jackson Carman might not be on a Hall of Fame path, but he could cut out a role for himself on this depth chart.
Despite his first-round pedigree, Trevor Penning is not an NFL-caliber player. While he’s currently set to start, the Saints should look for as many avenues as possible to replace him. Even if he can’t beat out Penning, Jackson Carman could still cut it at guard. Cesar Ruiz and his 51.2 PFF grade are back for another season, while Lucas Patrick, a bad center, has to slide to the left guard spot. Carr will not survive a season with these three in the starting lineup, so perhaps Carman can improve with a change of scenery.
Rebuilding An Offensive Line
The Baltimore Ravens had the most complete team in the league last year but lost several key players to the open market. While they still have a stacked roster, you cannot lose both starting guards and a starting right tackle without missing a beat. Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele will start at guard, while Patrick Mekari and second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten will likely split time at right tackle, but Baltimore could use some more depth. While he probably won’t sniff the starting lineup, the recently cut Jackson Carman could provide some much-needed depth for this team.
Baltimore is one of the best teams in the league at drafting and developing talent, so they might as well see if they can bring out the best in Carman. While he probably won’t be anything more than the 53rd man on the roster, it can’t hurt to invest in a low-risk, medium-reward versatile player along the offensive line. Even if it doesn’t work out, the Ravens could cut Jackson Carman without negative repercussions.
Main Photo: Denny Medley – USA Today Sports
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