Cam Robinson wants Jaguars to remember finish to forget

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a season to forget in 2023. Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson doesn’t think they should.

In 2022, Jacksonville had stormed down the stretch. By winning their final five regular-season games, the Jaguars grabbed the AFC South title from the faltering Tennessee Titans, then got off the turf in the playoffs for an epic first-round comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers.

But in 2023, Jacksonville lost five of its final six games to throw away the division title.

“I kind of look at this as like a fine line,” Robinson said during the Jaguars’ offseason program, “because you want to, obviously, flush it because it’s over, but there is things you want to take from that. There’re some things that should stick with you, should leave, in my opinion, a little bit of a bitter taste in your mouth, so I think it’s just finding a balance of flushing some stuff but some stuff should stick with you and it should motivate you and maybe drive you going into the next season.”

Robinson left Jacksonville’s 24-21 victory over the Houston Texans on Nov. 26 with a knee injury. The Jaguars placed the former Alabama All-American on injured reserve the following day, and he missed the next four games. Jacksonville lost all of them.

After a season of injury and continuity issues, Jacksonville has high hopes for its offensive line in 2024. The Jaguars return Robinson and Anton Harrison at the tackles and Brandon Scherff and Ezra Cleveland at the guards while adding nine-year NFL starter Mitch Morse at center in free agency. Jacksonville also has an experienced backup at tackle in Walker Little and at the interior positions in Tyler Shatley.

“I think just consistency for myself and our offense as well,” Robinson said about the improvements he’d like to see in 2024. “Just want to be as consistent as possible, be on the field as much as possible. And just be playing and be as sharp as I can as much as possible. That was personally.

“But as a team, also the consistency, but us just coming together and becoming one unit, up front in particular with the offensive line. I think it will be key for us to stay healthy and just kind of keep the same five guys all year because that’s kind of where you get that bond from. That consistency comes from that. …

“I think people don’t realize how much as an offensive line, like, all five playing together is so important. Of course, stuff happens like injuries and people will go down or whatever happens, but as much as we can keep all five of us together and just jell and kind of form that bond. I think we can be as good as we want to be.”

Jacksonville concluded its offseason program last week. The Jaguars’ rookies are scheduled to report for training camp on July 19, with the veterans coming in four days later.

Jacksonville opens its three-game preseason schedule on Aug. 10 against the Kansas City Chiefs and kicks off its regular-season slate on Sept. 8 against the Miami Dolphins.

Robinson has spent his entire NFL career with the Jaguars since joining Jacksonville in the second round of the 2017 draft.

“It’s flown by,” Robinson said. “That’s the crazy part. I keep telling people, it flies by. If you don’t take a moment to just kind of step back and take a look at the whole picture every once in a while, it’ll be here and gone before you know it. Just trying to appreciate these days.”

Robinson won the Outland Trophy as college football’s best interior lineman in 2016 at Alabama.

“I think they’ll be fine,” Robinson said about the Crimson Tide’s outlook for 2024. “It’ll be fun to see without coach (Nick) Saban — I don’t know if it’ll be fun; it’ll be different. But I’m looking forward to it. I think the Alabama brand, it is what it is, so they’ll be fine.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.