The Jacksonville Jaguars have placed starting left tackle Cole Van Lanen on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list as the team is set to open their 2026 Training Camp, the organization announced Sunday. Offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio was also placed on the Active/PUP list in the same set of roster moves.
Not Unexpected
The decision comes as little surprise to anyone who tracked Van Lanen’s recovery throughout the spring. The lineman suffered a knee injury during the regular season finale against the Tennessee
Titans on January 4th and was unable to suit up for the Wild Card playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills the following week. With few details of the specific injury suffered, but multiple offseason reports outlining a possible accompanying offseason knee surgery, his presence throughout the offseason program has been heavily limited as a result. This combination of factors made it apparent from the earliest organized team activities that his return to full practice would extend well into the summer.
No Harm, No Foul
The coaching staff nonetheless expressed early confidence that Van Lanen would be back on the field at some point during Training Camp. Importantly, the timing of this roster designation works in Jacksonville’s favor. Because the team placed Van Lanen on the Active/PUP list before the league’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline, the Jaguars retain the ability to activate him at any point prior to that date with no restrictions on regular season availability.
The Active/PUP designation simply reflects CVL’s current physical status. Once the medical staff determines he is ready to return to practice, he can be cleared and reintegrated into the active roster without any real consequence. This isn’t the first or last time this organization has navigated this process with a key contributor being on the offseason, Active/PUP.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead began the 2024 offseason on the Active/PUP list following offseason surgery, before being activated in August and going on to have one of his healthiest seasons, playing in all 17-games. The Jaguars will be hoping the timeline for Van Lanen follows a similar path as the regular season approaches. The stakes surrounding Van Lanen’s recovery are significant, with a tough early season slate for Jacksonville.
After being acquired in a 2022 trade with the Green Bay Packers for a seventh-round pick under then-general manager Trent Baalke, CVL developed into one of the most valuable and versatile pieces on Jacksonville’s offensive line. In 2025, he appeared in all 16 games he was active for, making ten starts at four different positions along the line before ultimately settling in as the team’s primary left tackle. His performance at that spot was quietly among the best on the roster. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just nine total pressures and zero sacks at left tackle, while ESPN Analytics ranked him tenth among all offensive tackles in run block win rate. The Jaguars rewarded that production with a three-year extension signed late in the season.
In Van Lanen’s absence, Walker Little is expected to fill the starting left tackle role once camp opens on Wednesday. If the recovery timeline pushes past the start of the regular season, swing tackle Chuma Edoga would also potentially be able to secure a roster spot as additional protection along the offensive line. That, however, is a future conversation for another day. Only time will tell.
Van-Lanen’s recovery, and Walker Little’s performance, will both be major training camp storylines to watch over the coming weeks.
