Last season, offensive guard Andrew Norwell inked a five-year, $66.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars front office felt they had the piece to revive the running game and lead the team even further than before. Unfortunately, it did not play out that way in 2018.
Norwell was a part of an offensive line riddled with injuries and inconsistency in 2018. The offensive line was undisciplined and downright offensive in 2018. This cannot happen again in 2019. No excuses. The front office anticipates that addition of new offensive line coach George Warhop will inject a sense of pride among the group. It all starts with the high priced left guard, Norwell buying into the mindset.
It’s Time for Andrew Norwell to Step Up for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Owning It
It’s easy to finger point and blame others for last season’s collapse. However, based on a recent article on Jacksonville.com, Norwell admitted to his fair share of the blame from 2018.
“It’s no excuse, but it wasn’t my healthiest season,” Norwell said. “I battled through it and ultimately had a significant injury there and that ended my season. I was very disappointed. I’m not going to let my teammates down like that again.”
“I just struggled through some injuries the whole year. I really just couldn’t get healthy. I wasn’t practicing consistently every week. It was just pretty tough on me. You know what? That’s why you fall back on your fundamentals and work hard. What got me here, you just fall back on that.”
Get back to the basics. Seems easy enough. The Jaguars hope that a return to his fundamentals results in positive yards.
Recreate an Identity
Despite the addition of quarterback Nick Foles and new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the Jaguars still want an identity to punish defenses with the ground game. This type of philosophy continues to be right up Norwell’s alley.
Once again, this was not the case for Norwell in 2018. Fast forward to 2019, and it is a chance for Norwell to prove his worth. Therefore a chance to get his body and mind ready to deliver blows at the point of attack and propel the rushing attack.
Currently, head coach Doug Marrone sees a change in Norwell.
“Andrew doesn’t really talk too much. I like that. I don’t really talk that much,” Marrone said. “But I think there might be a little chip there. There might be something there. “The only reason why I say that is because of the way he has gone about his business while he has been here (this off-season). He has been very professional. It’s just kind of a heightened focus or heightened awareness about him.”
Perhaps a change in attitude is needed for Norwell. Use that chip on his shoulder. In other words, be mean and vocalize it. Maybe that involves stepping out of his comfort zone and be a vocal leader. If so, do it. Norwell has a couple of young tackles he can mentor and get ready for the grind of a full season.
Last Word on Andrew Norwell
Regardless, 2018 is in the rearview mirror. No time to dwell in its misery and excuses. Rather, it’s time for Norwell to shed a new layer and return to the dominant abilities that brought him to Jacksonville. In addition to a more aggressive mindset, he can become a mentor in the huddle and off the field. In conclusion, if Norwell can keep the injuries at bay he will be the most valuable player on the offense in 2019.
