Doug Pederson: ‘Walker Little is the left guard,’ not Ezra Cleveland

Newly acquired offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland will not be a starter with the Jacksonville Jaguars. At least not any time soon.

Less than a week after the fourth-year guard was added in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson made it crystal clear that it’ll be Walker Little in the starting lineup moving forward.

“Walker Little is the left guard. I want to be as clear as I can, Walker is the left guard,” Pederson said. “That’s been communicated to everybody. Cam [Robinson] is the left tackle. That is our plan and that has never changed.”

That makes the Jaguars’ decision to give up a sixth-round draft pick to land Cleveland, who is set to become a free agent in the offseason, a little surprising. But Pederson says the depth provided by the acquisition was much-needed and he isn’t ruling out a starting job in Cleveland’s future — so long as he sticks around in Jacksonville.

“Ezra is somebody who can really provide that necessary backup guard,” Pederson said. “He’s a very capable, smart, talented left guard. He played some right guard his rookie year, he’s been primarily a left guard ever since. He’s a really good value for us and really solidifies an offensive line that was already good.

“You have to look at long-term, as well. Obviously, the age of our offensive linemen: Brandon Scherff, as great as he’s been playing, he’s not getting younger; Tyler Shatley, he’s not getting younger. You have to have guys who are very capable who are on your roster. … I do think this definitely could turn into a long-term situation for him where he could definitely compete and be in position to help us moving forward.”

Cleveland, a second-round pick in 2020, started 49 games in his three and a half seasons with the Vikings.

Little started the first four games of the season at left tackle before moving inside to left guard after Robinson returned from a suspension. Little was injured early in his first start at guard, but is expected to return to the starting lineup in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers.