Versatile Van Lanen Key for Resilient Offensive Line | Tuesday Insider Before Week 14 vs. Colts

Dec 02, 2025 at 11:35 AM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – He's ready when needed – wherever he's needed.

Cole Van Lanen has parlayed that approach into a flourishing NFL career. This season, he has done it to a remarkable degree – and his approach has come to define the Jaguars' offensive line.

"We do have a very resilient room," Van Lanen said as the Jaguars (8-4) prepared to play the Indianapolis Colts (8-4) at EverBank Stadium Sunday in a game for sole possession of the lead in the AFC South.

Van Lanen, a fifth-year veteran offensive lineman, spoke this week in the wake of a victory over the Tennessee Titans in which the Jaguars' offensive line again played through multiple injuries – with Van Lanen in the game continuing his own remarkably versatile season.

"I've got a lot of respect for Cole Van Lanen," Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen said.

Van Lanen, who has eight starts in four Jaguars seasons – all in the past two seasons – started at right guard Sunday for Patrick Mekari, then moved to left tackle when starter Walker Little was ruled out with a concussion.

"Just the things Cole has been able to do this year have been really impressive," quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. "I don't think there's many guys that can do that or have done that, honestly. So, definitely proud of him and just the way he's been playing and as a unit."

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans

OL Cole Van Lanen (70) and RB LeQuint Allen Jr. (36)

Van Lanen had started the previous two games at right tackle for starter Anton Harrison, having started a Week 10 loss to the Houston Texans at left guard for starter Ezra Cleveland. He started a Week 9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at tackle in the Jaguars' "big" package.

"That is not easy to go and do for anybody," Coen said. "He goes and does it at arguably one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL, which is offensive line."

Van Lanen, originally a sixth-round selection by Green Bay in the 2021 NFL Draft, spent his rookie season playing multiple positions on the Packers' practice squad. He originally played guard with the Jaguars before moving to tackle.

"With this new staff, that was something I harped: 'No matter what it takes to see the field, I'll do whatever it takes for this team, if that's inside, outside, whatever that takes,''' he said. "It's kind of just evolved into that.

"I take a lot of pride in it and it is challenging, but at the same time I've had reps in all these positions in the past and at the end of the day, it's playing football."

Little, Cleveland, center Robert Hainsey, Mekari and Harrison formed the Jaguars' starting line in each of the first five games and seven of the first eight. That five hasn't started together in any of the last four games.

"It shows a lot about our room," Van Lanen said. "We do have a lot of guys that can play a lot of spots. That just ultimately really helps our group a lot. And we're just going to keep pushing, doing our thing and continue to be a tough group and we've just got to keep working every week to be better."

Said Lawrence, "It's impressive. Obviously, it's a unit that's done a great job all season, especially with the circumstances of getting different guys banged up and maybe miss a game. Those guys fight their tails off."

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The Jaguars' defense has responded in a big way to one of its toughest moments of the season, holding two of the last three opponents under 200 yards offense. The Jaguars in the last three games have allowed 6, 24 and 3 points – with 7 points in a 27-24 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals coming when the Cardinals returned a fumble for a touchdown on defense. The Jaguars allowed 135 total yards in a 35-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11 and 188 yards to the Titans Sunday. This stretch came after a 36-29 Week 10 loss to the Houston Texans in which the Jaguars allowed three extended drives in the fourth quarter to squander a 19-point lead. "We take a lot of pride in that," Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton said of the recent stretch. "We're gaining confidence in ourselves, confidence in the call and confidence where we need to be in the game. It's just starting to build week after week. We love for this to happen later in the season. We're getting ready to try to do things and towards the end of the season, it's working out for us right now."