byJohn Oehser&John Shipley

JACKSONVILLEHe feels good, and that's good news for the Jaguars.

Jaguars offensive linemanCole Van Lanenspent the offseason working his way back from an injury sustained in Week 18 of last year's regular season, work that has brought him to a good place as the 2026 regular season approaches.

Van Lanen missed the Jaguars' AFC Wild Card Playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills on January 11 with a knee injury, then began 2026 Training Camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He was activated from that list on August 20, marking his return to individual drills in practice ahead of theJaguars Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Stadium on September 13.

"I know Cole's looked good I know he has looked really good," Jaguars Head CoachLiam Coensaid Wednesday.

Van Lanen, who finished last season as the starting left tackle after starting at five different line positions during the season, is expected to start at right tackle when he returns to the starting lineup. He said his focus during this time is about getting back to "feeling right and ready to play my standard of football."

"I've missed a lot of football the past year, this 2026, and just taking all these reps extremely seriously," Van Lanen said. "I really have to work on my craft, and there is only going to be so many reps before we're back in the games.

Coen on Wednesday said he has liked what he has seen from Van Lanen in practice in recent days, noting that Van Lanen "has some confidence."

"The preseason game [against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers] the other night, he did one on ones against some of the defensive players, and he felt really good doing that," Coen said.

Van Lanen, spent 2022-2024 largely as a reserve after being acquired by the Jaguars in an August 2022 trade with the Green Bay Packers, said getting healthy has largely been about persevering and working through a difficult, long process and "small wins through the rehab."

"You can't attain your large goals without hitting the small ones," Van Lanen said. "Throughout the process, there are all these little goals that you're trying to hit better. All those compound throughout your rehab process.

Key to his return: A Jaguars training and support system that Van Lanen called "amazing."

While work remains for Van Lanen before officially returning to the starting lineup, he is getting closer to his goal: To be on the field, in the huddle, and with his teammates rather than in the sometimes solitary process of rehabilitating.

And that's a really good place to be.