O-Zone: Easy calls

John: The touchdowns-in-garbage-time theme with Bortles is one of those things that has been repeated so much it’s now accepted as gospel without a thought that it might not be absolutely true. It is true many of Bortles’ touchdowns that season came late in games. In some cases – as with three second-half touchdown passes in a late-season loss to the Saints, for example – the touchdowns came with the game out of hand. In other cases – as with his five-touchdown performance in a loss at Tennessee – the Jaguars were close enough throughout that the touchdowns can’t correctly be discounted. The great majority of Bortles’ career touchdown passes have come with the Jaguars trailing, but you know what? The Jaguars have trailed in most games during his career – and Bortles isn’t completely to blame for that. I personally don’t care that much about Bortles’ touchdowns total from 2015, and never did. I thought he showed flashes that season, but that overall he needed to improve in several key areas last season. He didn’t improve enough, and he enters 2017 still needing to make the same improvements. Focus on whether the Jaguars are converting third- and manageable situations next season. Keep an eye on whether Bortles is managing the pocket better than in his first few seasons. Look to see if he is putting the ball where his receivers can catch it and defenders can’t. Check if he is avoiding interceptions on early downs and in third-and-manageables. If he is doing those things, he will improve – and the guess here is that will lead to a better touchdown-interception ratio and a lot more victories.

John: I can’t rank it that high. Yet.

John: It’s an easy and common reaction to see a once-wealthy player go bankrupt and say, “How could that happen? Did they not learn from others’ experience?” The reality is there are many factors pulling very young people in a lot of directions, and young people don’t always learn from others’ mistakes. I’m not suggesting people cry for players who lose money, but neither do I think the situations merit derision or ridicule. As for the money players make, I don’t consider NFL player salaries “out of hand.” This is a country in which people are allowed to make what the market will bear. The market dictates that some professional athletes get paid a princely – nay, kingly – amount of money. Could it be “better-spent?” I suppose, but sports are big business and the people who are the best at that business make a lot of money. It doesn’t sit well with some people, and it doesn’t seem fair. But hey … life ain’t always fair these days. I can’t remember a time that it was.

John: OK.

John: It doesn’t take losing a bet to realize that J.P. Shadrick is a fine, upstanding member of the jaguars.com staff and he deserves – nay, commands – our respect. I’d appreciate it in the future if our readers remember this.

John: If a man can’t change a world these days, I still believe a man can change his own destiny.

John: Albert actually does get it. He is a 10-year NFL veteran and his job isn’t to get ready or be shape or even show up for voluntary offseason activities. His job is to be prepared and in shape when the Jaguars play real games next season, and if he does that, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin and Head Coach Doug Marrone will like him fine. I think Albert will be ready when training camp starts, and I think he will be the starting left tackle. If he loses the competition, then yeah … it’s a possibility he wouldn’t be around. I don’t see that scenario taking place.

John: Of course we’re not. We are Devo.

John: I get the idea that teams and the NFL Players Association like the current system when it comes to rookies. It solved two major issues – ludicrous rookie salaries and rookie holdouts – and drafted players are eligible to renegotiate contracts after three seasons. I don’t know that there is a perfect system, but this is pretty palpable compared to the previous one.

John: I have no idea what you’re talking about.

John: Not necessarily. While there are many factors such as workout bonuses, incentives and the like that ultimately determine how a player is paid, NFL players usually sign contracts in which they receive an up-front signing bonus and a yearly salary over the life of that contract. If the contract calls for a $10 million signing bonus and four years of the player earning $5 million a season, that generally would be reported as a “$30 million contract.” The player definitely would receive the $10 million signing bonus and almost definitely would play the first season and receive that $5 million. Because NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed, the player would then need to be on the roster each of the final three seasons to receive the $5 million salary for each season. It’s quite often the case that NFL players are released before the end of their contracts. Hence, the importance in the NFL of signing bonuses and big money in the early years of contracts. It is in that part of the contract where a players’ financial security can be found.