John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Josh from Fernandina Beach and currently Fort Lauderdale, FL:
O, having seen our free-agent moves – and assuming for the purpose of the question that the Jags go defensive line with their first pick of the draft – can you provide some detail on how/where you expect Dante Fowler Jr. to be best used next year?
John: This is among the Jaguars’ more intriguing offseason questions – and as of mid-March we have little hard information on the topic. As of now, I expect Fowler to be used next season as a defensive end. I don’t know if that means he will start, because he must earn that by outperforming Yannick Ngakoue, something he didn’t do enough last season. If Fowler doesn’t start next season, I expect he will be used extensively on second-and-third downs and in passing situations. The draft has little bearing on the issue because Jonathan Allen of Alabama and Solomon Thomas of Stanford are different style defensive ends than Fowler. Either way, remember: defensive linemen rotate as much as any position in the NFL. I expect Fowler to play a lot and be productive next season whether or not he starts. The key remains how much he can improve as a pass rusher, an area where he needs to improve his technique and fundamentals. I’m not completely ruling out the idea that Fowler could be used standing up at times – either as a stand-up end of outside linebacker – but I’ve yet to see/hear anything remotely official to make me think that will happen.
Marc from Oceanway:
John, would you be bothered if we signed Colin Kaepernick? It seems your stance in the past has been as long as it makes the team better, you are game. I try to be open-minded, but I can’t help but think it would bug me. What’s weird is I would be more OK if he continued to kneel for the national anthem. It bothers me more that he would change his tune now that he needs a new job. Am I alone in thinking this?
John: I would have zero problem personally if the Jaguars signed Kaepernick because I fundamentally believe that professional sports are about winning – and if a player can help you win, then it’s fine to sign them. I also tend to have a high tolerance for off-field actions or transgressions – probably from years of seeing things through a jaded-journalist’s lens rather than the emotional lens of a fan. Also, I tend to get less offended by the actions of others than many people. Still, considering the strong military presence in Jacksonville – and considering how many in the military felt about Kaepernick not standing for the anthem – signing Kaepernick definitely would qualify as a tough sell. It perhaps would be too tough a sell to outweigh the potential reward.
Tommy from Jacksonville:
Johnny, you mentioned recently it would not surprise you if the Jags picked a quarterback in the bottom of the first round or second. Dude, let me say if this happens I will have faith in the teams’ upper management and be extremely excited for the future!!! Don’t let me down! I can’t watch another season of Bortles, I just can’t.
John: Dude, I don’t know whether or not the Jaguars will select a quarterback late in the first round or early in the second. I do know that I doubt that quarterback would prevent Bortles from being the starting quarterback in 2017.
Brian from Charlottesville, VA:
I can shed some light on the “guard panic.” A.J. Cann and Jermey Parnell didn’t play well and left guard was an absolute mess last year. We’re going into next season with that same predicament. The only player that was replaced was the decent left-tackle. The Raiders built one of the best lines in football through free agency. The fans’ concern is the front office is being too conservative with how much to pay an elite guard while we have all the money in the world. This is the same team that drafted Luke Joeckel and A.J. Cann in the first three rounds, so give me the proven talent in free agency over their scouting any day. The “guard panic” is that the three positions on the offensive line last year that played the most poorly remain in the same state. Having pretty poor offensive line play (even if everything else is going well) is a recipe for us discussing why the team won five games this time next year.
John: I understand the fans’ concern. I also understand that the Jaguars believe Branden Albert is a significant upgrade, and that while Kelvin Beachum played well as a pass blocker, he didn’t play nearly as well as a run-blocker. I understand, too, that the team believes Cann and Parnell will play better, and that Cann can still be a very good guard in the NFL. What I mostly understand is that this is going to be an area of concern for many fans until next season because the Jaguars aren’t going to replace 80 percent of the offensive line. Will the panic be legitimate concern or true panic? I guess we’ll find out.
E Nuff from Banner Elk, NC:
Fournette? Really? I don’t get it! The Crimson Tide completely shut him down EVERY time they played him!!!!! What do you think NFL defenses will do to him? Leonard Fournette will be a bust in the NFL! In the words of the infamous Jerell … book it!! Orenthal James Howard @4!!!
John: You don’t draft a player based on college statistics. If you did, you almost certainly wouldn’t select O’Terrius Jabari “O.J.” Howard No. 4. I mean, he had only seven touchdowns!! For his entire career!!! In four seasons!!
Scott from Aurora, IL:
I just want to draft Solomon Thomas, because then we can do cool things with his name –like call the backfield “Solomon’s Temple,” or when he gets a particularly amazing sack, have some reference to the “Judgment of Solomon.” It’s about the little things, John.
John: Indeed.
Cliffah from Jags4life:
Do the successful teams tend to draft for need or the BAP?
John: The successful teams tend to draft franchise quarterbacks. Once they do that, they often are able to supplement that by a combination of drafting the best available player at times at positions where they have a need. Remember: few teams draft with a pure “BAP” approach, but the better your overall roster and quarterback, the easier it is to choose the best player regardless of position.
Joel from Jacksonville:
Do fans realize that while talking of trading back is great to do that there must be a coveted player available at No. 4 that we have a lot of like but not love and that the team at No. 5 has a lot of love for that player for anyway below 5 to trade with us? I don’t really see that player in this draft class.
John: Perhaps the best way to think about this is like this: the Jaguars by any definition are not an incredibly talented roster. It is a young roster that is better than it was a few years ago, but there are few positions where you look and say, “Gee, the Jaguars really couldn’t use a great player who might make a bunch of Pro Bowls and be elite for a long time at that spot.” Those are the kinds of players that might draw interest in a draft-day trade. So, if the Jaguars don’t like any player at No. 4 enough to take him there, it follows that there might not be another team that likes any player at No. 4 to give up a bunch of selections to move up.
Paul from Temecula, CA:
What incentive could the Browns possibly have (besides “because they have the cap space”) to help the Texans on that level?
John: You’re asking why the Browns would have taken on quarterback Brock Osweiler’s contract in a recent trade with the Houston Texans. The Browns did it because the Texans gave the Browns a second-round selection in the draft.
Travis from Orange Park, FL:
The 2013 draft class ended up being a very poor class for the Jags. No one on the roster four years later, no one a threat to be a Pro Bowler, no one is a legitimate NFL starter, no one I’d re-take in a do-over. #CoughlinSavetheJags
John: Johnathan Cyprien is a legitimate NFL starter, and the team did sign re-sign Abry Jones after acquiring him as rookie free agent in 2013. The class as a whole was considered one of the weakest in recent memory, but no … the 2013 class by and large hasn’t helped the Jaguars a great deal.
TJ from Orlando, FL:
If I may be so bold as to further your recent answer to Tim from South Carolina, I also lived in Jacksonville when Tom Coughlin was fired. I thought it was a terrible decision at the time and I think more fans have come to realize that as well. The football gods have punished us since and I think it’s time we got back on their good side.
John: It’s not nice to fool … Mother Nature.
O-Zone: That Leonard guy
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Jamie from Santa Rosa Beach, FL:
Johnny O, do you think Calais Campbell/Malik Jackson can be the modern-day Marcus Stroud/John Henderson? I hope we can get back to the “nasty” days of old! What say you?
John: The comparison is a long way from exact. One reason is that Campbell is entering his 10th season, so it’s probably not realistic to think Campbell/Jackson could be a dominant Jaguars tandem for a stretch similar to Stroud and Henderson. Also, Campbell is likely to play outside at the end position and Jackson is a penetrating, athletic defensive tackle, so you’re probably not getting the dominant, brute-strength, nothing-happens-in-the-middle dominance from the pair that the Jaguars got from Stroud and Henderson. But can Campbell and Jackson help the Jaguars be a dominant defensive line for a few seasons? And can Campbell/Jackson help usher in a new era of defensive dominance for the Jaguars? Yeah, those aren’t unreasonable hopes. And hey … there’s nothing wrong with a bit of nasty.
Ben from Jacksonville:
Here we go again. Everyone is getting all excited and optimistic about the Jags next year, me being one of them. I have to stop myself, though, because we have failed to address what was the worst position on the team last year: quarterback. How can we expect to be competitive with quarterback production like we had last year??? You can’t tell me one offseason in California can make Bortles a stud. I won’t be excited for this season until I see good play from the quarterback position.
John: Fair point.
Jordan from Jacksonville:
I’ve heard many people say the Jags will no longer draft a safety at No. 4 because of free agency. I just can’t see how Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson are good enough to not draft Malik Hooker or Jamal Adams if you believe them to be transcendent talent.
John: I’m as big a believer as anyone in taking a transcendent talent in the Top 5 without regard to the players you already have on your roster. Such is the value of elite, game-changing talent. Still, considering the team just signed Church and Gipson in the past 13 months – and considering the difficulty of getting snaps for three players at the safety position – it’s hard to imagine the Jaguars selecting safety in the Top 5 in late April.
Logan from Wichita, KS:
I have been screaming since Week 15 of the regular season to trade our No.4 pick and move back and pick up more picks later or next year or both. The No. 4 pick is a crap-shoot. The best defensive end is most likely off the board, the best offensive lineman doesn’t belong that high, the best safety would just sit on the bench now that we paid Barry Church big bucks, a tight end that high is nonsense, and running back is a split decision where one will be a star and the other a bust and no one knows which is gonna be which, but with our terrible, terrible, terrible thrown-together mess offensive line no doubt whomever we pick would be the bust. WE MUST TRADE BACK!!!
John: Sure. Unless you’re wrong.
Glen from Orange Park, FL:
I hear a lot of people expressing concern about upgrading the offensive line, specifically left guard. Didn’t Patrick Omameh play well before getting hurt last year? Is interior offensive lineman typically the easiest to find starters in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft? I just don’t understand the panic on this issue in March.
John: I don’t quite get the guard panic, although guard panic is without question a real thing. Omameh did play OK at guard, and guard is very attainable in the second or third round. There is time and there are resources available on this one. No need to panic.
Tim from Moncks Corner, SC:
I lived in Jacksonville during those Tom Coughlin years and seem to remember people wanting to tar and feather him and run him out of town. Many saw Wayne Weaver’s greatest move as firing TC. Why do these same people see him as the salvation now?
John: Fans gonna fan, Tim. It’s what they do.
Chris from Mandarin:
Here’s where I’m at on Blake Bortles. No one available is really even as good as he was last year. Ten years ago, 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions didn’t look so bad. In fact, David Garrard put up those types of numbers with as many sacks and people were happy with it. They won a few more games, but it was not drastically different really.
John: OK.
Dave from Orlando, FL:
O-Zone, can an NFL team trade a draft pick for cash to add to increase their salary cap?
John: No. The closest thing a team can come to doing that is what the Houston Texans did recently when they traded a second-round selection to the Cleveland Browns along with Brock Osweiler so that the Browns would assume Osweiler’s contract. This was a way for the Texans to get Osweiler off their cap and onto the Browns cap.
Jerell from Columbia, SC:
Jags will go quarterback Round One No. 4. Book it.
John: What about Bortles, Jerell? Huh? What about him?
Rob from the Duuu:
Zone, Roy Miller still around?
John: No. Nose tackle Roy Miller III was released Sunday. Defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks, defensive end Jared Odrick and cornerback Davon House also have been released since the end of last season.
David from Orlando, FL:
As a Jags fan, I didn’t like the fact that the Cleveland Browns let the Houston Texans off the hook when they traded for Brock Osweiler, and assumed his bloated salary. If the Texans were to go on to sign Tony Romo, we’ll have this trade to thank for that. What are your thoughts?
John: I think all’s fair in love, war and football – although in football you have to stay within the rules (usually). But because what the Texans did was within the rules what they did was more than fair. If the Texans indeed sign Romo, the Jaguars certainly can blame the Browns-Texans trade. They can also blame themselves because they theoretically could try to sign Romo themselves. My guess is the Jaguars aren’t nearly as worried about a potential Romo-Texans marriage as many fans. But maybe I’m wrong. It’s not impossible.
Jeremy from Dodge City, KS:
O, why are people not talking/excited about getting Fournette at No. 4? He is a huge threat at running back and will be the guy to get the running game going. Why the talks about anybody instead of Fournette at No. 4?
John: People have been talking about Fournette at No. 4 to the Jaguars for weeks – even months. Brian Sexton has talked about it. I have talked about it. Analysts have mocked Fournette there, and fans have debated/discussed the merits of the selection. I worry about a lot of things, but I don’t worry that I won’t hear enough people in the coming weeks talking about Fournette at No. 4.
Nate from St. Petersburg, FL:
Hey O, enough of this “tight-end-at-four” talk. I believe our best-case scenario for this season and beyond would be to take Fournette at No. 4 and grab Evan Engram at the top of Round 2. He’s a game changer at the tight-end position, and would pair well with the explosiveness of Fournette and our receivers. What say you?
John: I say I wish more people were talking about Fournette.
Henry from Mobile, AL:
Should the Jaguars draft Leonard Fournette?
John: Who?
CC from Duval:
Are you leaning towards the Jags drafting a running back with the first pick or defensive lineman? I ask because I read you’re leaning Fournette one day and Solomon Thomas/or Jonathan Allen the next. Did something change on your end? I, too, am feeling like they will draft defense but I don’t think they should since addressing it in free agency. I want them to draft Fournette because it would help take pressure off of Bortles and make him a play-action-passing quarterback instead of forcing him to read defenses so much because this isn’t his strong suit as of yet.
John: I think the Jaguars will draft Solomon Thomas/Jonathan Allen because they appear to be the highest-rated players who have a chance to be available when the Jaguars select at No. 4 overall. Either selection would make sense because you can’t have too many good defensive linemen – and because they appear to be the most likely available players to be long-term elite players. They also play a position where it’s considered more conventional to be selected in the Top 5. Running back, by contrast, generally is not a Top 5-selected position in this era – and analysts’ opinions of Fournette (is that his name?) are more varied than they are of the two defensive linemen. That’s the logical, long-term NFL traditionalist O-Zone speaking. The guy in me who thinks the Jaguars might be looking for immediate impact and a home-run threat with some non-traditionalist risk involved … that guy thinks the Jaguars just might go after this Fournette guy. Can we talk about that? Please?
O-Zone: Survival instinct
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Logan from Wichita, KS:
Seriously, our defense can be No. 1 in the NFL and never give up a single point, but if our offense is terrible we will lose due to pick-sixes thrown by Blake Bortles. He needs a line that can protect him and open up the run game … but apparently no one else thinks so. Why???????
John: Logan, I sense your frustration – and feel for you. It stinks to be frustrated, because frustration can be … well, frustrating. But hey! Maybe I can help. Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin without question understands the need for quality play from the offensive line. He talked specifically of the importance of offensive and defensive linemen during an appearance with J.P. Shadrick and me on Jaguars.com LIVE Wednesday (shameless-plug alert). History also suggests that Coughlin well understands the importance. Remember, too: Coughlin believes that left tackle Branden Albert is a move to improve the offensive line, and my guess is there will be a move in the area made somewhere relatively early in the draft. I also still think there’s a real possibility of adding a running back in the draft to help the running game. Now, this plan may not be to your satisfaction, but that does not mean “no one else” thinks a line to protect Bortles and open up the run game isn’t important. A disagreement between two parties does not equate a lack of comprehension on the part of one party. It simply means two parties disagree.
Daniel from Republica Dominicana:
What do you think of this scenario: trade down for O.J. Howard, then use those picks to trade back into the first round and select Forrest Lamp?
John: Sure.
2ndAmend from Fernandina Beach:
I’m thinking that ALL teams need a franchise quarterback to win in the upper tiers in the league. I think with the fourth pick we are getting either Deshaun Watson or Mitch Trubisky. Worst-case scenario, Bortles turns his act around and we’d have a top backup for at least next four years with a rookie salary. We are loaded on defense. We can address offense in Rounds 2-7, including running back. Bortles has had three years, and even on his “good” year the team was 5-11. Do you think quarterback is likely?
John: I do not think the Jaguars taking a quarterback at No. 4 in the 2017 NFL Draft is likely. I think it’s possible, but I think it’s a lot more possible that they select one in the second round or move up into the latter part of the first round to select one. I don’t think that’s likely, either, but I do think it’s more possible than a quarterback at No. 4.
Jerell from Columbia, SC:
Do you think the Jags find their quarterback of the future in this year’s draft?
John: I believe there’s a good chance the Jaguars select a quarterback somewhere in this year’s draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s at the bottom of the first round or top of the second. I’m not predicting the Jaguars will do that, but it would not be a shock. If they draft one late in the first round or early in the second, I don’t know if that player would start this season but he would be selected with the idea that he would have a good chance to start in the future.
Oliver from Aldershot, UK:
Mr. John, you said we would be pushing for an 8-8 season, and I know you don’t like free agency but this has to have already been a franchise-changing free agency. If we add Dontari Poe to our list this is a defense as good as any in the NFL (on paper). Does this not make us a playoff-contending team straight away with realistic hopes of the playoffs this season under the mighty TC!!!!
John: The last thing I want to do is douse excitement, but I’m not a believer that there is such a thing as “franchise-changing free agency.” Perhaps I’ll be proven wrong by the Jaguars in 2017. If that’s the case, that would be cool. Many fans and other people around here would like it. But while the Jaguars did upgrade the talent on defense there does remain the matter of consistent, crunch-time, edge pass-rushing and the matter of consistent, crunch-time, when-it-matters offense – the latter of which the team hasn’t had in a loooong, looong, looooong time. They have never had it during Bortles’ career. I’m not saying the Jaguars won’t have those things in 2016, but significant strides must be made to get those things. Until they take place on the field, I probably won’t talk much about the postseason.
Glen from Jacksonville:
McShay mocks TE O.J. Howard to the Jags. Seems high, but the more I think about it the more I like it. What say you, great wise O?
John: I like the outside-the-box thinking and it’s not a nonsensical choice. But I still believe the Jaguars will go defensive line or running back with the No. 4 selection, and I continue to lean defensive line.
Charles from Midlothian, MD:
I CAN’T HEAR YOU … DID WE GET AN ADD TO THE O-LINE OR WHAT?
John: I’ll check.
Jeff from Orange, CA:
In regards to recent predictions of Jaguars taking a tight end with their first-round pick, do you think that would make sense if you had a very high degree of confidence that he would develop into an Antonio Gates/Tony Gonzalez type player? And does the fact that most typical premium positions don’t seem to project well for the team at their current draft slot make this somewhat of a real possibility? And please give us a very specific probability, since you’re very accurate at those projections.
John: If the player were on the level of Tony Gonzalez, then yes … absolutely you take him at No. 4. It’s very easy to say take a player if you know for sure he’s going to be one of the best two or three players at his position in the history of the sport. Because teams do not know if a player is going to be one of the best two or three in the history of the sport, teams do not draft with the assumption that they are getting such a player. As for players at premium positions not projecting well, I see your point but that’s an unwise way to approach the draft. You don’t pass on a player you believe is an elite talent at No. 4 simply because he doesn’t fit a short-term need. If, say, the Jaguars believe Jonathan Allen or Malik Hooker or Solomon Thomas is such a player, then you take him and figure out a place to play him. Coaches and general managers rarely walk rubber hallways complaining that they have “too many elite players.”
Dave from Oviedo, FL:
I wish I would’ve taken a snap shot of the internet two months ago, because it would’ve shown Solomon Thomas way down the list of top college prospects. Since that time, nobody has played a down of football, yet he has skyrocketed into the Top 5 on many mock drafts. Now, all of a sudden, he’d be a good selection at No 4. You say 90 percent game film and 10 percent combine sounds about right, then how do you explain the rise of Solomon Thomas?
John: A snap-shot of the internet is not a snap-shot inside the minds of NFL General Managers. Just because mock drafts had Thomas outside the Top 10 in January doesn’t mean general managers had him outside the Top 10.
Ricky from Jacksonville:
Nick Mangold (33, 7 Pro Bowls), Jeremy Zuttah (30, Pro Bowl 2016) and Brian Schwenke (25, has 28 starts) are interior lineman still available. Have you any idea if we may be interested in any of them? Win now! Go Jags!!
John: None of the players has visited Jacksonville. I get the idea that the Jaguars like Brandon Linderat center and A.J. Cannat guard, and that they will address an interior/guard position in the draft. We’ll see.
Leonard from Baton Rouge, LA:
You say 90/10 in favor of game film but surely Dalvin Cook’s poor combine has taken him out of Top 5 consideration, hasn’t it in your opinion? Could McCaffrey get drafted well ahead of Dalvin now?
John: What is said about a player before the draft and where he actually is drafted are often two entirely different things. When discussing this in Wednesday’s O-Zone, I said that there are certain red flags in terms of measurables that often drop a player. In Cook’s case, his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine may well have included such measurables for some teams. What teams will do now is go back and study Cook more closely to determine if those measurables should drop Cook on their draft boards – or if they like what they see on film enough to override it. As for McCaffrey going ahead of Cook … we’ll see. But if he does, it won’t necessarily just be because of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Marc from Oceanway:
I noticed no one corrected Tom Coughlin when he mispronounced A.J. Bouye on Jaguars.com LIVE. I don’t think I would have, either.
John: #pickyourbattles
O-Zone: Not necessarily a need
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Johnathan from Indianapolis, IN:
Game film 90 percent – and combine … 10 percent? I read that a scout should never change a grade based on the combine performances.
John: That percentage is about right. The best way to think about the NFL Scouting Combine – and the way the vast majority of football people attempt to think about it – is to view it as a secondary tool. The same is true of Pro Days, measurables, interviews, character investigations, etc. – anything, essentially, that isn’t game footage. Those things are used to gather detailed information on a player, and information from those sources should be considered red flags – areas to be investigated further and possibly used in the evaluation, but not as the primary judge of a player. Now, there are certain measurables that many teams use to eliminate a player. For instance, there are teams who will not draft a lineman if he is below a certain weight, or who will not draft a cornerback if he can’t run a certain speed. Some teams do believe in certain baselines below which a player won’t be able to perform no matter how impressive his college game performance. And, of course, players do get taken off draft boards for character issues. That’s essentially a “red flag,” and if a player doesn’t pass that recheck, then he’s probably not getting drafted by said team. But for most teams and most players, scouts try to judge based on what they see on the field. Not that it always works out that way. This is not an exact science.
Chaun from St. Louis, MO:
I’m very excited about the direction we’re going, but what are we going to do about our tight end position? Will we draft or use what we have?
John: Yes.
Dave from Atlanta, GA:
Do you hear any whispers of the Jags locking up any of the 2014 draft class (mainly Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Brandon Linder, Aaron Colvin or Telvin Smith) this offseason to prevent losing them in free agency next offseason? Will they pick up the fifth-year option on Blake Bortles? That’s a pretty strong, deep class. Who do you think they should lock up now?
John: I don’t know that you’ll see news on the Jaguars re-signing players from the 2014 NFL Draft class in the next few weeks or even necessarily before the summer. I don’t know that we’ll even hear all that much whispering. The reason isn’t that the Jaguars don’t like those players; they do – and as you say, there are players such as Lee, Robinson, Linder, Colvin and Smith that may well merit second contracts. But remember: Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin has been back with the organization less than two months, and much of the coaching staff – particularly most position coaches – have been with the team less than that. Those people know the roster by what they have seen on video and by a few non-football conversations with the players, but they don’t have the intimate, first-hand knowledge that working with the players on a daily basis brings. That familiarity will start developing in April. I expect the Jaguars to re-sign several of the players you mentioned before the end of next season and perhaps a few more than that before the start of the 2018 League Year. But there’s no pressing need to do so before then. As for Bortles’ option, Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell said during the recent NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that the team likely will wait until closer to the May deadline to decide on that issue. There again is no hurry – and I suppose they might pick it up. But it’s not a major issue. If they decide to move on from Bortles after the 2017 season they still can do so. If he plays well in 2017 and they decide he’s the guy they can work out a deal for a long-term contract once they know. It’s fine for people to discuss and worry about these issues, but the team has ample time to address them.
Nick from Fort Pierce, FL:
Assuming we enter the season with just the running backs on the current roster (which isn’t a terrible scenario), based on scheme, fit and ability, who gets more touches? T.J. Yeldon or Chris Ivory?
John: This answer realistically depends on how well the Jaguars are running the ball – and by extension, how well they are doing in terms of victories and losses. If the Jaguars are running well and controlling tempo and down-and-distance scenarios, then I imagine that means Ivory is getting a lot of touches throughout the game. If they are behind the chains and behind the opponent a lot, then that probably means more looks for Yeldon.
Ed from Ponte Vedra, FL:
You probably know me by now from the dumb questions. I hear often about these draft prospects from good football colleges expressing how they have to work on techniques, as simple as not planting their feet, etc. My question is: Why don’t these college programs groom a future quarterback better? Don’t they have, like, 20 coaches evaluating simple throwing/posture techniques?
John: You probably know me by now from the dumb answers, but first … no, college programs don’t have, like, 20 coaches evaluating simple throwing/posture techniques. College staffs have nine coaches with offensive coordinators often also serving as the quarterbacks coach. Also, college practice schedules are limited to 20 hours a week, which includes practice, meetings and conditioning and usually is not dedicated to hard-core work on throwing fundamentals. The mission of college programs, remember, is not to develop players – quarterback, or any other position – for the NFL. College coaches don’t get hired and fired based on how many NFL players – quarterbacks, or any other position – they produce. They’re hired and fired based on how many games their teams win and lose. That might mean producing NFL prototype quarterbacks, but not necessarily.
James from Duval:
Since we both agree that defense will be the Jags’ most likely first pick, who do you think it might be?
John: I suppose I agree with that. Some days I do and other days I don’t. On the days that I do, I’m torn between Jonathan Allen and Solomon Thomas.
Travis from Saint Louis, MO:
Almost anywhere outside of this website, I hear grumblings about possibly getting Tony Romo. I think it would be great to get someone like him, but at the same time what would his motivation be to come here? Do these other reporters and NFL pundits know something we don’t? Or is this the case of wishful thinking on the part of fans leaking into the news.
John: I’ve heard grumblings, too – and while I thought at first I had skipped breakfast, I soon realized it indeed was fans and media speculating about the possibility of the Jaguars acquiring Romo. I’ve discussed it on several occasions in this forum, but I’ll recap: I wouldn’t mind the move because I like Romo and I do believe the Jaguars would be a better team if he played 16 games for them next season. Would health permit him to play all 16 games? Who knows? I don’t have a vibe that the Jaguars are trying to go in this direction, and my vibe for now is that the Jaguars are being mentioned as a “dark-horse” team for Romo because dark-horse teams are cool and media types/fans love to talk about them in March.
Geniunejag13:
Mr. O, are the Jags set at linebacker with Myles Jack, Telvin Smith and Paul Posluszny? It seems like the Jags have done very little to address the position. The best that EVP Coughlin would say about Poz was his work and locker room presents all stuff that don’t happen on the field, who are the backups?
John: Unless I’m reading it wrong, there’s an undertone to your question that there was something about Paul Posluszny’s play last season that was unsatisfactory. That’s an odd undertone regarding the person who may have been among the team’s top three players last season. I certainly didn’t get the idea when Coughlin addressed Posluszny recently that he remotely was saying he was a liability – and in fact he praised him as exactly the sort of player the Jaguars need. Either way … yeah, I think Posluszny, Jack and Smith will start in some capacity at linebacker for the Jaguars next season. As for depth, I could see a couple of draft selections along with recently-signed Audie Cole. If you’re going to be a backup linebacker on this team and most others next season, you better be able to contribute pretty heavily on special teams.
Jim from Detroit, MI:
Nice to see defense strengthened but what happened to all the left tackles available? Everyone else is signing offensive linemen, but where are we???? We may be able to stop almost anyone, but Blake needs PROTECTION.
John: THE JAGUARS ACQUIRED BRANDEN ALBERT IN A TRADE WITH MIAMI. THE TRADE WAS FINALIZED LAST THURSDAY. BRANDEN ALBERT PLAYS LEFT TACKLE.
O-Zone: One simple word
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Chris from Houston, TX:
With all of these releases and signings, it seems we may be transitioning to more of a 3-4 defense: Malik Jackson and Calais Campbell on the outside, Dontari Poe (rumored to be visiting Jacksonville) and Abry Jones at the nose. Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue at the outside-linebacker rush, Paul Posluszny, Myles Jack and Telvin Smith at linebacker … Seems to make some sense on paper to me. What are your thoughts on this?
John: This does make sense on paper, and it’s fast turning into the Storyline of the Week among Jaguars observers. Is this more than a paper story? Ah, that is the question. The Jaguars have said little publicly regarding the defensive scheme moving forward under second-year coordinator Todd Wash, and any official talk from Head Coach Doug Marrone, Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin and General Manager David Caldwell since mid-January has been mostly about general and minor changes. A move to 3-4 would seem “major,” but the Jaguars’ scheme run in recent seasons – first under Bob Babich and last season under Wash – long has been referred to as a hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme, primarily because of the pass-rushing (previously “Leo”) end position that is something of a cross between a 3-4 outside linebacker and a 4-3 pass-rushing end. Could the personnel being acquired fit a 3-4? Yes, but it also can fit a 4-3. I still don’t anticipate a drastic change in the front-seven approach, but we’ll see. There’s enough going on that it’s a legitimate topic.
Armando from Vacaville, CA:
Any chance we could get Christian McCaffrey?
John: Sure. The chances are about three-point-one percent – or approximately one in 32.
Jason from North Pole, AK:
Let’s say the Jags somehow acquire Tony Romo this offseason. Would you expect Blake Bortles to be the backup and learn from Romo with the intent of taking over after Romo is done? Or do you think it would be the end of Bortles as a franchise quarterback?
John: The first thing I’ll say to this is I don’t expect the Jaguars to acquire Romo this offseason. The second thing is while people love to talk about quarterbacks learning from other quarterbacks, I don’t put much stock in the concept; if another quarterback is here and starting he will be here to play and win, not to be a teacher or a tutor. As far as Bortles’ future if Romo or another quarterback starts here, history tells us “franchise quarterbacks” don’t start three seasons for a franchise, sit for a season or two, then return to be a long-term franchise quarterback. I often caution against using history as an end-all guide to the future, but in this case it’s a decent tell.
Matt from Orlando, FL:
John, Bortles? We are rolling the dice on him again. My question to you: If Bortles can’t get it done early next season, who will be our insurance?
John: My question to you: what does “quarterback insurance” mean? If you have a quarterback you believe is good enough to be great insurance – i.e., a quarterback who can win if the starter falters – you probably would start that quarterback.
James from Duval:
The consensus among Jags fans is that since we spent so much on top-tier defensive players in free agency that the Jags’ administration will draft mostly offensive players in the draft. I disagree. I believe with the upcoming draft being so deep in defensive talent the Jags will continue their trend and draft depth on the defensive side of the ball. Your thoughts?
John: Wow. You’ve talked to and/or polled the vast majority of Jaguars fans and come up with a consensus. Even for a small-market team, that’s serious heavy lifting. As for your question, I agree with you – and disagree with your consensus. I think there’s a good chance the Jaguars go defensive line at No. 4 overall because you can never have too many pass rushers, and because you ideally want your draft selections to be far more about the future than the present. I do think there’s a good chance they draft offensive line a couple of times after that. Beyond that, I think you’ll see at least a couple of really fast defensive back-seven guys because there’s something to be said for developing depth there – and there’s a lot to be said for having fast, athletic guys to play special teams.
Brad from Duval:
Do the recent free-agent pickups by the Jags increase the chances they trade down to pick up an offensive guard and some extra early-round picks?
John: It’s possible, but I doubt it. The Jaguars have the No. 4 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. That means by definition they have a chance to select at least the draft’s fourth best player, which means they have a chance to select a premium talent. If there is a player available at No. 4 they believe is such a player – and the chances are good that that’s the case – they should stay there and pick that player. They will have a chance to select an offensive guard in the second. You can get good ones there.
John from Brentwood, UK:
John, people seem divided on the Calais Campbell signing but, given recent performance, is it a case of “any port in a storm?”
John: I admit I don’t pay as much attention to what people think about the Jaguars’ free-agent signings as perhaps readers do, but I consider it the best signing the team made last week. Given his recent performance, I wouldn’t call it any port in the storm. I’d call it signing a veteran player who brings immediate production, talent and leadership to the locker room – and it’s a huge signing for this franchise. A.J. Bouye may be the best signing for the future, but Campbell is big now.
Logan from Wichita, KS:
We addressed corner, safety, defensive line, tackle and special teams. Can we now safely believe the Jags will trade the No. 4 overall pick since we have no need for a safety or defensive-line players?
John: No.
Thommy from Miami, FL:
Ooookkkk, if I understand correctly that Bortles’ offseason routine – which had served him so well before the 2015 season – was interrupted by then-OC Oley, why is it that no one thinks it important? Seems awfully germane to me …
John: You’re referring to the story that then-offensive coordinator Greg Olson wasn’t crazy about Bortles working out in California in the offseason, and the possibility that was a reason Bortles didn’t go to California to work on mechanics as he had in 2015. This became a widely-held theory about why Bortles struggled with mechanics in 2016 after improving in that area in 2015 – and yes, there’s probably something to the theory. A couple of thoughts on your question. One is there indeed are people who think it was important; a lot of readers certainly do. Another is that while it’s easy in retrospect to blame Bortles’ 2015 offseason approach for his issues, there were few signs during the offseason or even during training camp that his mechanics were faltering. He appeared to be throwing well during organized team activities and early in training camp. As for blaming Olson for the decision, I don’t know. Olson wanted Bortles to stay in Jacksonville and work with his receivers, and at the time – considering that Bortles had played pretty well in 2015 – few thought that was an awful idea. It only became an issue in retrospect when Bortles had a difficult season for many, many reasons – with mechanics only one of them.
Jordan from Jacksonville:
Just draft the best available player that isn’t a running back, tight end or special teams with the first pick. If we do that, we’ll be a better team and not letting them walk in free agency in four years. We just need great players.
John: Yes.
Jamie from Santa Rosa Beach, CA:
O-Man, what do you think about Davis Webb from Cal in the second round? He’s intriguing to me. I’m just wondering if he could push Blake? I’d like to hear what you think of him as he hasn’t got much attention as the other quarterbacks in this draft for some reason. Thanks!!
John: I like Webb. He looks like a quarterback who might sneak into the latter part of the first round – or who might be available early in the second round. I don’t love his motion because it seems he aims the ball just a bit, but that’s less a scout’s view and more the view of someone who has watched him on a few occasions. Could the Jaguars draft him in the second round? I wouldn’t rule it out, but I have a hard time seeing any of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft “pushing” for a starting role as a rookie – and that’s true whether or not the Jaguars draft one of those quarterbacks.
Mo from the 804:
One word, sir Zone: JAGUARS! That is all.
John: OK.
O-Zone: Still a no-show
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
William from Jacksonville Beach, FL:
Thoughts on the release of Roy Miller? I was surprised.
John: The Jaguars indeed released nose tackle Roy Miller Sunday. The move surprised me and at the same time it didn’t. It was a little surprising because Miller seemed like a good fit moving forward in terms of professionalism and veteran presence. He also had been playing at a high level the past two seasons until sustaining a torn Achilles this past season. At the same time, a torn Achilles is a serious injury that often is career-threatening – and Miller is entering his ninth NFL season. The Jaguars also recently re-signed Abry Jones, who replaced Miller last season and played at a high level, and are overhauling much of the defensive line. Miller was one of my favorite Jaguars players in recent seasons. He was a class act and always willing to try to put the Jaguars in perspective even in the toughest of times. That’s rare and it was appreciated. I will miss Miller’s professionalism and candidness, but considering all of the Jaguars’ goings on this offseason, and considering his age and health, his release in the big picture perhaps wasn’t a mammoth surprise.
David from Maplewood, NJ:
John, how about one fer Marks? During the years he was here, we didn’t have all that much to root for and he was an exception. My nine-year old always asked about No. 99; he will be missed and we wish him well.
John: Absolutely. One fer Sen’Derrick Marks – one of the classiest, most-entertaining players I’ve had the pleasure to cover in 23 years covering the NFL.
Daniel from Gordon:
What are the basic changes in scheme that our defense will have this year? What players will be vital to it and how do you see it highlighting our current squad?
John: The Jaguars haven’t officially discussed this in detail, so most of the discussion about scheme is speculation more than fact. Judging by what has been said by team officials, and judging by the roster moves, it appears the Jaguars are moving away at least somewhat from the idea of having a true “in-the-box safety” and a true “free” safety – as was the case last season when Johnathan Cyprien played in the box and Tashaun Gipson played free. The team also is going away from the “Otto” and “Leo” terms, though I think the front seven is going to look pretty similar to last season – with a strong-side defensive end, pass-rushing defensive end and strong-side, middle and weak-side linebackers. The release of Miller and the re-signing of Jones indicate a more athletic approach on the interior of the line. Vital players? Most of the starters, I suppose – with an emphasis on Jalen Ramsey and the front four. If you’re playing a 4-3 scheme, you need disruption from the front four whatever the scheme.
Dave from Jacksonville:
Good idea for DeAndre Hopkins to talk trash about Jalen Ramsey this offseason. I’m sure that JR won’t remember and/or care about those comments when their teams play each other this year.
John: Ramsey certainly doesn’t need me chiming in on Hopkins’ comments Friday upon A.J. Bouye signing with the Jaguars. That’s because Ramsey is more than capable of holding his own in the world of Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat responding and retorting. Here’s what Hopkins reportedly told a Houston radio station: “I told A.J. if he goes to [Jacksonville] then he better be the dude guarding me on third down instead of Jalen because he couldn’t get the job done. I love A.J., but hopefully he’s the one guarding me on third down to win the game next year for those guys. They might have a better chance.” Considering Ramsey’s level of play in the team’s second meeting of the season – and considering the devastating hit on Hopkins he delivered in that game – it seemed the Houston Texans’ wide receiver did exercise some selective memory. I’m sure Ramsey will remember the incident and I’m sure it will come up next season. And the next. And the next.
Dan from Jacksonville (freezing in New England):
We could make the postgame interviews a bit more interesting if the reporters wrote their questions down and read to someone who could do a great Johnny Carson ‘Carnac the Magnificent’ … just saying.
John: I’ll pass this on to the supporting cast.
Jeff from Keystone Heights, FL:
No more excuses involving the word “talent” on defense. I know it’s on paper now, but there is quality at every single position on that side of the ball. It may be performance, execution, coaching, scheme, play calling, etc. … but not talent.
John: I don’t recall a lot of people talking about excuses or talent on defense last season, but sure … OK. No more excuses.
Mike from Atlanta, GA:
Is this team better than last year’s team? I feel like left tackle, defensive end and cornerback have been upgraded. We didn’t downgrade at strong safety. I think the secondary and linebacker groups have the potential to be very good. The weakest groups appear to be offensive line and running backs. They should be able to address the run game with another free agent and/or in the draft. The pieces appear to be in place. The success of the 2017 season may depend on quarterback play. What do you think?
John: I think the 2017 season will depend on quarterback play.
Dave from Duval:
It is simply amazing to me that we don’t have a franchise quarterback, hold the No. 4 pick (thanks in part largely to our current starting quarterback), a new coach, Tom Coughlin calling the shots – and yet the senior writer — has not even entertained the possibility of us taking a quarterback in the first round.
John: I’m glad you’re amazed. Amazement is an extreme emotion, and it’s good to experience emotional extremes. They clean out the innards and can give you a fresh perspective. They also can tucker you out and help you sleep at night – sort of like my dog after a good, long walk. As for a quarterback at No. 4, I’ve entertained it. Few think it will happen, and I’ve gotten no vibe about it happening, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t entertained it.
Ryan from Fremont, OH:
At first I was skeptical about signing so many older players that seem to go against the trend of signing players that are ascending after their first contract. After seeing the interviews of Campbell, and Church, I get the feeling that they are going to be high-impact leaders we will be talking about a lot each and every Sunday. Do you get the same feeling?
John: That’s certainly the idea behind the signings. There’s no question the acquisition of Branden Albert, Calais Campbell and Barry Church goes against conventional ideal free-agent wisdom. These aren’t ascending players and they’re not entering their second contract. They realistically are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning. But that’s OK. These signings are not about 2021. They’re about 2017 and 2018. They’re about winning now.
Ed from Winston-Salem, NC:
I know you need a trade partner to make a trade and you want to be fair to the players, too, but couldn’t we have kept Roy and Marks and possibly sent them to a team that needs defense like the Saints for a pick or two?
John: The Jaguars reportedly explored trading Marks and apparently got no interest. As for Miller, he’s coming off a torn Achilles sustained last season. That’s a serious injury and is often career-threatening. I’m guessing Miller plays again, but teams don’t trade for nine-year veterans with Achilles issues.
Scott from Wichita, KS:
Man, Ramsey’s in Hopkins’ head after one year. That’s pretty funny.
John: I laughed.
Bill from Whalen, VA:
OK, we have been very active in free agency. How much have we spent and did we overspend on two or three?
John: The Jaguars reportedly are paying left tackle Branden Albert $18.5 over the next two seasons with cornerback A.J. Bouye being guaranteed $26 million and defensive end Calais Campbell $30 million. That’s a lot of money. As for overspending, yes … the Jaguars overspent on all three of their high-profile signees. Because free agency.
Bryan from Jacksonville:
Yo, Zone, no-show at the Gate River Run? Or did you run under a pseudonym? … I noticed Jarjar Binks ran …
John: I indeed was a no-show at the Gate River Run. This is in keeping with my longstanding tradition of being a River Run no-show. Because this year marked the 40th River Run, my estimate is that my no-show streak is … 40. I run between three and three-and-a-half miles a day every day. I abhor every step of every mile every day and I have no desire to add to my misery. My father, who for reasons he never could explain loved running, ran in the inaugural River Run and ran in many thereafter. That Oehser presence may well be enough for the ages.
O-Zone: Good question
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Marc from Oceanway:
Wow! What a great group of passionate men we have signed. I haven’t been this impressed with a Jaguars free-agency class since … well … forever, really. Gave me chills!
John: Good eye, Marc. The Jaguars’ three high-profile 2017 free agents – A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and Barry Church – indeed all appear to be the sort of focused, professional, committed players that Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin specifically talked a couple of weeks back of the team needing. On that front, the class’ makeup should be no surprise. Coughlin clearly wants players who approach the game in a certain passionate, professional way – and this trio seems to fit that description. It also should be no surprise that Branden Albert fits the same description. Does that mean all four will be “home runs?” Who knows? It is the nature of free agency that we probably should not expect all four of those players to be front-line performers over the next four seasons. As bizarre as it sounds – and as easy as it is to forget during the giddiness of free agency – huge impact from every free-agent signee simply rarely happens. But considering the type of players and people these four appear to be, it seems likely that the foursome has a decent chance of being productive on the field and being positive factors off of it. If that happens, it would be cool. Coughlin would like it.
Al from Orange Park, FL:
How do you correctly pronounce “Bouye?”
John: BOY-YAY
Rob from the Duuu:
Zone, do you think Blake Bortles will be on a shorter leash this year? Is the plan really to have only Chad Henne as the backup when and if Bortles does get pulled? Really? I want Leonard Fournette but wouldn’t mind picking up a quarterback at some point because not having a backup plan at quarterback is just stupid. The Patriots drafted one when they had Brady …
John: A few thoughts on your thoughts … One is I suppose Bortles will be on a shorter leash this year because he wasn’t really on much of a leash at all last season; had he been on a leash, he likely would have been pulled from a game or two when he was really struggling around midseason. The plan for now is to have Henne as the backup, but remember: the offseason began less than 72 hours ago, so there’s a long way to go before we see the precise nature of the quarterback plan. My feel right now is Bortles will be the starter, but that’s less a dead-solid-lock feel and more a semi-educated-reading-the-tea-leaves feel. As far a backup plan at quarterback … look, let’s keep in mind the NFL reality – that it’s nice to talk about having a backup plan at quarterback, but that few teams have good backup “plan.” That’s because you simply don’t know how an unproven quarterback will play, and if you love your backup plan, then you probably shift that from a backup plan to a Plan A. And yes, I include the Patriots and Brady in 2001 in that category. The Patriots didn’t know what they had in Brady. If they had, he would have been drafted before the sixth round in 2000 – and he would have been starting before Drew Bledsoe got hurt. There also wouldn’t have been uncertainty about Brady remaining the starter after he took the job in Week 3 in 2001. Brady is a phenomenal quarterback – one of the best ever. But before he solidified himself as an elite quarterback, he was what just about every quarterback in the modern era of the NFL has been at some point – an unknown entity that some team is hoping will work out and solve their quarterback problem.
Don from Duval:
What would concern you more as a fan: Bad quarterback play or an immature team that finds ways to lose close ones?
John: It’s my experience the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Tony from St. Louis, MO:
With Tony Romo, this team makes the playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl. With Blake Bortles, we’re hoping for a .500 record. What are we waiting on?
John: Wow. You really like Tony Romo. And you really think highly of the Jaguars’ talent at 21 positions. I like Romo, too, and I think quarterback is the Jaguars’ position that needs the most improvement. I also think the Jaguars have some good young talent. I would not go so far as to say they would contend for the Super Bowl with Romo. The talent on this team is good, not great. Not until more players play, you know … great. There’s no “great’ offensive lineman. There’s no “great” running back. There’s a cornerback who looks like he’s going to be great and a wide receiver who had a very good season, and some free agents who should be able to make an impact. That’s a roster with a chance, but it’s not a great roster until it proves itself as such. Do I think this team would have a chance to reach nine or 10 victories with front-line quarterbacking? I don’t know, but I do think better quarterbacking can give it a chance to push above .500 and get out of the abyss into which it has sunk in recent seasons. That’s the first step. Can Romo do that for this franchise? Perhaps – if he’s healthy for 13-to-16 games. That’s obviously the ultimate question with Romo. If it were me, yeah, I’d make a run because I believe that strongly in Romo … and because, why not? I don’t get the sense that will be the Jaguars’ move. We’ll see.
Tyler from Jacksonville:
I said if the Jags sign the Top 5 free agents and get “A” grades on all their draft grades, I still wouldn’t be excited for this year. Seems as though the team took that as a challenge. … Color me intrigued.
John: Welcome back. Fanning is cool. People like it.
Steve from Hudson, FL:
What kind of cautionary lesson should we as fans learn from the saga of Brock Osweiler? Grass isn’t always greener? The flavor of the month doesn’t always remain that sweet? General manager duties are harder than what they appears? Just money can’t always bring titles and happiness? Or maybe just how much monetary value is put on draft picks? I’m just glad it’s happening to a division foe and not us.
John: The cautionary lesson is one any NFL executive with a few years of experience well knows – that front-line quarterbacks are incredibly rare commodities that every team in the NFL either has or needs. If you don’t have one, you’re trying to get one – and because the only way to get one is to acquire an unproven one, there is high risk involved whenever you acquire one. The Texans tried to acquire one in Osweiler and they believed after a year he wasn’t going to be their guy. But let’s not pretend they’re the only team to go after a quarterback and have it not work out. It’s a pretty large club, and membership isn’t cool. People do not like it.
Alan from Ellington, CT:
Does the NFL regulate the value of players? For example, could the Patriots trade Tom Brady for a seventh-round pick.
John: No. Yes.
Bernard from Tucson, AZ:
I love Tom Coughlin’s touch on this free agency. Dave historically mostly signs the “promising” talent, which doesn’t always pan out. No complaints; he has made us more talented. What I like is that now we are also signing older “proven” athletes. There’s a risk to both sides. Considering both types of signings can only be a great thing for us. At least this time, Dave can hold back Tom a little to prevent salary cap problems like before. #jags4life
John: There’s a touch of truth to what you say, partly because the first two years of free agency under Caldwell were by design about going after lower-priced, place-holder, prove-it type free agents. The Jaguars didn’t invest much front-line free-agency money in 2013 and 2014 – and the result was they rarely got front-line free agents. Caldwell’s signings the past two seasons were sometimes more expensive with varied results. We’ll see how this year’s signings work out. Right now, in the giddy aftermath of the first wave of free agency, there is a lot of reason for optimism. All of the players feel like good fits and it feels like the Jaguars improved themselves. Then again, most teams feel like that when they partake in front-line free agency. We’ll see how it works out.
James from Socorro, NM:
Mike DiRocco (some hack for a no-name website) posted an article stating the Jaguars have spent the most money of any team in the NFL the past three seasons, but have the fewest victories during that time span. Signing big-priced free agents is exciting, but it means nothing unless it translates to victories on the field.
John: How do you pronounce Mike DiRocco’s last name?
O-Zone: Seriously
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Marcus from Jacksonville:
The most accurate quote I’ve seen on the Jaguars’ free agency dealings (from ESPN.com): “Wake me up when the Jaguars start spending big money on retaining their own draft choices, and not on someone else’s discards.”
John: I’ll probably stay awake until that happens, or at least try to stay awake part of the time, but yeah – what Bill Barnwell wrote for ESPN this week had some merit. He was fairly harsh on the Jaguars’ free agent class, and I disagreed with Barnwell to the extent that I think Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye and Barry Church are good moves for a team that needed to improve those positons in free agency. I particularly like the Campbell signing a lot because he appears to be a no-nonsense, productive veteran with some good football left, and I liked Church for the same reason. I like the Bouye signing because he reportedly has a chance to continue to ascend and really complement Jalen Ramsey at corner for a long time. Overall it’s hard to believe those moves won’t make a good defense better. As for Barnwell’s bigger point, that it’s better to pay big money to your own free agents than to sign other teams’ free agents … yes. Absolutely. No question. No argument. Dead on. But the Jaguars aren’t yet at the point where they can afford to forego free agency and focus on their own. They’re still making up for some weak drafting, and that means they still must upgrade and solidify positions. Do they want to be doing that in a few years? No. But should they ignore their holes and wait for young players to develop? I don’t think such an approach would fit very snugly into the idea of trying to win now.
Marc from Oceanway:
After our outstanding defensive haul in free agency, offensive line seems to be our biggest remaining need. How do you see us using pick No. 4 now? Seems a little high for the O-line prospects available in this year’s draft.
John: Yes, it does.
Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Hi John, I like the Calais Campbell signing – still effective and a good veteran presence. But I still think they should draft Jonathan Allen or Solomon Thomas as Campbell may only give us a couple of years.
John: I would have no problem if the Jaguars draft a defensive lineman with the No. 4 overall selection. It makes sense for the future and the present because for the present you can never have too many good defensive linemen. But a whole lot of things seem to point to them drafting a running back at No. 4, and a whole lot seems to point to that running back being from Louisiana State, and a whole lot indicates that player could be named Leonard. But if that’s not the direction, then yeah … I could still see the Jaguars drafting a defensive lineman at No. 4 overall.
Yeah from Jags4life:
So the Jaguars should sign T.J. Lang, either Peterson or Murray, Dont’a Hightower, Mario Williams and Erik Walden. Use up most of the rest of the cap space. Agreed?
John: Sure.
Mike from Atlanta, GA:
Is Lerentee McCray a core-four guy, or will he be competing at linebacker? I feel like all three linebacker spots are locked in with Telvin Smith, Poz, and Myles Jack. I could foresee few linebackers that could come in and be better than Smith and Poz, and Jack was projected as a Top 5/Top 10 draft pick.
John: Lerentee McCray will be listed at defensive end, and Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell said Friday the team believes McCray has some value as a pass rusher. But McCray will primarily be a special teams player. Special teams was one of the first things he mentioned on Friday when speaking publicly for the first time after joining the Jaguars, and he makes no secret that he understands his job depends on special teams. Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin said recently special teams would be a priority. McCray is proof.
Ric from Jacksonville:
Hello, John. So I don’t want to sound like I’m beating a dead horse here, and I don’t want it to seem like the defensive improvements from free agency are not exciting. But, it just feels like the biggest issue, the quarterback, isn’t being addressed. I get that they feel like Blake is our best shot all things considered. But, BOY with this past season still stinging a little, it sure does make me nervous that nothing at all is being done with that position.
John: Quarterback indeed remains the No. 1 issue around the Jaguars right now. There has been nothing said publicly to indicate anything other than Blake Bortles as the likely starter next season. None of the offseason moves thus far indicate anything other than Bortles as the likely starter next season. Still, what we don’t know is how Coughlin deep, deep, deep, deep down feels about Blake Bortles. He has said Bortles is the Jaguars’ quarterback, and he has said Bortles must reduce interceptions and turnovers … but none of that gives any real indication for how he feels about the player. I don’t expect Coughlin to make any public proclamation about Bortles beyond what he has said, because there would be nothing to gain from such a proclamation. Will the Jaguars further address quarterback via the draft or free agency? I don’t expect it. Nothing indicates it will happen. Would I be shocked? No, I would not.
Jim from Middleburg, FL:
As opposed to amateur football players, do professional players sometimes play above and beyond as a result of team work, great coaching, even refusal to lose? I want to know if anything besides money motivates professional football players.
John: Professional players are motivated by the same thing that motivates players at all levels: pride, competitiveness, desire to win, etc. Once in the NFL, money is a motivation, but professional pride and commitment to teammates and coaches matters, too. I’ve found that generally speaking most professional football players are motivated every offseason, every training camp and every preseason. They remain motivated early in the season so long as their team is in contention. Once a team is out of contention, motivation becomes more of an issue for some players, though certainly not all.
Glenn from St. Mary’s, GA:
John, I don’t understand the concern about drafting a running back in the first round when it is said that their career is typically a short four years. If you don’t re-sign them, you already have got the best four years of their career and you have lost nothing because typically first-round draft picks are signed to a first contract of four years.
John: When you take a player in the first round, you’re typically hoping that player is a core player who is with your team for six-to-eight seasons – and it’s difficult to project a running back being elite and starting for that long. It happens, but it’s hardly a guarantee. But that’s not the primary argument against taking a running back at No. 4. The primary argument is you can get relatively similar value at running back in later rounds. That argument can be trumped if a running back is elite-level special. That may be the case this spring with that guy named Leonard. We’ll see.
Sebastian from Mexico:
Why release Joeckel? Wouldn’t it have been a better idea to give him a one-year, “prove-it” deal? He played well before he was injured and he could’ve possibly won the starter position.
John: Joeckel wasn’t released. He signed with the Seahawks as a free agent.
Eric from Duval:
O-Man, with the departure of Luke Joeckel, should we expect any sort of compensatory selection in the upcoming draft? He was selected No. 2 overall.
John: The compensatory selection process is a secret one, so it’s not known exactly what factors play into it. But it’s generally believed that value of contract and playing time are major factors. A player’s draft position doesn’t play into it. A thing to remember about the compensatory selections is a team is rewarded for players it loses in free agency and penalized for signing free agents. Joeckel signed a one-year deal worth a reported $8 million with the Seattle Seahawks, and safety Johnathan Cyprien signed a four-year, $25 million deal with Tennessee – so they would be factored positively into the Jaguars’ compensatory equation. But the fact that the Jaguars signed Calais Campbell, Barry Church and A.J. Bouye for high-value contracts in the same free-agency period likely will counter the Jaguars losing Cyprien and Joeckel. Either way, this week’s free-agent activity has nothing to do with 2017 compensatory selections. This week’s activity will be used to determine 2018 selections.
Albert from Orange Park, FL:
Robert Griffin III could be interesting, right? He has been to the playoffs, which is something Chad Henne, Luke McCown, Gabby and Bortles have never even sniffed. Besides, he can’t cost too much, and I bet we can get him on a one year …
John: You serious, Clark?
O-Zone: Worry not
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …
Scott from Aurora, IL:
So far, nothing to help Blake Bortles or the running game. I’m kind of surprised by that. You can look at the Branden Albert trade, but with his age and injury history, I’m just not too excited about it. They keep saying they believe in Bortles. Where’s the offensive line help?
John: I suppose the best way to answer this question is to remind people that you can’t say “nothing to help Blake Bortles or the running game” and follow it by dismissing the Branden Albert trade. At least not from the Jaguars’ perspective. I have no idea if acquiring Albert is going to be the magic elixir that catapults Bortles into elite status or turns the Jaguars’ running game into a feared weapon. It’s likely that Albert won’t be such a magic elixir because this is the NFL: magic isn’t part of the equation and elixirs aren’t, either. But I will tell you that the Jaguars believe Albert is a capable player who can help the offensive line, and I can tell you with pretty high confidence that the Jaguars aren’t done addressing offensive line/the running game this offseason. You can’t have everything in unrestricted free agency. The Jaguars apparently have acquired cornerback A.J. Bouye, defensive end Calais Campbell and safety Barry Church. I wouldn’t have projected them being able to sign all three of those, and I think Campbell in particular is a very good free-agent signing. It was, all in all, a good week. And the offseason isn’t over yet. At least I don’t think so.
Matt from Las Vegas, NV:
Did you foresee this many signings? That’s a lot of money!
John: Yes, the Jaguars are spending a lot of money, but that’s the nature of free agency. The important question is whether or not they spent it well. We won’t know that for a while, but early reports are that the players acquired are leaders, professionals and good locker-room guys. That’s not everything, but it raises a team’s chances of getting production from those players. So, was it money well-spent? There seems to be a good chance the answer is yes. Did I foresee this many signings? Well, it appears the number right now is four with Campbell, Bouye, Church and linebacker Lerentee McCray. That’s three big-time, high-priced guys and one reasonably priced guy in McCray. Throw Branden Albert in the high-priced acquisition category, too. I don’t know if I foresaw four, but considering the cap situation and the Jaguars’ performance last season … four big signings sounds about right.
Mike from Navarre, OH:
It’s commonly said that the players wouldn’t be on the market if a team felt they were a good enough player. Are Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye exceptions due to their respective teams’ inability to afford them or is there a more concerning reason they were not re-signed?
John: The primary reason for Campbell’s availability would appear to be age. He’s hardly “old” at 30, but he is entering his 10th NFL season, so it’s hardly unreasonable for the Arizona Cardinals to balk at paying him core-player money as he enters the double-digit phase of his career. The Jaguars are in a different developmental phase than the Cardinals; if they can get two good years out of Campbell and if he can help them find their way out of the abyss and into a competitive area of the NFL then he would be perceived as a great free-agent signing. Bouye fits more into your theory. He’s an ascending player who appears to have his best football ahead of him. He would at 25 seem to be a core player, but the Texans have other front-line players and appear to want to use their money in other areas this offseason. Bouye’s only “issue” would be that he hasn’t played at a high level for very long in the NFL – only this past season. Perhaps the Texans believed that was reason enough to not pay him the core-level salary the Jaguars were paying. The Jaguars must hope the Texans’ loss is their gain.
Jeff from Orange, CA:
Is it worth my time pondering about the team trading one of its young receivers to New England for its first-round pick? Seems unlikely the Jaguars will keep all three long term so why not extract some value from one?
John: I have no idea what you do with your time, so I can’t speak to how much of it you use to ponder. I doubt the Jaguars are looking to trade any of their wide receivers – and besides, of the Jaguars’ trio, it’s hard to see any aside from perhaps Allen Robinson garnering a first-round selection.
Strnbker from Dothan, AL:
Having heard Tom Coughlin’s media speeches it is apparent there will be no more supposedly vacation time going on. The heat in the kitchen has been turned up to broil. Is my amazing grasp of the obvious askew?
John: No, it’s a-dead-on.
Dave from Orlando, FL:
One of the great things about the NFL is the belief that parity is good for the league. Essentially, rules are in place to help the weaker teams compete with the stronger ones. The draft order is a great example of this – how the worst team in the league gets first dibs, and the Super Bowl champions pick last. One rule that seems to go against the parity “value” is the compensatory picks. These picks tend to not benefit the weak teams (because they need to be active in free-agency) and reward the strong teams, because they have less cap space (more star players) and fewer holes to fill (don’t need to partake in free-agency). In my opinion, the compensatory picks, and its “secret formula,” is like giving tax breaks to the rich. It just goes against parity and the belief that it benefits the league as a whole. Do you buy my argument?
John: I’ve heard this theory floated before, but I’m a big believer in the compensatory selection system. Teams are already hurt by losing good, veteran players in free agency. Giving them mid-to-late-round selections hardly replaces a player who had been contributing in a big way, but it does give that team an opportunity to have at least some chance of replacing that player. The league shouldn’t cripple a team by penalizing it for doing well at every turn. A team that drafts well should be given a chance to keep drafting well if it is capable of doing so.
Brian from Staten Island, NY:
Can we get one fer Bryan Walters? He was pretty solid last year when the team had nothing to play for. Nice to see a hard worker who’s flown under the radar get some recognition!
John: Hey, one for Bryan Walters!
Ed from Winston-Salem, NC:
If you’re making the Jags’ list, are Chad Kelly and Joe Mixon on your draft board?
John: Probably, because I lean very, very far in the direction of giving players with off-field issues second, third and fourth chances. There are many who believe off-field issues should prevent a team from signing/drafting players, but I’ve never believed in the NFL or sports as a moral compass. For that reason, I generally have no problem with players playing in the NFL so long as they are permitted to work – which means short of a player being in prison, I don’t really believe off-field issues should keep a player out of the NFL. I do believe there are players you don’t draft because they would be bad teammates, bad workers, bad influences in the locker room, etc. I don’t know enough about either Mixon or Kelly to categorize them in that respect because I never have interviewed or been around them, and I’m not privy to the background information the NFL certainly has on the two players. If they checked out from a football sense I’d have them on my draft board; if not, then no.
Brian from Duval County:
Should the Jaguars consider moving up in the draft for Garrett? (Provided we hit in free agency on strong safety, guard and corner)
John: For how much?
Alan from Jacksonville:
I don’t understand the talk of us looking at a quarterback in the later rounds of this draft. We drafted Brandon Allen last year and thought enough of him to give him a place on the 53-man roster, which is pretty unusual for the Jaguars. Letting him go for another unproven quarterback project wouldn’t make much sense to me, given the investment we’ve already made in him.
John: What if the player you select is better than Brandon Allen?
Mike from Orange Park, FL:
Please help me ease my fears and tell me that Calais Campbell will not be the next Hugh Douglas and take a “vacation” in JAX.
John: I don’t pretend to know Campbell, but while I am as cautious and pessimistic regarding free agents as anyone, my understanding is Campbell is not remotely the type to take a vacation when playing in the NFL. Unless everything I’ve heard is wrong that’s the least of your worries regarding this free-agent class.
O-Zone: Hater boy
John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook
JACKSONVILLE – Free agency is soon upon us – the official version of it, anyway.
Let’s get to it …
Chaun from St. Louis, MO:
If we sign Barry Church does that mean with the No. 4 overall pick we won’t be getting Jamal Adams?
John: The Jaguars according to media reports will be signing safety Barry Church from the Dallas Cowboys as an unrestricted free agent in the coming days. This feels like a solid signing, one that makes sense considering former strong safety Johnathan Cyprien’s projected asking price. Church also is considered a bit better than Cyprien in coverage, which is important in a pass-oriented NFL. As far as the No. 4 selection … yes, signing a strong safety as a free agent would make drafting one in the Top 5 highly unlikely.
Yikes from Jacksonville:
Really? Barry Church? They could have got a better, younger strong safety in Tony Jefferson or T.J. McDonald.
John: And so it begins.
Andre from Fort Collins, CO:
Mr. O, I know it’s not official so you can’t report it, but it looks like upgrades at safety (Church) and defensive end (Calais Campbell) are coming to Jacksonville. What do you think of these possible moves? Both seem like solid, young ascending players, especially Campbell.
John: I’ve discussed the possible move for Church elsewhere. As for Campbell, I’m a big fan of the move. I thought before free agency if they got Campbell and only Campbell it would be a good free-agency class. I’ve never covered him, but my understanding is he’s tough and professional with very little chance of being unproductive. He’s 30, so he’s not ascending, but his addition gives the Jaguars a big-time player at defensive end who can set the edge and disrupt the quarterback. I’m not a huge fan of free agency, but if you must partake then it’s best to partake with players such as Campbell.
Marty from Jacksonville:
John, how can you say offensive line is not our biggest need? Outside of quarterback, it’s the most important position for every NFL team, because without a good offensive line, you cannot run the ball or pass the ball or control the clock and keep your defense off the field. Plus, given the fact that both Doug Marrone and Tom Coughlin have said they want us to run the ball and be more physically dominant, offensive line is obviously our biggest need. No offense goes anywhere and no team can win without good offensive line play. Seriously, the most frustrating thing about this entire four years of rebuilding is the failure to build the offensive line.
John: I didn’t say offensive line wasn’t important or that it wasn’t a priority. I did say there were those who perhaps didn’t believe it was the team’s biggest need. The Jaguars at the time I answered already reportedly had agreed in principle to a trade for left tackle Branden Albert, and my sense is they know four of their five projected 2017 starters on the offensive line. At the time I answered, they knew half of their starters in the secondary and perhaps 75 percent of their starters on the defensive line, so perhaps at the time I answered offensive line maybe in the eyes of some wasn’t their biggest need.
Matt from Orange Park, FL:
Jalen Ramsey proved he can be an elite corner and is a building block of this franchise. Given his versatility, any chance we move him to safety if Cyp and Amukamara are actually outta here?
John: No.
Galen from Colorado Springs, CO:
Hi John, I was hoping you could shed some light on the Jags (possibly) signing Barry Church over Johnathan Cyprien. It feels to me like we traded our homegrown, younger, in-the-box style safety with some coverage problems for an outside, older, in-the-box style safety with some coverage problems who is 29 and probably about to start heading downhill. What do you think the Jags brass saw in Church that Cyprien lacked? Personally, I would have liked to see Cyp stay with us as a homegrown player. Thanks!
John: We’ll find out more about the wheres and whys of the Jaguars’ pending free-agent signings in the coming days, but Church is a player who long has been considered a reliable run defender who is said to have played well against the pass this season. Remember: if you’re looking for a strong safety without coverage issues, you’re going to look for a long time. If strong safeties were elite-level coverage guys they most often would be playing a different position.
Glen from Orange Park, FL:
Here’s one for Mr. Church! Welcome to Jag family!!
John: Hey, one fer Barry!
Pedal Bin from Farnborough, Hampshire:
Mighty ‘O’: This year I will fulfill the dream of seeing the Jags play at EverBank Field. It’s only taken me 17 years to save up and I am awaiting the scheduled release to pick which game to see. However my main concern is at Jacksonville Airport. Is the Red Zone for immediate loading and unloading or passengers? Or is that the White Zone?
John: You can tell me. I’m a doctor.
Kevin from Ponte Vedra, FL:
I’ve always believed if you have drafted the right talent you do everything possible within reason to not let them get to free agency. Putting the franchise tag aside, unless it really becomes necessary, do you think the Jags will be able to lock up Telvin Smith, Allen Robinson, Brandon Linder before the preseason starts with new contracts? I’m thinking they let Marqise Lee play out 2017 and if no injuries get in the way, they can approach him after the season with a contract offer.
John: I absolutely think the Jaguars will be able to sign the three aforementioned players to long-term deals if that’s the way they choose to go. Remember, while Jaguars fans/observers are very familiar with the body of work of those three players, this is not the exact same organization it was two months ago. Tom Coughlin is now the executive vice president of football operations, and Doug Marrone is now the head coach. Many positions also have new coaches. Such newness calls for reevaluation and it must be determined by new decision-makers if players indeed are fits for moving forward long-term. I believe all three players should be re-signed, but I believe the Jaguars will take the necessary time to make sure that’s the case. If that doesn’t happen before the season, there’s no reason to panic. Such things can get done after that.
Gabe from Washington, DC:
How many LEOs are included in Coach Marrone’s lightning package? OK, in in all seriousness, who do you think will “start” (play base downs) at weak-side defensive end this season? Is Yannick Ngakoue strong enough to be more than a pass-rush specialist?
John: We can joke about Leo/Otto/Slotto/Blotto from now until training camp and beyond, but the reality is there are going to be a lot of similarities between the Jaguars’ 2013-2016 defense the 2017 defense in terms of scheme. Ngakoue and Dante Fowler Jr. are both pretty good against the run, with Ngakoue playing the run better than anticipated as a rookie last season. And I do believe he will start at the weak-side end until Fowler shows something that indicates he is the better option over there. But I doubt you’ll see a base defense with Ngakoue on one side and Fowler on the other. I think you’ll see a starter acquired there in free agency or the draft. Who knows? There may even be news on this front in the coming days.
Dime Jag from jag4life forum:
Hey, O. I’m a huge Jaguars fan since Day One, and it makes me mad when people call me a hater. But, I think the general manager of the team is terrible and should be fired. Also, I think the new head coach is just more of the same from the previous staff, and I know he will never be able to turn things around, so he should be fired, too. The starting quarterback has no hope of improving, so he should be cut and then driven out of town. The former left tackle, and current left guard hasn’t lived up to his draft position, so he should be cut and escorted back to where he came from. Same goes for the running back we drafted in the second round in 2015, and the wide receiver from the early second round in 2014. Cut and cut!! And, finally, the owner of the team is nothing more than a con man who intends to purposely make the team lose at least 13 games every season so he can relocate it to London after fans here stop going to the games. All that being said, I love this team, so don’t call me a hater!! And, one more thing… In the interest of full disclosure, I think the senior writer on this free website is a hack, and a spin doctor, and never gives his honest opinion about the state of the team. Fire him, too!!!
John: Word.