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O-Zone: Making the call

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Tom from Jacksonville:

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait … we didn’t pick up Beachum’s contract? He was the only O-line player not named Linder that played decent for us all year. How does this make sense? Now we have one good lineman and seven trash players that wouldn’t make it as bench warmers on the Browns. This is stupid!

John: Let’s clarify something before we begin: The Jaguars indeed declined to exercise their four-year option on offensive tackle , the deadline for which was Wednesday. That means Beachum now is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 9. But being “scheduled” to become a free agent is not the same as “becoming” a free agent. The thought here is the Jaguars didn’t want to commit to Beachum for four seasons, but that they could – and should – try to commit to a shorter deal with him. The reason is they still need to see just what they have in him. He pass-blocked well last season, but didn’t fare as well run-blocking. It’s very possible the run-blocking issue had much to do with the aftereffects of the torn anterior cruciate ligament he sustained with Pittsburgh in the 2015 season. The knee theoretically should be stronger in 2017. That means he very well could improve as a run-blocker next season, and it means he could improve overall. It makes sense to see if that happens before committing to four more seasons.

Stephen from Jacksonville:

I love the signing … great guy, great with the fans and always a smile on his face. One fer Abry!

John: Defensive tackle Abry Jones re-signed a long-term deal with the Jaguars Wednesday, and yeah … one fer Abry!

Chris from Goodnight, TX:

The Jaguars are signing to an extension? Nothing against Henne, but that is a little disheartening, since it suggests that the quarterback room is going to remain the same (which means that there won’t be any real camp competition for Bortles, and no bona fide starting-quality quarterback to step in if Bortles falters early on in the season). It seems that, again, this team will rise or fall with Bortles. That’s concerning.

John: The Jaguars indeed re-signed Henne on Wednesday, which understandably led to much speculation about what it meant for the Jaguars’ overall quarterback situation. So, what does it mean? Perhaps not as much as many believe. Henne re-signing does not mean he automatically will be the backup next season. It does not even mean he automatically will be on the roster next season – and in fact, he likely will have to play his way onto the team. Because of that, signing Henne does not preclude the Jaguars from acquiring another quarterback to compete with and . That can happen now just as much as it could before. Henne’s presence gives the Jaguars a viable option as a backup should they opt not to acquire competition for Bortles, but his contract does not mean they are tied to keeping him. In that sense, Wednesday’s move really doesn’t say much about who will start at quarterback for the Jaguars next season at all.

Daniel from Jacksonville:

I am a believer most teams have a three-to-four season “window” to compete for a championship before the core stars become too expensive to keep (with the exception being that having an elite quarterback can make that window much bigger). While all the talk seems to be that the Jags have a great young nucleus of players and their window is on the verge of opening, we might actually waste the window altogether. If Bortles doesn’t pan out and we draft a quarterback next year that takes another three-to-four years to develop, we will miss our chance because that core group of young players will leave in free agency. As much as I usually believe in drafting and developing for the future, wouldn’t it make some sense to pull the trigger on even a moderately decent quarterback, even if it meant overpaying, so that we maximize our chances to get to the playoffs in the next few years while we still have our core young guys? We’ve been waiting for the future for a long time. While most of us have gotten used to it, it would be a disaster if we had to do a third rebuild in a row.

John: A couple of thoughts here. First, while the Jaguars’ core players indeed have potential, as a group they remain a ways away from “great.” , , , , , , , , have flashed, but none has consistently been elite on a year-in, year-out level. If a large percentage of that group indeed can reach that level, then this is a great core. If not, it was a potentially great core that never reached potential. As for pulling the trigger on a “moderately decent quarterback,” it still all depends on what you’re trying to acquire. Will overpaying for A.J. McCarron or Jay Cutler or Ryan Fitzpatrick maximize the Jaguars’ chances to get to the playoffs the next few years? If it did, I have no doubt the Jaguars would be willing to overpay. It’s understandable to be skeptical that those players actually will do much maximizing, but therein is the great Jaguars debate of the coming weeks.

Dave from Duval:

Blake did not “struggle” at times last year. He was an absolute dumpster fire that helped the other team win at times more than their own quarterback. Some of his passes at times made him look like he shouldn’t be a QB on a competitive high school team. Your downplaying of just how bad he was and has been at times during his first three years does not help appease this fan base.

John: Thank you for the help, Dave. I watched Bortles last season, and in fact I have watched every one of Bortles’ regular-season games. I know how he played. I also have made it pretty clear for the last several months that I believe Bortles’ struggles were a primary reason for the Jaguars’ struggles last season. I have written often that he needs to improve, and I have detailed many areas where he thus far has fallen short. I also last offseason consistently wrote that Bortles was not yet the franchise quarterback many believed him to be, and that there were major areas he needed to improve in 2016 for the team to be competitive. I mention this not to pat myself on the back but to point out that I hardly have downplayed the impact that his level of play had on the team in 2016. At the same time, I strive to be as accurate as possible and it’s not accurate to say that he was horrendous all of the time last season. He indeed had moments that made you wonder what in the world was going on and he had moments where he wasn’t nearly that bad. He wasn’t great. He wasn’t close to great. He was bad at times and that has been noted a lot here in the O-Zone. I can’t control what affect me writing that has on the fan base, but that indeed is what has been written.

Bo from Dresden, NC:

Are there any rules for the coaches and player personnel staff to abide by this time of the year? Are they allowed to get together and watch film to evaluate players on the roster and on other rosters?

John: The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that players and coaches cannot meet and discuss football matters until April. Coaches and staff can meet during this time.

Jason from the North Pole, AK:

Do you think the Jaguars will address running back this offseason? It seems a lot of fans are clamoring for investing a high pick at the position. Do you think /TJ Yeldon can be effective with better offensive-line play? I felt like whenever Ivory got going, he would fumble. Would you bring in a new running back or invest that equity in the o-line?

John: There’s no question Ivory and/or Yeldon will be better with improved offensive line play. That’s true of pretty much any running back and Ivory/Yeldon – like most running backs – go as their offensive line goes. I would emphasize improving the run-blocking this offseason more than I would emphasize running back because I’m a big believer that the running game is a function of line play. That doesn’t mean the Jaguars won’t take running back in the first round. Given the players available in the draft, and given the Jaguars’ current roster, running back at No. 4 wouldn’t shock me. I wouldn’t love it, but it wouldn’t shock me.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

Do you think Blake is the type of quarterback that needs everything to be perfect around him to make a huge jump to 6-10??

John: Ladies and gentlemen … Jerell!!!

Teddy from Andalusia, AL:

I think Bortles is a franchise quarterback. What do you think?

John: Hold on. I have a call in to Jerell on this.

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O-Zone: Awesome deal

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Steve from Hudson, FL:

In your opinion, what seems to be a better free-agent signing: an ascending 26-year old or a proven 32-year old? Or would the position we are trying to fill be a bigger factor?

John: This answer depends not only on position, but what you expect from the player. If you’re trying to add a core player who will help you for the long term and you’re paying that player a lot of guaranteed money for more than two years, then you want the 26-year-old ascending player. That’s where free agency gets tricky, because 26-year-old ascending free agents usually are expensive in terms of cash and salary cap space. Because their own teams also covet ascending players, you also must ask yourself, “If this player is so ‘ascending,’ then why isn’t he being re-signed by his own team?” That’s the ultimate question in free agency and it must be answered honestly. The answer changes if you’re expecting a player who can help you for a season or two. In that scenario, it’s OK to sign a 32-year-old player because it’s conceivable that player can be productive for the short-term on a shorter contract. This answer also varies a bit based on position. A 26-year-old running back, for example, is different than a 26-year-old left tackle because the back might have a year or so left in his prime years while a tackle might have four or five. But for the most part, the NFL ideal free-agency equation is to sign 26- or 27-year-old ascending players who are potential core players and who finishing their rookie contracts. Those players are entering their primes and theoretically have three or four good seasons left in those primes. If you can find such players in free agency and you truly believed they are elite, then sign them. Good luck. It’s easier said than done.

Bruce from Gotham:

Mr. O, I don’t understand fans who are upset with . Yes, he didn’t put up numbers, but it is not exactly like the Jags had an offense that highlighted the tight end. When he signed, we heard from the offensive coordinator at the time about all these great two tight-end sets and how both would be heavily used in the passing game. That never happened and in reality, the coaching staff never really took advantage of the mismatch that he creates with linebackers. Do you feel Thomas could have done much better considering the offensive-coordinator turnover and other circumstances? Also, if he is released we all know he will end up a Patriot, where he can replace the most likely departing Martellus Bennett, right? Him with Tom Brady would be scary.

John: Thomas actually is a difficult free-agent signing to assess. While he certainly hasn’t been as productive in the last two seasons as the team hoped, it wasn’t as if he was completely unproductive. He did catch nine touchdown passes over 21 games, which would be considered pretty good if he hadn’t signed a huge contract in the 2015 offseason – and if he hadn’t caught 24 touchdown passes over the previous two seasons with Denver. It’s hard to say how much of Thomas’ issue has been that he was used incorrectly, or if his style just didn’t mesh with Bortles’ strengths or if injuries just kept him from being as productive as otherwise would have been the case. My sense is it’s some combination of all three and then some.

Hippy from Fleming Island:

Freddy T had the stats, the comeback from early injuries, the freakish strength/speed combo and character of a Hall of Famer. How does the Jaguar moniker factor into this ridiculous travesty?

John: I don’t think it’s as much the “Jaguar” moniker as the fact that Taylor never won a rushing title, never played in a Super Bowl, never made the Associated Press All-Pro team and only made one Pro Bowl. He also during his career never for a single season was considered the best running back in the NFL. Some may argue that the “Jaguar moniker” played into how people perceived him, but my thought always has been that Taylor’s lack of recognition had more to do with the presence of players such as Edgerrin James, Ladainian Tomlinson, Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes and so on. Of that group I’d only consider Tomlinson a better player than Taylor, but other backs for short periods had a higher profile than Taylor. That doesn’t make Taylor inferior, but it has prevented him getting what I consider his due recognition as one of the best running backs of the last two decades. The lack of that due recognition will make it difficult for Taylor to get into the Hall conversation, even though many who really study his statistics and on-field performance often believe he deserves consideration.

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

If there is no upgrade available in free agency, and you aren’t going to draft a tight end early, and you know you probably won’t get an immediate contributor as a pass-catcher in the later rounds, why would you let Julius Thomas walk? You would be knowingly downgrading your roster. I’m not following the logic. If you can upgrade, by all means go ahead, but it doesn’t sound like a better option will be available. I don’t think I see the cost-benefit analysis on that unless they think very poorly of Thomas who has 33 touchdowns in his career. He’s an asset in the red zone and on third downs.

John: I tend to agree. The only reason to let Julius Thomas go is if the Jaguars’ decision-makers are convinced that he cannot help the team win. That may be the case, or it may not. There have been few hints, official or otherwise, on this front. Stay tuned.

Keith from Palatka, FL:

averages five sacks a season and averages 2.5 sacks a season. The Jaguars need to put more pressure on the quarterback. Do you think that Tom Coughlin will try to convince Todd Wash to use a more traditional 4-3 big end with more pass-rush potential (e.g. Jason Pierre-Paul) and perhaps a rookie protégé (e.g.Tanoh Kpassagnon)?

John: I think if there’s a pass rusher available that can help the Jaguars better pressure the quarterback the Jaguars will pursue him. If that player is a bigger end, fine.

Rob from Jacksonville:

How many years later and you torment me with your callous disregard for the Oxford comma. You’re not even saving ink anymore, John. At least your journalistic integrity is unquestionable. Keep up the good work, but take some time off.

John: Nah.

Jeff from Jacksonville:

How do you feel about Myles Garrett pleading for the Cowboys to trade up and draft him? Would this give you reason to pause thinking he might take his first opportunity to leave or is this no big deal?

John: It sort of defines “no big deal.”

Kyan from Le Mars:

Free-agency focus for the Jaguars should be Eric Berry and T.J. Lang. Both could still sign with their current teams, but I have read that it looks like both might not get signed. If they don’t, and the Jags get their hands on them, that would be huge! What do you think the chances that they don’t sign with their current teams and the Jags sign them instead?

John: My thoughts on free agency are as follows and rarely change: I always assume really good players will re-sign with their former teams until someone credible says that absolutely won’t be the case – and even then I sort of expect really good players to re-sign with their former teams. That’s because teams generally value really good players and figure out ways to keep them. That’s even more true if you’re discussing franchise-shaping, difference-making really good players. For that reason, I assume the Chiefs will figure out a way to keep Eric Berry, who is one of the best safeties in the NFL. T.J. Lang is an interior lineman for Green Bay. Because Green Bay has a history of letting good players hit free agency, I figure there’s a better chance of Lang being available. I do expect the Jaguars to heavily pursue an offensive guard, whether that’s Lang or Kevin Zeitler of Cincinnati or Larry Warford of Detroit. It’s one of the deeper groups in free agency, and it looks as if those players will hit the market. It’s also a position of need for the Jaguars … so there you have it.

Glen from Orange Park, FL:

Our best chance to win the division next year is to sign Jay Cutler to a one-year deal with a team option for four more years. Bortles is still in his rookie deal, so we can afford to pay starting-quarterback money. Blake starts, but is on a short leash. We not only ensure we have a franchise quarterback for the next three-to-four years and get the huge bonus of Houston not signing Cutler. Win/win/win!!

John: Wow, that sounds like an awesome deal. I’m sure Cutler would be all over it.

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O-Zone: Rule of thumb

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Fred from Jacksonville:

Zone, not to say you’re wrong, but I’m still hearing conflicting reports on . Did the Jaguars or did the Jaguars not pay him $3 million Friday? And is the organization now committed to him?

John: Well, Fred, it’s sometimes OK to say “Zone, you’re wrong.” That’s because on occasion I am wrong – and this was one such occasion. I was asked last week about various reports of Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas being due $3 million last Friday. I wrote here in the O-Zone that those reports were incorrect – and that Thomas was scheduled to have $3 million in guaranteed money kick in on March 9. There had been confusion on multiple media outlets on the issue all week, and my error added to that confusion. That “whoops” is on me, so apologies for that. As for Thomas’ status with the Jaguars, that still remains to be seen. Yes, the $3 million guaranteed indeed kicked in Friday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will return to the Jaguars next season. I still believe retaining him would be a good idea, but I’m still leaning toward him not returning. This remains a “stay-tuned” situation, guaranteed money or no.

Dave from Ponte Vedra, FL:

So, Zone, you make me wait all day Sunday and half the night for an O-Zone – and then no mention of it Monday? No explanation? What gives – or, in this case, “What gave?”

John: The O-Zone posted on Sunday evening rather than Sunday morning. Technical issues prevented it from being posted earlier. As is sometimes the case when the O-Zone posts later in the day, some readers expressed concern for my well-being while others spent the day hitting refresh and hoping for reports of my untimely demise. Alas, no such luck for those in the latter category. Move on. Nothing to see here.

Greg from Waycross, GA:

John, I bet if Blake sat on the sidelines with Tom Brady as the team’s quarterback, he’d have some Super Bowls rings also. How well did all the other backups the Patriots traded to other teams work out? Jimmy Garoppolo is still an unproven quarterback.

John: A team trading for Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t doing so because Garoppolo has Super Bowl rings. They’re doing so because he’s a former second-round draft selection who has shown good things in the time he has played. He is an unknown quantity with potential, so while you don’t know for sure that he is good you also don’t know for sure he is not. That means Garoppolo is not only an “acquirable quarterback,” he’s an “acquirable quarterback” who hasn’t yet shown he doesn’t belong in the NFL. That combination is rare enough in the NFL right now to make Garoppolo a valuable commodity.

Otto from PVB, FL:

John, I hope I’m wrong but it seems we are still trying to force a square peg into a round hole with . I know comparing him to Brady or Ryan may not be fair, but the gulf between him and them is cavernous. Of Hoyer, Glennon, Nassib, and Taylor who would be a good pick to compete against Bortles?

John: Given those choices, I like the idea of Glennon. He showed good things in Tampa Bay before the Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston. The question, though, is how do you feel about Glennon? Is he a franchise guy? If not, then how much are you willing to pay for him to be competition? Do you sign him to a long-term deal – or even a short-term one – for starter’s money with the idea that he may not be a starter? Those are questions that will be asked before the Jaguars acquire a quarterback this offseason, and those are the questions that cloud the quarterback issue.

Ed from Danvers, MA:

John, can you ask IT to change the picture on the front page of the site? Every time it comes up it scares my dog.

John: I’ve been telling them to take my picture off the site for weeks. I’ll keep at it.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

There is a lot of talk about Jimmy Garoppolo, which is surprising to me. As soon as I heard that the Pats wanted a first-rounder for him, I immediately thought that the trade was out of the question. Aside from a dramatic drop in the asking price, do you think there’s even a remote possibility of that trade happening?

John: I do not believe the Jaguars will trade the No. 4 overall selection in the draft for Garoppolo.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

It’s funny to me how fans will scream from the rooftops, demanding that their team sign the biggest and most-expensive free agents. Then, a couple years later, they’ll climb onto those same rooftops to scream about how bad a particular free-agent acquisition turned out to be (see Julius Thomas). So, this year when the Jags don’t sign every big-name free agent, maybe we fans should take a deep breath and realize that free-agent signings are like Russian roulette … sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get … well, sometimes you’re not so lucky.

John: Yep.

Andrew from Jacksonville:

Hey John! I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do. I don’t always agree with your comments, but I always enjoy reading them. Thanks for all the hard work you put into the organization. Go Jags!

John: Thank you. It’s always good to hear from the twisted minority.

Jason from North Pole, AK:

If Jimmy Garoppolo is a franchise quarterback, why would the smartest coach in football trade him away? Feels like the Patriots are looking for a sucker to me.

John: I don’t buy into this argument as much as I normally buy into the Buyer Beware theory in free agency. Because of the presence of Tom Brady, and because Brady seems very capable of playing three-to-four more years, it would be perfectly logical for the Patriots to trade Garoppolo for a first-round draft selection. There are other reasons to be wary of the trade – the risk of trading for backups to make them starters chief among them – but the fact that the Patriots want to deal a backup quarterback wouldn’t raise red flags.

Wallace from Jacksonville:

‘s contract calls for him to receive a $2 million roster bonus in 2017 and a $6.5MM salary. When is the roster bonus due, beginning of the 2017 league year, when the 53 man roster is selected before the 2017 regular season or June 1st?

John: Odrick’s bonus is due March 13, and he has $5.5 million salary guaranteed on that date.

Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL:

Why didn’t you think this last season was make-or-break for Bortles? To play that poorly in Year Three, I just can’t see what you, Khan, and Caldwell are seeing. A lot of his completions were bad throws where the receivers bailed him out. I love the Jags, but I don’t have any understanding of their approach to the quarterback position.

John: I don’t think last year was make-or-break for Bortles for the simple reason that he struggled at times and he still has a chance to return as the starter. That wouldn’t be the case had last season been “make or break.” As far as what I am seeing in Bortles, I’m not sure how I could have been much clearer in recent weeks or months. I saw a quarterback who last season struggled at times. I have expressed doubt that he can be a franchise quarterback. I frankly don’t know that he “deserves” a chance to win the starting job next season, but I do believe because of various circumstances he’s going to get that chance. Based on how he has played, I also frankly don’t know if he can develop into a franchise quarterback, but again: I think he will get the opportunity. Bortles must improve several areas pretty dramatically if he is to become a franchise quarterback. I have no idea if he will, but I believe he can. That’s how I see him, and I believe that’s how the Jaguars will end up approaching him this season – i.e., hoping he can develop and realizing that if he doesn’t they must find another solution.

Kevin from Jacksonville:

What about this scenario: Jaguars trade down with the Browns’ 12th pick and grab one of their second-round picks. Browns get their quarterback. Jags get a running back at No. 12 (Cook). Makes sense to me, what do you think?

John: I think I find it hard to believe the Browns would give up what would be necessary to move up eight spots to take any of the quarterbacks available in this year’s draft.

Ryan from Dearborn, MI:

John, per your standard of “The rule of thumb in the top five should be to draft a player who you see being a core of your franchise for a decade,” how would you grade the Jaguars over the past decade of drafting in the Top 10?

John: Not great.

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Pages: 12

O-Zone: Ridiculous

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Sam from Orlando, FL:

What are the differences in your trained(?) eye that would separate Garoppolo from being another Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett or even another Matt Cassell? I don’t think the Jags should make this trade, BUT I think he will break the mold from those three. Thoughts?

John: I think first of all you’re correct to put the (?) next to “trained,” because when it comes to my eye, the train left its station long ago. You’re also right to question if there’s any significant reason to believe Jimmy Garoppolo will truly fare that much better than the three aforementioned former Patriots quarterbacks. Cassell, like Garoppolo, had turned in some impressive performances before being acquired by the Kansas City Chiefs. And Mallett, like Garoppolo, had been selected early enough in the draft to give him some cache with pursuing teams. The dilemma with Garoppolo is obvious: is he truly an ascending former second-round draft choice with a high ceiling or has he – like others – benefitted from the Patriots’ success? Garoppolo seems to me to have the ability to be an NFL starter. The Patriots weren’t the only team that liked him relatively early in the draft and he did show this past season he has NFL starting-quarterback tools. There’s no way to know how he’ll fare in the role of a team’s starting quarterback, but there’s no way to know how anyone will fare in that role before they assume it. Acquiring a starting quarterback always is a risk. Garoppolo looks like he has a chance to be worth it. Still, while Garoppolo is fine enough subject of mid-February talk, I don’t have a vibe of that being the Jaguars’ planned direction. I see competing with and a less expensive veteran than Garoppolo. I expect Bortles to win the job, and I expect it to essentially be a make-or-break year for Bortles on that front. If he proves he’s the guy, then he’s the guy. If not …

Marc from Jacksonville:

What’s your best guess at ’s primary role in the Jags’ 2017 defense: A, split reps at SAM; B, play all or most of the reps at SAM; C, take over at MLB; D, some sort of hybrid-SS role; E, play only nickel downs at MLB?

John: I’d project “B” or “C,” but I’m not sure beyond that.

Joel from Jacksonville:

Regarding , I have read through numerous outside sources that the Jaguars have committed to him because of a bonus due him last Friday. I have heard on a couple of Jaguars sites that the payment is due at or near the end of the league year. Which is really, and why is there a difference between outside and internal reporting?

John: Thomas has $3 million in guarantees kick in on March 9, the start of the new league year. That’s when the Jaguars must decide whether or not to commit to him. He remains on the roster, and I don’t yet know whether that will be the case after March 9. As far as “Jaguars sites,” there’s only one – and that’s this one. The others are by definition outside reporting. There’s nothing wrong with those sites, and they’re often right, but they’re not “Jaguars sites.” I don’t work for other sites, so I don’t know why they do what they do. I can only speak for this site. We don’t typically report on player transactions unless until a player officially signs, re-signs or is released, but I attempt to shed as much light on Jaguars goings on as possible here in the O-Zone.

Richard from Lincoln, RI:

So many Patriots fans remind me how bad the Jaguars are, but they seem to forget that the Patriots sucked for a long time and did not win a Super Bowl until their 42nd season in the league. Oh, wait a minute … they didn’t forget. They just didn’t know they existed until 2001!!! Jags have a way to go before 42 years. AGREE?

John: Yep, fans gonna fan – even Patriots fans.

Chris from Houston, TX:

I’d like to see the Jaguars sign Brian Hoyer. He would be a substantial upgrade over . He is capable of starting and playing sufficiently well for a team to make the playoffs. If we roll with Bortles for six games, and he plays poorly, Hoyer could give this team a fighting chance the rest of the way. Do you see him as a realistic target for this team?

John: I wouldn’t rule it out. Hoyer wouldn’t be the sort of franchise quarterback that excites the fan base, and he’s probably not a long-term answer, but he has shown the ability to play long stretches without catastrophic errors, and that can be a good target when seeking short-term quarterback competition.

Travis from High Springs, FL:

John, I keep hearing everyone praise Jimmy Garoppolo, but do they forget what’s happened recently? Matt Cassel played a whole season for New England, and went 11-5. And he ended up being a career back up. Rob Johnson also looked great in limited playing time and he turned into the No. 9 pick in the draft (Fred Taylor). Just because Garoppolo looked great in a few games, on probably the best team in football, doesn’t mean he’s the Jaguars’ savior. It doesn’t even mean he’d be better than Blake on this team.

John: That indeed is the dilemma.

Logan from Wichita, KS:

I am still standing firm on the “trade-back-in-the-draft” stance. This No. 4 pick is not a good pick for us. We need a later pick and picks for the future because a running back behind this line is a waste, a wash at defensive end is not safe and we have a good secondary already so we don’t need a rookie safety. Trade back and get a safer pick.

John: Kudos to you for standing firm. A man must stand his ground on all matters of great import. I have no problem with trading back, and this in a sense seems like a good year to do it because there may not be a guaranteed franchise player at No. 4. The rule of thumb in the top five should be to draft a player who you see being a core of your franchise for a decade. If there’s not one then that fourth selection probably isn’t worth using. Of course, if that’s the case then a lot of other teams may feel that way, too. Hence, the difficulty sometimes of trading in … you know, real life.

Robert from Lexington, KY:

I can appreciate you inserting some hyphens into my question from the other day, but editing out the Oxford comma? Unforgivable.

John: I neither seek, desire nor need forgiveness on this issue. I’m a newspaper man at heart. As such, while I appreciate and even enjoy an Oxford comma while reading the works of Somerset Maugham, it has no place here in the O-Zone.

Paul from Jacksonville:

So, in theory, the Jags could attempt to trade back in the first round acquiring that team’s later first-round pick and whatever else they can collect. I would imagine a second-round pick plus others would be in order. Use the traded-back pick for Jimmy Garoppolo from the Pats, use their second-round picks on Desmond King and their highest-rated offensive lineman … Boom, one pick turns into a franchise quarterback, the best young secondary in the NFL, and competition for the O-line. .. Jags win again in April!

John: OK.

David from Broward County, FL:

O-Man, all the Hall of Fame talk about Boselli – and he absolutely belongs in the HOF – got me thinking. Since Terrell Davis got into the HOF, what about Fred Taylor? Fred Taylor was a better running back than Davis in every way you can evaluate a running back. Fred was one of the best running backs of the last 20 years. Jim Brown said that Fred was one of the best running backs he has ever seen. What do you think? How about some love for Fred?

John: I consider Taylor among the best running backs I ever have seen, and I believe he was better than any back of the last 20 years with the exception of perhaps LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson. To me, that puts him in elite status and puts him in Hall conversation. I said throughout the recent Hall discussion around Boselli I didn’t believe that Boselli was being overlooked any longer – or that he is any longer the victim any injustice. I said that because Boselli is now among the finalists and is being discussed, and I believe from talking to Hall voters he is getting his due. Remember, just because you don’t win a vote doesn’t mean you’re being treated unfairly; it may simply mean someone thought someone at that moment was more deserving. While this is true of Boselli, it’s not true of Taylor. I say that because Taylor was not among the players this year considered for Hall recognition. For Boselli to not to make the Hall is disappointing, but it is a function of there being a limited number of spots per year. For Taylor not even to be considered? That’s ridiculous.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Dominant performance

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Mark from CP, MD:

What reasons do you believe that this team will be relevant unlike the five or six years?

John: I don’t know that I’ve said or written that I absolutely believe the Jaguars will be relevant next season – at least if by relevant you mean playing in the playoffs. I have written that I believe the Jaguars have a chance to get to around .500 next season. I believe that because I believe the defense is good and can get better. I also believe the players next season will believe in the direction under Head Coach Doug Marrone, and I believe Marrone is a capable head coach who can get the most out of a team if players buy in. The reasons I’m not banging the table that this will be a playoff team are the same reasons I didn’t bang the table that this was a playoff team entering last season: the offense has yet to show it can be consistent and productive in crucial situations, and the pass rush has yet to show it can pressure quarterbacks consistently in crucial situations. The offense is the most important area, and it begins with the quarterback – and or whoever is playing quarterback must play at a higher level for the Jaguars to reach playoff-level relevance.

John from Nowheresville:

Hey O! I have heard several different things related to ‘ contract. Did a deadline pass for the $3 million Friday? Or, is the $3 million at the beginning of the year? And, do you think he’ll be back next year? Thank you! #DTWD Go Jags!

John: There is $3 million in guaranteed money in Thomas’ contract that kicks in if he is on the roster on March 9, which is the start of the new league year. I think it makes sense to bring Thomas back because I think he’s a talented player, but if I had to lean right now I’d lean toward him not returning.

Frankie from London, UK:

Mr. O, it appears to make more sense to me to establish the potential for a strong running game by improving the offensive line and getting more productivity out of both and T.J.Yeldon before drafting a running back. Does it make sense to get a first-round-worthy running back if you can’t run the ball effectively?

John: That indeed is the dilemma. I’m a believer that most running backs depend on the effectiveness of the offensive line, so I’m not a big running-back-in-the-Top-10 guy. We’ll see if the Jaguars go the other direction.

Fred from Jacksonville:

Trade Thomas and a pick for Jimmy G. Can you imagine Brady with Gronk and Thomas? What kind of pick would it take to do the deal?

John: In Madden or, like, for real?

Bruce from Green Cove Springs, FL:

Blake Bortles over the past two seasons: completed 58.7 percent of his passes for 8,333 yards with 58 touchdowns and 34 interceptions. His 2016 quarterback rating was 49.2. Kirk Cousins over the past two seasons: completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 9,083 yards with 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His 2016 quarterback rating was 71.7. I know that statistics don’t tell the whole story, but shouldn’t statistics at least prompt some interest in Cousins as an unrestricted free agent?

John: Those are awesome statistics, and I agree that Cousins would be worth pursuing as an unrestricted free agent. I wasn’t sure a few years back, but he has played well enough to merit consideration. But there’s a long way to go before free agency, and I would be surprised if Cousins isn’t under contract with the Washington Redskins by the March 9 start of the new league year.

Scott from Jacksonville:

I’ve hated those clock rules. They’re designed to keep the clock running except near end of halves and games. Fewer plays run per game always felt like a rip off to me.

John: OK.

James from Duval:

Goodbye, JT. It wasn’t fun and too damned expensive. With the free-agent market slim on tight ends, do you think we will draft one in the higher rounds and who stands out as a good pick?

John: I doubt the Jaguars will select a tight end early in the draft, but we’ll see. As far as Thomas … yes, he has been expensive and hasn’t met expectations, but Thomas did catch nine touchdown passes in two seasons, so there have been worse free-agent signings in NFL history. It turned out Thomas hasn’t been a core player and he hasn’t been what the Jaguars hoped when they paid a wild amount of money to lure him from Denver, so … hey! Welcome to NFL free agency!

Jeremy from Dodge City, KS:

O, what are your thoughts on the Jags drafting Jamal Adams at No. 4? I think he is another play maker that will help make our defense elite!

John: If the Jaguars look at Jamal Adams and believe he is a player who can be a core player and a foundation of the franchise, then by all means they should take him. That matters more at No. 4 than position.

Edward from Los Angeles, CA:

Tupac or Biggie?

John: Sexton.

Mark from Archer, FL:

Once more the media bias against Jacksonville shows itself. The All-Rookie team is listed and is not in the defensive linemen. Only one of the rookie defensive linemen I can agree being over him, and that was Joey Bosa. Yannick played better and put up more numbers than the other three. Why do we get no love? It can’t just be about winning because they had rookies from other teams that were horrible this year. Dang it when a player plays really well he deserves recognition.

John: I can’t get passionate about the lack of postseason recognition for players from a 3-13 team. Yannick Ngakoue made the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team. He didn’t make the one that you saw. OK.

Wallace from Jacksonville:

O, Man, would it shock you if the Jags drafted a quarterback in the first round of upcoming draft? It is possible you know …

John: Yes, as of of right now it would shock me if the Jaguars selected a quarterback at No. 4 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. But I’ve been shocked before and I don’t mind it all that much.

Baguar from Jacksonville:

“but people were projecting Bortles at the top of the draft …” Who, exactly? Bortles was a reach.

John: Some analysts had him early and some had him anywhere from Top 10-to-20. In the days before the draft, many people around the NFL projected him in the Top 10 or Top 5. Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell believed there were teams interested in taking Bortles in the Top 10, so he believed he needed to take Bortles at No. 3 to get the player he believed would be the Jaguars’ franchise quarterback. It’s always difficult to know what’s real in the draft and what isn’t, but that’s why Bortles went as early as he did. If you believe in a quarterback you take him when he’s there and don’t risk losing him.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

The draft of 1997 might be a good indication of what Tom Coughlin might look at. He wanted Curtis Enis and he got Fred Taylor. He got that pick from the Rob Johnson trade. If you have to pick that special player in the draft it has to be Leonard Fournette. He has the speed, the size, the hands, he keeps his pads low and has that vision and can take it to the house on any play just like Fred! You never know but Fournette looks to be one of those gifted players. Go Jaguars!

John: Hey, one fer Leonard!

Cameron from Kearney:

Hi John. In response to Paul from SoCal reference Boselli, I remember watching Tony at games and I was present at Alltell Stadium on January 15, 2000. In the most lopsided playoff game in NFL history, who was that lining up for the Dolphins at right defensive end? That player did not line up on the left side to take advantage of Brunell’s blind side, and he did not record a single sack. One NFL playoff game does not make a Hall of Fame career, but it goes a long way when you look at the players Tony faced one-on-one, don’t ya think?

John: Boselli indeed fared very well against Taylor when the two played, and Taylor recently said as much publicly. But while the Jaguars’ 62-7 victory over the Dolphins on January 15, 2000, indeed was the most lopsided playoff game in NFL history, it says nothing about Boselli’s dominance as a player. He missed that game with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: No contest

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Matt from Union City, TN:

In your opinion is there a particular position that has a better chance of success in free agency – like offensive linemen tend to do better than wide receivers? Or is the whole thing really the luck of the draw?

John: Much about free agency indeed is luck of the draw, but as often as not the problem with free agency revolves around teams convincing themselves that their eyes and minds are wrong. Football people universally agree that free agency is a less-than-ideal way of acquiring players. You pay premium prices for players deemed unworthy of long-term deals by their original teams. No matter how many lists clog the internet, that’s the great truth of free agency. There are occasions such as with the Jaguars last season where a front-line player indeed hits the market and performs at a high level for his new team. It’s far more common for an unrestricted free agent to not be elite and to reveal the reasons for his availability very quickly upon signing with their new teams. That’s why I’m never particularly surprised when free agents struggle and have limited careers with new teams. As for your question – and yes, I remember that you asked one – I’ve always thought offensive linemen and defensive tackles were perhaps the safest free-agent bets, but even with those positions the key is teams asking themselves whether the player indeed is worth the contract – and most importantly, being honest with the answer.

Derrick from Jacksonville:

John, I just want to make one comment about the Super Bowl. Many people focused on the Falcons’ play-calling at the end of the game as to why they lost. In a sense, I would agree. However, I said when the Falcons went up 13-0 that they should go for two because they had momentum. I also told everyone at the party that not going for two would come back and haunt them later. And it surely did.

John: Did they cut you off at that point or was it when you were lip-synching and simul-dancing Gaga at halftime?

Jeremy from Bossier City, LA:

Can we please keep politics out of jaguars.com? ESPN is not what it was years ago. They waste too much time on opinion and controversy and not enough on the sports. I’d like to have at least one place where I can simply read about sports. Thank you!

John: I’ll assume you’re referring to a question included in a recent O-Zone in which a reader expressed pride in Jaguars Owner Shad Khan speaking about a hot-button national issue. I don’t anticipate jaguars.com spending extensive time discussing the issue, but this is a Jaguars site and if a reader wants to express a thought on the owner’s thoughts in a reasonable manner I’d say there’s a place for that here.

Jammie from Foley, AL:

Will the Jaguars go offensive line in the first round of the draft?

John: I doubt it. The Jaguars hold the No. 4 overall selection in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. While much can change between early February and the late April draft, there is not currently an offensive lineman projected to be selected that early.

Darren from Arlington, TX:

What are the chances converts to strong safety? He’s a little undersized for a typical linebacker, and is known for his above-average coverage skills and athleticism. What are your thoughts, O?

John: Myles Jack is not actually all that undersized for a middle linebacker in this era of the NFL. Luke Kuechly plays middle linebacker at 6-feet-3, 238 pounds; Jack plays at 6-1, 245 pounds, so there’s no reason Jack’s size should keep him from playing in the middle.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

Just saw the Shad Khan interview. What in the world has Blake done to garner the type of support that Dave Caldwell and Khan seem to have in him??? It can’t be performance-based, so please: what is it????

John: You support your quarterback in the NFL until he’s not your quarterback. Neither Caldwell nor Khan are so dim to believe has played to the level of a franchise quarterback or to the level of a No. 3 overall selection in the draft. But right now Bortles is the Jaguars’ starting quarterback and there’s every chance he will be the starting quarterback next season. The last part is true because it’s extremely unlikely that the Jaguars sign or draft a quarterback who is clearly a better option. That means he will at the very least enter the 2017 offseason with a very real chance to start. For that reason, Khan and Caldwell and the Jaguars will support him because that’s that you do. Do they believe he is the answer? They certainly hope so.

Daniel from Duval:

Just think what Garoppolo could do with the Jags receivers. I think it’s worth it.

John: It’s intriguing. It’s very, very intriguing. Please note that by “intriguing,” I do not mean “I believe the Jaguars will trade for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.” But I do mean it’s intriguing.

Mike from Navarre, OH:

What are your thoughts on the Jaguars’ impending free-agent decision on ? I have a gut feeling he could be the latest in a slew of players the Jaguars have let go and go on to be Pro Bowl-caliber players for other teams (see Reggie Nelson). Obviously, if the Jaguars switch the scheme and go to a two-high safety look this wouldn’t work well with Cyprien’s strengths of being a hard-nosed guy that plays well close to the line; however, keeping the same type of scheme makes it seem like a no-brainer to keep Cyprien with his recent improvements in tackling and coverage. What do you say, O?

John: I say you’ve got the parameters of this decision pretty well worked out. I expect there to be a price that the Jaguars will be willing to pay to keep Cyprien, and at this point I’m skeptical that that price will be high enough to meet what he will command on the open market. Cyprien strikes me right now as a player whose value will be higher to a team that hasn’t seen him play for four seasons. That’s good for him because such players usually fare very, very well in free agency.

Rob from Palm Bay, FL:

Here’s the issue I see with getting a quarterback in free agency. No quarterback worth paying free-agency prices for is going to want to come to Jacksonville as “competition.” They are going to go somewhere where they are guaranteed to start. #DTWD

John: You’re correct and to carry your point a step further, you have to wonder if the Jaguars will pay starter money for a quarterback who isn’t pretty much assured of being better than Bortles. Starter-quarterback money is a lot to pay for a player you don’t fully believe can be a starter.

Mason from Palm Bay, FL:

Not sure if you have answered this since the season, but I can’t remember reading about him. How is progressing? Could he be viewed as a starter moving forward, or did he have a bad season/need competition?

John: Cann didn’t play as well in his second season as many projected he would play based on his rookie season. But he didn’t have a bad season and I’d project him starting next season.

Robert from Lexington, KY:

A second-round running back, a top 10-paid free-agent running back and a running back at No. 4 overall. If that happens in back-to-back-to-back years it just might be the worst allocation of resources to what is probably the easiest position to adequately fill on the cheap in recent history.

John: I don’t know if I’d say “worst in recent history,” but no, it wouldn’t be great.

Otto from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

John, I hear a lot of talk about Jimmy Garoppolo being traded for a first-round draft Pick. What am I missing? Why would he be worth that much?

John: Because Garroppolo has shown enough in limited action with the New England Patriots to look like he might be good, and in a league where good quarterbacks are very, very hard to find that’s enough to get people excited enough to maybe give up a premium draft choice. I don’t know if Garropolo is a franchise quarterback, but I do know teams need one enough to make him very enticing.

Scott from Jacksonville:

So booing Roger Goodell is in poor taste? How about booing the O-Zone?

John: There are times I’m not sure why Goodell is getting booed, and sometimes I think fans are doing it just for something to do. When fans boo the O-Zone, I tend to think of it more as an exercise in pointing out the obvious.

Tom from Section 141 and the Mean Streets of Nocatee:

So, I guess we know who won that weightlifting contest between you and Shadrick, huh?

John: Sometimes in life there are no winners.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Matter of taste

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Bo from Dresden, NC:

John, the draft is right around the corner … with your best guess, who do you think we will take?

John: Ah, the mysterious, marvelous calendar … which always seems to feel different to different people. To some, “right around the corner” might mean tomorrow, while to others it might mean two-and-a-half months away. Because the 2017 NFL Draft is in fact two-and-a-half months away and therefore perhaps not in fact “right around the corner” my best guess is probably a lousy guess. But right now I’d guess the Jaguars in the first round select defensive lineman Jonathan Allen of Alabama because it appears he might be the best available player at No. 4. But remember, my good friend: much can change very quickly when it comes to the NFL draft – whatever the calendar may say.

John from Jacksonville:

Can you clarify the rules about penalties and the game clock? There were two occasions [in the Super Bowl] that I noticed the clock starting after a penalty and before the ball was snapped for the next play. One example was with a delay of game at the end of the third quarter with a few seconds left before a punt. Instead of the punt happening after the penalty, the clock started and the quarter ended. I thought the clock stops after a penalty until the next play starts. In the example on the punt play, the offense was able to drain extra clock time. There was a holding penalty in the fourth quarter with the same result.

John: According to NFL rules, if the game clock is stopped after a down in which there was a penalty, the clock will restart after the penalty is enforced or declined except in the final two minutes of the first half, in the final five minutes of the game or if a specific rule states otherwise.

Ed from Ponte Vedra, FL:

Please explain to me why on earth mock-draft experts think we will draft a running back at No. 4. Even if he is BPA, it does not make any sense to me.

John: Running back at No. 4 for the Jaguars actually makes sense from a mock-drafter’s perspective. There’s a perception nationwide that the Jaguars need to improve the running game, and this also is a year with two running backs – Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook – who potentially could go in the Top 10. Add to that the perception that Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin all value a strong running game and you have a perfect formula for mock drafters mocking running back to the Jaguars. Now, none of that means that the Jaguars will actually select one of those players at No. 4, but is it logical for some to mock the position there? Certainly.

Paul from Southern Cal:

Hey John, with all of the talk about Tony Boselli the past few weeks, being that Tony played left tackle with a southpaw quarterback, does that not diminish his perceived dominance? Also, the fact that Mark Brunell was very mobile and escaped out of the pocket quite often. What I mean is, how does one determine value or greatness in a tackle when one is watching the blind side of the quarterback, and one is not? Is there that much difference between the two tackle positions to declare one more important than the other based on which side of the quarterback they play? If so, doesn’t this diminish Tony’s appeal? Thanks O.

John: No, the fact that Brunell was left-handed doesn’t diminish Boselli’s “appeal.” No matter what hand a quarterback uses to throw, the left tackle position is the premier position on the line because most teams line up their best pass rusher on the right side of the defensive line. That was even truer when Boselli played than it is now. As far as how to determine Boselli’s dominance … I don’t know … maybe listen to coaches who coached then, or players who played then? Or maybe watch tape of Boselli? All tell the same story of a guy who was as good as anybody in that era and pretty much any other.

Frank from Jacksonville:

What are the chances we see the Jags shuffle Poz to the strong-side linebacker, getting more playing time at middle linebacker? Poz is surely stout enough at the point of attack to play the SAM and it would better utilize Jack’s speed and coverage ability, especially if the defense shows more two high-safety looks next year. Seems like a win-win and it gets your best 11 on the field, so to speak.

John: This is something worth exploring, and it’s an idea that makes sense. One factor to consider is just how much pass rush you’re going to want from the strong-side linebacker position. That’s because while has been effective as a blitzer at times with the Jaguars, he’s probably not a player you’re going to ask to put his hand on the ground and get after the passer on every play. Not that Myles Jack is that player either, but it’s still a question you must ask before settling on your defensive approach.

Daniel from Honolulu, HI:

Hey John, what is the rule on overtime in the Super Bowl? What happens if the time expires in overtime? How the winner is determined?

John: The overtime rule in the Super Bowl is the same as it is in the rest of the postseason – that is, they keep playing until a winner is determined. The regular-season rule is that a game still tied after the first overtime period ends in a tie.

Chris from Mandarin:

The problem with and Jay Cutler is that they are essentially the same player. They’re both pretty streaky players, going hot or cold for significant stretches, with high-yardage totals and a metric ton of interceptions.

John: This may be true statistically, but Cutler also has one of the strongest arms in the NFL – if not the best. And when Cutler is “on,” he is a very, very good quarterback capable of winning from the pocket and winning a lot of games. Bortles has yet to prove he is that. Now, it’s just as true that the downside of Cutler has the potential to be very down with a lot of costly interceptions. But I have trouble classifying Bortles and Cutler as “essentially the same player.”

Ryan from Dearborn, MI:

John, Jimmy Garropolo has two Super Bowl rings while Blake has none. Obviously, we should make a trade with New England.

John: I’ll pass this along.

Paul from Temecula, CA:

“Pass rush is not more important than quarterback, but it is the second-most important element to winning in the NFL.” I’ve also heard “You win by running the football and stopping the run.” These theories on winning in the NFL are so confusing.

John: You can’t win if you can’t stop the run. That’s one truth of the NFL, but there are a lot of truths. The biggest is that if you’re going to contend consistently for the Super Bowl, it sure is easier to do with an elite, franchise quarterback.

Aaron from Jacksonville:

I must say that I have been very impressed with Shad. He’s been incredibly patient with the team as well as empathetic toward us fans who have been suffering through a decade of perpetual losing. But what makes me even more proud of my owner is his recent statement about the immigration ban and how our country was virtually built on inclusion and immigration. And he’s been the only owner to date to denounce it and speak up. Never been prouder!!! #SKTWD

John: #SKTWD

Jaguar Pete from Tallahassee, FL:

I wonder what the possibility is of Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone instilling a two-back set with a fullback as our running attack. A fullback was very helpful when we ran Fred and MJD. If that possibility exists, or even if it doesn’t, Dalvin Cook looks too good to pass up. The kid will be good.

John: The Fullback Issue isn’t something I’ve seen Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett discuss publicly yet, but I would be surprised if the Jaguars don’t carry a fullback next season. Hackett used one in Buffalo and there’s little question Hackett and Marrone will want to emphasize the run. Does that mean Dalvin Cook at No. 4? I don’t have a great feel for that yet, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

Tim from Jacksonville:

How did booing Roger Goodell become a thing? Is he a terrible person? If so, how did he get his job? I don’t see any reason for all the hate, other than it being an NFL tradition. If it’s just a tradition it seems to me to be in poor taste.

John: Poor taste unfortunately is no longer a deterrent to the action of the masses. If indeed it ever was.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: More to come

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Royce from Jacksonville:

Mr. O, with the Jags having to make a decision on next week, what is your feel that he will be on the team after not having the success that he had in Denver? My opinion is Blake could not make the throws that Thomas was getting at Denver and the Jags should look at that closely.

John: The Jaguars actually don’t need to make a decision regarding Thomas’ future this week. As for whether they will retain him moving forward, that remains to be seen. He thrived in Denver in large part because he runs quick, timing routes very well – and because Peyton Manning was as good as any quarterback at making those throws. Those throws haven’t yet proven to be ’ strengths, and there’s no doubt that has limited Thomas’ productivity. What should the Jaguars to with Thomas in the coming weeks? The thought here is that they should consider keep him on the roster and figure a way to better utilize him. He is a talented player, and talent isn’t that easy to find. Will it happen? I’d call it a coin flip. We’ll see.

Aaron from White Hall, AR:

So, on a local sports radio show here, they were talking about one running back you could have from the past to pick for your team. They said either Emmitt Smith or Marshall Faulk. I said either Jim Brown or Walter Payton. Now, I’m only 25 and have only read or seen highlights from their careers, but my thing was could you imagine either of those guys in a modern-era training facility and what they could do? Who would be your pick?

John: I’d select Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders or Walter Payton. I’d select Brown because he was Jim Brown, Simpson because he was as dynamic and dangerous a runner as I’ve ever seen, Faulk because in his prime he was the best double-threat receiver runner in NFL history, Sanders because he had the ability to make something from nothing and Payton because he was as versatile a player as has ever played the position. And you know what? I’d have Fred Taylor pretty high on my list, because he and LaDainian Tomlinson are the only backs I’ve seen to compare to Simpson in terms of consistent, long-term big-play ability.

DUVAL DOOM from Section 218:

They may do “their very best” to ensure the right players get in, but they screwed up last weekend – and I’m not talking about Tony Boselli. There is absolutely no scenario where a kicker deserved to go in and T.O. didn’t. They don’t like him because he was difficult to deal with, so they snubbed him. Going to multiple teams and putting up the numbers he did just proves how great he is. It’s ridiculous.

John: The soundness of your theory that Owens is being snubbed by Hall voters because he was difficult to deal with depends on the identity of “they.” While Owens had a dicey relationship with media, my experience is that the vast majority of reporters don’t hold grudges against players for being difficult with the media. Remember, too, there are 48 Hall-of-Fame selectors, and the vast majority of those never dealt with Owens consistently enough to hold a grudge. Now, if by “they” you mean NFL types – former coaches, general managers, players, etc. … yeah, being difficult to deal with on that front throughout his career and not being a good locker-room guy or a good teammate indeed could have a lot to do with his being snubbed.

Jim from Pahrump, NV:

John: I too am disappointed in Boselli not being selected, and also agree with the assessment of Jason Taylor in ahead of many people. My question revolves around Don Coryell. Frankly, I thought he was already in. I know he won zero Super Bowls, but goodness did he ever have a huge impact on the game. Is lack of Super Bowls worthy of keeping someone like Coryell from the “Hall?”

John: Many eventual Hall-of-Fame inductees get passed over for a long time before being selected. Coryell’s exclusion for many years did likely stem from him never having coached a team to the Super Bowl. With the passing of time, and with his passing principles becoming part of the very fabric of the NFL, Coryell has become more and more acknowledged as a coach with an extraordinary impact on the game. He’s Hall-of-Fame worthy. But so are most of the finalists every year.

Stuart from Chinley, United Kingdom:

John, what are your thoughts on the overtime rules? I watched the game Sunday and thought how it ruined what was essentially a fantastic game. I don’t understand at all why both teams don’t get a shot at scoring. The team that wins the toss has a greater chance of winning in my eyes. Games like this should not have an element of chance attached to them.

John: I like the overtime rule, and I actually didn’t mind the old overtime rule. I get why people say both teams should have a chance to score. But the Falcons had a chance to stop the Patriots, force a field goal and get the ball back. Defense counts in the NFL and defenses are allowed to make a play to stop the opponent. I think most NFL coaches would tell you that if you can’t keep a team from scoring a touchdown on the first drive of overtime then you can’t begrudge the opponent the victory.

Jason from North Pole, AK:

Hear me out for a second. The Cowboys received three first-round picks and two of each second- and third-round picks for Herschel Walker. Not to mention the players and late-round picks they received as well. I believe that Tom Brady is the greatest of all-time. I also believe he has two-to-three years left of elite production at best. So, if the Patriots believe that Jimmy G is a franchise quarterback and a team offers them that amount of draft picks for Brady, you don’t think that is worth considering? The Patriots having that kind of draft equity to invest in the next decade of players scares me. They made a living off of getting rid of guys a year early instead of year too late. Why is it so crazy to do it now when Brady could hit an age wall very soon and you’d get nothing?

John: Don’t let the notion of the Patriots trading Tom Brady scare you. It won’t happen. Keeping Brady gives the Patriots a real chance to win the Super Bowl for the next two or three years. Those chances diminish with Garoppolo. When you have a real chance to win a championship you don’t diminish it.

Craig from Auburn, IN:

You don’t blame the approach? You are all right with throwing the ball late in the game, with a slim lead and the momentum clearly with the Patriots, not once but three times? You also left out the holding call on the following play and the incomplete pass on the next play. Clearly I am not a coach, and obviously you aren’t either. How much time could two more run plays have taken off the clock? Plus an 11-point lead at that stage would have given the Falcons some breathing room and forced the Pats into a real sense of urgency.

John: Yes, I’m all right with throwing there, because what the Falcons were trying to do was put the ball in the hands of their best player and the NFL’s Most Valuable Player – Matt Ryan – with the season on the line. The Patriots indeed had the momentum and the game felt as if it was getting away. A pass for a first down there – and an ensuing touchdown – probably ends the game. A field goal? Perhaps, but it’s no guarantee – even with an 11-point lead. I get that I’m “obviously” not a coach, and I probably would have run in that situation, but the NFL is a passing league and the way the Falcons had been passing the ball this season it’s not as if a pass is a low-percentage play. It didn’t work. Ryan should have gotten rid of the ball but didn’t. Not every loss in the NFL is always about coaching. Sometimes it’s up to players to make plays.

David from Orlando, FL:

On defense, it seems that some guys are always in the pile, while others are standing around it. For example, loves to hit and is always in the pile. On the other hand, there are some guys that always seem to be standing by the piling rather than being in it. We have a small sample size, but so far, appears to be one of those players standing by the pile. Everybody is talking about “how can we get Myles Jack more playing time?” Well, other than having a really cool name, what has he done to deserve it? Thoughts?

John: Jack did more than stand around the pile. He hasn’t done as much yet for the Jaguars as he will, but that’s hardly unusual for an NFL rookie, particularly one that plays a limited number of snaps. Jack has talent, and he made plays with that talent as a rookie. My guess is he’ll make a lot more next season.

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O-Zone: No-trade clause

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Brian from Gainesville, FL:

Big O, with a position like left tackle the analysis of the quality of a player is largely about the eye test for fans. What about professional analysts, coaches, general managers, etc.? What do they look for in a great left tackle? More specifically, what is it about Tony Boselli that allows us to say he was the best or among the best?

John: With a position such as left tackle, analysis indeed is mostly about the eye test – even for general managers, coaches, etc. That’s because there are few statistics for left tackles, and those that exist are rarely discussed. But in reality, most of the NFL is about the eye test because statistics in the sport often deceive and often don’t reflect the effectiveness of a player. In the case of Boselli, the eye test was perfect, because he looked the same to the untrained and trained eye: dominant and elite. General managers look for size, agility, strength and leverage in a prototype left tackle and Boselli was as prototypical as any left tackle to play in the last 30 years – perhaps ever. He also was as good or better than any left tackle over the same period. I heard an “analyst” earlier this week state that Orlando Pace – a Hall-of-Fame left tackle for the Rams – was better than Boselli. The analyst stated this confidently and as fact. This was a case of someone’s confidence far overshadowing his knowledge, because there has not been a left tackle since Anthony Munoz who is matter-of-factly better than Boselli, and a strong argument can be made that in his prime Boselli was the best ever. What allows us to say he was the best or among the best? Watching him, talking with coaches about him, talking with opponents about him … oh, and it helps when you give up fewer than 20 sacks in a seven-year career and never allow more than one in a game.

Chris from Houston, TX:

Who is the best tight end in Jaguars history? Kyle Brady? ?

John: I’d give a slight edge to Brady here, though I wouldn’t bang the table over it.

Steve from North Haven, CT:

Can we address the final play of the Super Bowl? I saw one or two clear holds in the running lane – and a running back who didn’t cross the plane before his knee was down. I’m by no means a hater and was enthralled to watch a game where so many Super Bowl records were broken, but seriously: for a team with as many scandals and negative reviews [the Patriots], how can they just end the biggest game of the season in such a fashion? I turned to my father and said, “Let’s wait for the official review because that was close and on the biggest play of the biggest game of the year … they definitely will review it.” Well, I was wrong.

John: I was a little surprised there wasn’t more issue made over the last play not being reviewed, but in replays I’ve seen, it looked like Patriots running back James White crossed the plane with the ball – either that, or it looked inconclusive. I certainly never saw any replay that showed White clearly was down before the ball crossed the plane. I’ve gotten some emails this week to the effect that the NFL slanted things to ensure the Patriots would win, or that they let the final play go for the same reason. The idea that the NFL might have conspired to favor the Patriots probably comes as an amusing surprise to the Patriots fans booing and lampooning NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this week, but whatever.

Steve from North Haven, CT:

Oh, I forgot to add: How absurd it is that the biggest news after the Super Bowl isn’t about the final touchdown that wasn’t reviewed and looked well short, but where Tom Brady’s jersey is … wow.

John: I suppose Tom Brady’s jersey is big news because the story of a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player’s jersey going missing minutes after the game is an interesting story that extends beyond your common football fans. That’s usually what qualifies as “big news.”

Glen from Orange Park, FL:

If the goal is to win now then why not bring Jay Cutler in with a one-year contract to begin the season as a backup and give a short leash? If Bortles proves himself, then he gets paid and Cutler walks. If Bortles flops, then lock up Cutler and we have a few years to find the long-term future. Either way, we have our franchise quarterback for 2018 – 2021 (Cutler is 33). It’s about winning football games, not popularity contests.

John: I like the idea of at least exploring this. As I have said often, the questions about Cutler and any veteran quarterback will involve availability and price. Cutler is not yet available, though it seems likely he will be released by Chicago and become a free agent. The next question is price. Cutler remains a starting-level quarterback, and he almost certainly will command starting-level money – even to compete. This is true of most quarterbacks being discussed as competition possibilities for Bortles. How much will the Jaguars want to pay to create competition? That remains to be seen.

Joe M. from San Francisco, CA:

I’m still not convinced Brady is the GOAT.

John: That may be. But while you, sir, belong in the conversation, Tom Brady is correctly at the heart of the conversation right now.

Jeff from Jacksonville:

That Super Bowl was a case study for why a dominant and deep pass rush is important. The Falcons were getting terrific pressure from their front four in the first half and had Brady off his timing. In the second half, their starters got tired and they didn’t have enough horses in the stable to make up for it, which resulted in Brady doing what he does to all teams who can’t get front-four pressure. Should we get a pass rusher in the draft or free agency? How about both!

John: Both would be fine. Both would be good. You can’t have too many pass rushers.

Mark from Section 213:

John, we all agree that the two most important things a team needs is a quarterback and someone that can disrupt the quarterback, but the disparity in value between the two doesn’t justify passing on the guy every pundit knew had the talent to quickly become Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year for what would become the 28th-rated passer during that same time. You always say you think Dave Caldwell has done a great job of building the roster, but you have yet to offer even one example of where he has earned these accolades. Aside from the 2016 draft where we were incredibly fortunate with the players that fell in our lap, please tell us where else you believe Caldwell has succeeded?

John: I don’t recall saying Caldwell has done a “great” job building the roster. I do recall saying that I believe Caldwell has improved the talent level and done a good job rebuilding the roster to the point where it is better than before – and yes, I think the core of this roster is to the point where solid quarterback play will start resulting in victories. I also never said Caldwell had done a perfect job. As far as selecting Bortles over Khalil Mack … yeah, right now that indeed looks like a decision most general managers would want back. But let’s not paint it like Mack was a no-brainer pick. Yes, many believed he had the talent to become a star, but people were projecting Bortles at the top of the draft and there were questions about Mack, too. And when you’re looking for a quarterback, you value that position over most others and you take risks. It’s pretty close to unavoidable. The draft is not a science and no general manager is perfect. As far as examples of good selections, there are plenty: , , , , … Has Caldwell hit home runs every time? No. But Caldwell certainly has had his share of draft-day successes and the roster is in better shape than when he took over.

Logan from Wichita:

The absolute only way we can rationalize drafting a running back at No. 4 is if we get key free agents on the offensive line. If we don’t address the line, the running back – no matter how good – will be a wasted pick.

John: I tend to agree and I would be surprised if the Jaguars don’t address offensive line in free agency.

Jason from North Pole, AK:

Do you think the Patriots could find a team to give them enough draft picks to trade Tom Brady? It seems it would make more sense to keep Jimmy G. if he is the quarterback of the future and make a blockbuster trade to surround him with talent.

John: Are you serious, Clark?

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O-Zone: It ain’t easy

John Oehser Senior writer jaguars.com Follow John on twitter Like The O-Zone on facebook

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

What does Sunday’s Super Bowl win do for the Patriots’ legacy? Five Super Bowls and they were in seven Super Bowls – that’s an accomplishment. I think you have to put them at or near the top in all conversations about the greatest teams, greatest coaches and greatest quarterbacks. That said, I still have to fault the Falcons for blowing what should have been an insurmountable lead.

John: Sunday’s Super Bowl victory essentially cements the Patriots’ legacy as the greatest single-head coach, single-quarterback dynasty of the Super Bowl era. The 49ers of the Bill Walsh/George Seifert/Joe Montana/Steve Young era also won five Super Bowls and that group indeed was dominant for a long time. But that 49ers team “only” made five Super Bowls and they did it with two coaches and two quarterbacks. Belichick/Brady have done it over a 16-year period, and perhaps what’s most remarkable is even during the seasons in which they didn’t win they always seemed like the team to beat or one of the three or four best teams. Their place in history is secure and with one more Super Bowl title they would have to be considered the best dynasty in NFL history. As far as the Falcons’ blowing the lead Sunday … yeah, there were two or three plays that they blew and they mishandled two or three fourth-quarter situations. But the game was more about the Patriots winning than the Falcons losing. When a team takes a huge lead in the first two or two-and-a-half quarters in a game there are more often than not multiple opportunities and scenarios for the trailing team to get back in the game. It’s up to the trailing team to be poised and good enough to take advantage of the opportunities. The Patriots are the most poised team in the NFL and have been for years. Hence, their status among the all-time franchises.

Jerry from Hero, FL:

John, I just saw an interview Brent Martineau did with Terry Bradshaw about . I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh. When Bradshaw got drafted by the Steelers, he was anything but a sure thing when he started playing. There were definitely questions about his ability and he didn’t immediately replace the incumbent Terry Hanratty. If my memory serves me correctly, which it seldom does, there were even people who thought Joe Gilliam was a better choice. Bradshaw thinks Bortles can do well with the right people around him – both players and coaches – and uses himself as the example of someone who didn’t start off on the best foot. Maybe the best comparison I’ve heard. What are your thoughts on this?

John: Who is Brent Martineau?

Roy from Chagrin Falls, OH:

Zone, if the Jaguars still need to improve the pass rush by draft time – and if they view Myles Garrett to be the elite player and top talent as projected by many analysts – what would likely be the cost to move up from No. 4 to No. 1 to get him? I’m still worried about the pass rush being a weak spot next year.

John: My guess is it might take a future first-round selection or a combination of a second- and third-round selection in some combination of years to move up from No. 4 to No. 1. I doubt that happens.

Jarret from Crosby, ND:

“Boselli not getting in the Hall had nothing to do with market size…” Come on, John. It has a little to do with market size. Boselli was the starting left tackle on the NFL’s 1990s All Decade team (and the only starter still not in the Hall, by the way). Left tackle is the most important and difficult position on the offensive line. Therefore, Boselli was the best offensive lineman of the 90s. There’s a little more to it than simply being a case of only having five slots available. You wouldn’t snub the best lineman of the decade and one of the best all-time based on that alone.

John: Of course not. Boselli’s major road block has been longevity. That’s why the selection of Terrell Davis this past weekend will help Boselli’s case. Davis got in because he turned in four dominant seasons and was a key to two Super Bowl championships. The voters struggled with his longevity, but the Super Bowl success and playoff success eventually tilted the floor in his favor. The voters have struggled with Boselli’s length of career as well, but now that Davis is in, the guess here is that Boselli’s status as one of the best linemen of the 1990s – and one of the best of all-time – tilts the floor in his favor relatively soon.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

You’ve made your thoughts clear on Boselli’s Hall-of-Fame snub. What I’d like to hear is your thoughts on the HOF nomination and voting process. Do you think it works? No offense to you media types, but I tend to think that the voting committee needs more players and coaches, not just media members. What do you think?

John: I think the Hall process is very imperfect and by its very nature leads to deserving players not making the Hall. But I also think any process would be imperfect because any process involves the human element. I’m not offended when people think the voting committee needs more players and coaches, and I wouldn’t be averse to having a few more ex-coaches and ex-players on the committee. In fact, I believe adding five-to-10 former executives and former coaches could help the process. The issue on that front, of course, would be bias. A former coach or executive likely would naturally favor a player of his over another. While such bias perhaps exists to some degree in the current process, my sense is most voters take it out of the equation as much as possible. Overall, I do think the process works and I think it’s the best possible process. I know how seriously voters take the process. I’ve seen the research, thought and discussion they put into the process each year. They do their absolute best to select every deserving player – and for the most part, the committee does a very difficult task extremely well.

Brian from Atlanta, GA:

When do you think we will get a statement from Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash about scheme? I feel like it probably won’t be too different, but if it doesn’t involve a nose tackle – and if last season was any indication – I expect to see more pre-snap movement and disguised blitzes as they showed up more. Are there any things you expect or hope to see?

John: I’m not sure when we’ll get a “statement” from Wash or anyone about the defensive scheme, though I suspect we’ll get a decent idea about the direction of the defense over the next couple of months – i.e., between now and the draft. Part of the reason this topic has been relatively quiet is the Jaguars finalized the 2017 coaching staff just last week, and the coaches need time to meet and determine direction. I, too, get the idea that the defensive scheme will be pretty similar to last season’s scheme, with the big remaining mysteries being whether or not to go lighter at end at times to get and on the field at the same time – and how to better utilize linebacker . I do wonder if a way to get Jack on the field is to put him at middle linebacker and play at strong-side linebacker. Would there be a possibility of standing up Fowler Jr. more? Will the secondary players be allowed to play a bit more aggressively? Those are some things I wouldn’t mind seeing. And I also wouldn’t mind seeing the first time Wash talks to Fowler, and when the offseason program begins. I imagine the meeting will go fine, but I’d still like to see it.

Tommy from Jacksonville:

I am struggling to find hope, O. The Super Bowl is over so now, so it’s time to look forward to the draft. It doesn’t even matter if Dave Caldwell would pick a quarterback high: Mitch Trubisky and DeShone Kizer are gone like the wind. As you and me both know, Blake is not the answer. Free agency will be very limited. And … well, I guess we have to hope Dave doesn’t pass on another late-round Dak Prescott. Cheers to another offseason.

John: Quarterback indeed is the Jaguars’ key issue entering the offseason – and, really, “key” doesn’t remotely describe it. The Jaguars’ hopes for the immediate future hinge either on Bortles developing or on finding a legitimate upgrade in the draft or free agency. That’s a daunting task. The Jaguars’ hope for the long-term future hinge on either Bortles developing or on finding a legitimate upgrade in the draft or free agency. That’s a daunting task. Heck, let’s face it: it’s all daunting. Finding a front-line, winning quarterback is the hardest thing to do in the NFL. Franchises and careers hinge on it. It ain’t supposed to be easy.

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