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O-Zone: Coming soon

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

HOUSTON, Texas – Let’s get to it …

Keith from Palatka, FL:

How does the best tackle to ever play the game not make the Hall of Fame? What intellectual midgets would vote a kicker in before Tony Boselli? I am sick of the NFL and NFL media’s bias against Jacksonville. I hate the rest of the NFL. I hate all of the other 31 teams. I hate New England most of all. “There is no joy in Mudville. Mighty Casey just struck out.”

John: Tony Boselli indeed was not selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017, and I absolutely agree with many Jaguars fans – and many voters, for that matter – that Boselli should have been selected. But let’s not paint this incorrectly: this was not media bias and it had nothing to do with Boselli playing in Jacksonville. This had everything to do with there being 15 Hall modern-era finalists and only five modern-era players selected. I agree that Boselli should have gotten in before Jason Taylor. And Morten Andersen. And yeah … my ears particularly perked up when I heard Andersen because kickers are a really tough sell with so many position players up for selection. But remember: every voter represents a market that has legitimate Hall-of-Fame candidates and every finalist had a memorable career that made him a legitimate candidate. I understand disappointment over Boselli not getting in this season, and I share that disappointment. But the Hall process is an incredibly difficult, taxing responsibility and the difficult reality is not every worthy candidate gets selected every year.

Justin from Jacksonville and Section 237:

I understand it’s believed that the quarterback is the most important and crucial position to ensure sustained realistic chances to compete for Super Bowl titles. But, the only two times that Brady/Belichick were defeated in the Super Bowl were when Tom Coughlin’s dominant defensive line was able to consistently get to Tom Brady and disrupt his “Brady-ness.” So, my questions to you are: Does that make “pass rush” more valuable/important than quarterback (at least on some level)? Second, do you think it puts Coughlin anywhere near Bill Belichick’s level since the two times they met head-to-head when the championship was on the line Tom came out on top because he ultimately took away the effectiveness of possibly the greatest to ever line up under center? #DTWD #TCTWD #GoJags!

John: Pass rush is not more important than quarterback, but it is the second-most important element to winning in the NFL. To paraphrase the late, great Paul Brown: the two most important things in the NFL are quarterback and a guy who can disrupt the quarterback. If you can keep a pass rush off of an elite quarterback – and if you have a pass rush that can disrupt the opposing offense – that’s the best formula for year-in, year-out success. As far as where Coughlin ranks compared to Belichick, I have no idea. I don’t spend a lot of time ranking coaches because they by nature are so often dependent on quarterbacks for success. I put former Washington Redskins Joe Gibbs as the best coach of the modern era, because he won Super Bowls with three different non-Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks – and I don’t think that ever will be accomplished again. After Gibbs, you have a lot of coaches who have won multiple Super Bowls with the same – often elite – quarterback. You have to rank Belichick very high because he won so many Super Bowls over so long a period of time – and because his teams have won with a defense-dominated team and an offense-minded team. To win Super Bowls in different ways isn’t easy. That’s why Chuck Noll is one of the all-time greats; he won two Super Bowls with the Steelers in the early 1970s and won two more after the league changed rules to emphasize passing. Is Coughlin close to Belichick because he beat Belichick twice head to head? Sure, and I think that’s a major reason Coughlin someday will be in the Hall of Fame.

Bo from Dresden, NC:

John, can I put in for your job? You seem to have it made.

John: Yeah, it’s awesome.

J Hooks from Orange Park, FL:

Yo John, does every team owner attend the Super Bowl – and is it a requirement? Stupid question, but what else is going on this weekend?

John: Most team owners do attend the Super Bowl, and Jaguars Owner Shad Khan has attended every year since he owned the team. It’s not required that owners attend, but generally speaking, going to the Super Bowl when you have much money at your disposal is cool. NFL owners seem to like it. I think I would.

Richard from Lincoln, RI:

Now, I’m seeing articles about how the Patriots have the “EDGE” over Atlanta because of experience. In the two Super Bowls against the Giants they had experience, too. How did that turn out for them?

John: The Patriots’ edge in Sunday’s game is they have Tom Brady at quarterback. He is experienced because he has played in six Super Bowls – and yes, that’s an advantage. It’s the reason I think the Patriots will win. It doesn’t make them a dead-solid lock, but it’s an edge.

Michael from Cassidy:

Will the decision on whether or not to keep Johnathon Cyprien tell us what scheme the defense will use –specifically, if they will play single high safety or Cover 2? I wouldn’t keep Cyprien if I wanted to play Cover 2, but you probably aren’t going to find an upgrade at strong safety this offseason if you are playing Cover 3/Cover 1.

John: I think we’ll have a pretty good idea about the Jaguars’ scheme before we learn about the Jaguars’ direction on Johnathan Cyprien. Free agency begins in early March, and my guess is we’ll have at least a general idea about the Jaguars’ scheme well before that. As far as the specifics of that scheme, I’m thinking it’s going to be pretty similar to what was run before, and I don’t know that we’re going to see the massive scheme overhaul that many observers expect. I’m guessing the scheme will be pretty similar to what was run in the past, and that could mean a lot of the single-high safety packages that have been run. Would that favor Cyprien’s return? It absolutely could.

Brad from Mansfield, OH:

By no means am I saying Zeke would have played here as he did in Dallas for sure, but when I even threw out there last year about drafting that beast, I got a lot of “only because you’re a Buckeye fan,” hometown lover, blah blah blah … It doesn’t really look like it would have been a bad choice had he even been available when our turn came, although I am very pleased with who we chose. That said, what do you think the chances either of the top two backs are still available when our time comes to draft – and if so, anyone you think that’s behind us would want to move up to get them?

John: I wouldn’t have been a fan of the Jaguars drafting Ezekiel Elliott at No. 5 last year had Dallas passed on him at No. 5. The Jaguars’ needs were too great last year to go running back, and the offensive line was not at a level that would allow Elliott to produce last year in Jacksonville as he did in Dallas. Running backs far more often than not depend on their offensive line for success – and that’s true even of elite running backs. As for this year’s backs, I don’t see either Leonard Fournette or Dalvin Cook being gone when the Jaguars select at No. 4. They are very good backs, but many analysts don’t seem to believe they’re on par with Elliott. I also don’t believe a team will trade up past the Jaguars to get either player; there doesn’t seem to be a buzz for that. Now, will the Jaguars take either player? Looking at it from this far out, my guess would be, “No.” That’s because right now I would guess that the Jaguars will go defense with that selection. That could change as the draft approaches. We’ll see.

Sam from Orange Park, FL:

Sigh. Will Tony ever make the Hall of Fame?

John: I believe he will. The overwhelming feeling I got from talking to many voters this week was that Boselli has a very good chance to get in the Hall of Fame sometime in the next few years. The momentum he has built in recent seasons is significant. He went in three years from not being among the 25 semifinalists to being among the 25 semifinalists to being one of the Top 10. That’s a rapid ascension of credibility to the voters and it bodes well for Boselli’s chances in the coming years. I got a sense by Saturday that this would not be Boselli’s year, but I got a real sense that momentum was building. I think Boselli’s time is coming soon – in the next year or so. We’ll see.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Pride

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

HOUSTON, Texas – It’s Hall-of-Fame Day in Houston. Tony Boselli will find out by sundown if he is a member of the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Here’s hoping he makes it. He deserves it.

Let’s get to it …

Tom from Jacksonville Beach, FL:

So, Zone … you’ve been at the Super Bowl all week. What’s your gut? Does Tony make the Hall?

John: We at jaguars.com indeed have been at Super Bowl LI most of the week talking about Tony Boselli and his chances to be in the ’17 Hall of Fame class. The storylines are clear. Voters generally believe Boselli is very much worthy – and they generally realize if he had played a few more seasons he would be a lock. They realize that he was as good or better than other left tackles of his era already in the Hall: Willie Roaf, Orlando Pace, Jonathan Ogden and Walter Jones. The only concern of many voters is the fact that Boselli played just seven seasons. The other issue: there are 15 modern-era finalists and just five slots for modern-era players. That means 10 qualified candidates will not make it. I believe there’s a 50-50 chance Boselli gets in Saturday and I believe from talking with voters there’s an extremely good chance he gets in sometime in the next few years. That’s a major step forward from two years ago, when I honestly didn’t know if he ever would make it this far. My gut tells me it’s not this year. I hope I’m wrong. We’ll see.

Nicholas from Fort Hood:

I am not an engineer, but has Shad thought about all the renovations that will have to be done if Tony Boselli is inducted into the Hall of Fame? Every doorway will need to be bigger to make room for his inflated head.

John: I’m scheduled to meet with Shad late Saturday morning. I’ll bring it up.

Troy from Indianapolis, IN:

Is it just me or does it seem like every new coach has a tie to Doug Marrone or Tom Coughlin? So, no other coach out there was worthy? Or is it friends helping out friends?

John: Most NFL coaching staffs have a heavy percentage of people with strong ties to someone within the organization – usually the head coach. Head coaches often surround themselves with people whom they have worked closely for the simple reason that they know that person’s beliefs, philosophies, principles, work ethic, etc. Marrone obviously trusts and believes in Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, and he developed a strong bond with/belief in defensive coordinator Todd Wash over the last two seasons. Coughlin obviously trusts line coach Pat Flaherty, secondary coach Perry Fewell and wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell. The track records of Fewell and Flaherty are strong and McCardell has the makings of a good coach at the position. At the same time, Joe DeCamillis has no ties to either Coughlin or Marrone – and he also has a reputation as one of the NFL’s top special teams coordinators. Hiring a staff isn’t easy. Many qualified coaches are under contract with teams and coaches must piece together the best staff from what’s available. This Jaguars staff seems like a professional, capable staff with a lot of the normal ties and paths to this job. We’ll see how it plays out, but there’s not a whole lot unusual about this staff’s assembly.

Kevin from Jacksonville:

I can understand Diamond Dave thinking, “Alex Mack will be old by the time we get good, and we’ll have to replace him anyway.” But I think we’d be better off with Beachum, Cann, Mack, Linder and Parnell.

John: Yeah, probably.

Chris from Mandarin:

In a year where the talent in the draft is generally considered lower than other years, a running back at four really isn’t a bad idea. This isn’t done in a vacuum. Concrete philosophies don’t necessarily hold.

John: I agree. The Jaguars have the No. 4 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. If there is a worthy quarterback, pass rusher, offensive lineman or cornerback – the positions usually considered worthy of Top 5 selections –then one of those positions would make sense at No. 4. If one of the elite defensive linemen available – Jonathan Allen of Alabama, for example – is there at No. 4, that would make sense because you can’t have enough elite defensive linemen. Still, with nearly three months remaining before the draft, it feels like a year when normal Top 5 positions may not be Top 5-worthy. In that scenario, a running back such as Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette would make sense. Stay tuned.

Z from Gainesville, FL:

O-man, can you give us an idea of our primary position needs going into free agency and the draft? I would say SS, OG, OT and DT. Question two: do you have any feel on how the organization feels about AJ Cann?

John: Your list differs from my list. Strong safety will depend on whether or not the team re-signs . I get the idea that may happen, primarily because I don’t know that the defensive scheme is going to change dramatically – and Cyprien showed last season he is functional as a strong safety in this scheme. I don’t see defensive tackle as a need at all because and both played at a high level last season with Sen’Derrick Marks and still in the mix. Left guard is a need and right tackle could be a position the Jaguars seek to upgrade, too. One position that remains a need is pass rusher. The Jaguars couldn’t land a veteran edge rusher last offseason. While and to a lesser degree showed signs last season, you can’t have enough pass rushers – and the Jaguars could particularly use a veteran in that role. As far as Cann, the Jaguars like him. He needs to play better than he did last season, but that’s true of many players.

Tyler from Dundee:

I just read an article, on NFL.com, about Dan Quinn and his success in Atlanta. The funny thing is he sounds awfully similar to Gus Bradley. The only real difference is Quinn is successful and Bradley was not. Are you sure it’s all about the head coach? I’m starting to think players have a little part in the success of a team. Who knew?

John: No, Tyler. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no because it’s always about coaching in the NFL.

Joe from Morgan Hill, CA:

Do the Jags ever have open tryouts? If so when and where?

John: For what?

Gabe from Washington, DC:

Drafting Justin Blackmon absolutely set us back, but so did drafting Blaine Gabbert, Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. We gave up draft picks for all four of those players, and they all amounted to nothing for the team. That’s how you decimate a roster and a franchise for a decade.

John: Whenever a team misses on a player in the first round it by definition sets the team back. It’s extremely hard to make up for one first-round player missed because ideally you are hoping that player is a no-worries starter for at least a half decade. When he doesn’t work out at all, you have to draft over the position or sign to make up for the miss. You only have so many draft selections and there are only so many quality free agents available, so the resources for making up for a missed first-rounder are exceedingly slim. When you package trades to move up for misses … well, that’s just a lot worse.

Ed from Danvers, MS:

Regarding the conspiracy theory of paying a player “under the table,” it’s already been done – as you know. The Denver Broncos were proven guilty of paying John Elway and Terrell Davis $30 million under the table in order to circumvent the salary cap during their Super Bowl years. They were fined $1 million dollars and a third-round pick. The unproven “deflategate” cost the Patriots a million dollars, a first-round pick and a four-game suspension of their superstar quarterback. Huh?

John: Yes, the Broncos have been penalized for this. My guess is considering the Patriots’ recent history – i.e., Spygate, DeflateGate, etc. – their ramifications in such a scandal might be a touch more severe and costly than otherwise might be the case.

John from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

Please don’t, like, encourage writing how young people speak. It’s, you know, a bit distracting. Right? And, um, kinda encourages bad habits.

John: I’ll probably keep doing it the way I’ve been, you know, doing it.

Dan from Fort Dodge:

I hope come Saturday night the first ever Pride inductee becomes a Hall Of Fame inductee. He was an amazing left tackle and seems to be a even better person for the community. My very first jersey was a Tony Boselli jersey, and thanks to that I have been a Jags fan since the beginning. Here is to hoping we see him inducted Sunday night.

John: Indeed.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Setting in

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

HOUSTON, Texas – Let’s get to it …

Tommy from Pensacola, FL:

John, how does the upcoming draft compare to years past in terms of talent? If I recall correctly, 2013 was thought to be one of the worst talent-related drafts in the modern era. And looking back, that seems justified. What are your thoughts on the depth of this year’s class?

John: The 2013 NFL Draft indeed was considered weak overall – though it is true that there is talent in every draft if you find the right players and right fit. The ‘13 draft was a particularly difficult spot for the Jaguars because they held the No. 2 overall selection and there were few players – if any – worthy of being selected so high. This year’s draft is considered outstanding at the top, with defensive end Myles Garrett of Texas A&M and defensive end Jonathan Allen of Alabama considered by many the clear top two players available – with an apparent drop-off after that. But I haven’t heard people saying this year’s draft is as weak as ‘13. That one was pretty historic.

Jason from North Pole, AK:

You’ve mentioned that the Jaguars could/should upgrade the right-tackle position. Did I miss something? I thought played well— or at least it wasn’t the turnstile that we had prior to his arrival. What are your thoughts on his play? It would seem other positions such as pass rusher and guard would be a higher priority.

John: I do believe veteran pass rusher and guard are probably the Jaguars’ top offseason priority – after, of course, determining for certain what level of competition to create for at quarterback. Parnell has played well enough at times that the Jaguars don’t necessarily have to upgrade the spot, but is it a spot that the Jaguars could upgrade if said upgrade was available? Sure.

Wild Bill from Riverside:

O, in response to an unnamed player, how do you win without following a process?

John: I’m honestly pretty close to being over this topic, but people seem at least somewhat interested. There indeed has been much talk since the end of this past season about former Head Coach Gus Bradley emphasizing the “process” instead of talking about winning, and – because the Jaguars went 15-47 under Bradley – it is now vogue to believe the Jaguars lost that much because Bradley talked about the process too much. This is not only wrong and silly, it’s categorically absurd. The Jaguars lost enough that Bradley was fired with two games remaining this past season. Doug Marrone was hired as head coach, and because he and Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin both talked about winning in memorable fashion at their introductory press conference, their “emphasis on winning” is now a topic. And that’s fine. I like the approach of Coughlin and Marrone. I like their disciplined, no-nonsense approach and believe it will be a welcome change and a positive direction. I believe the players will be on board with it – and if the Jaguars can win games, then I think players will stay behind the duo’s approach and success can follow. I hope that happens. It would be awesome for this team and fan base. But it won’t mean that the approach of the last four years was horrendous or that the idea of talking about a process is stupid. It’s not stupid and “following a process” is an approach taken often in sports. It just happened to not work here in recent seasons.

Jeremy from Bossier City, LA:

Albeit at a reduced role, why was Mike Mallory retained? Special teams have been generally bad under his watch. He should have been fired at least two seasons ago.

John: The Jaguars’ special teams actually were generally OK under Mallory’s watch. The units really struggled this past season, but the reason he is on staff is because he’s a good, capable coach. But if you’re worried about there not being a change, don’t worry. Joe DeCamillis will be running the special teams. It will be his show.

Daniel Since Day One from Jacksonville:

Go Bo!!

John: #Gobo

Travis from High Springs, FL:

Hi John, Wayne Weaver was a great owner. If not for him, we probably wouldn’t even have a team. Shad Khan since taking over seems just as dedicated to the franchise and community. But if the team can’t start getting wins soon and being able to sustain itself, is there any chance that we’re getting used to a new owner in the next five to ten years? I don’t get the feeling that professional sports franchises change owners that often. I guess I’m just wondering, because the only team that I’ve really followed since I was young just did it recently.

John: I wouldn’t sweat this too much. Weaver as you mentioned was the perfect owner for the Jaguars at the time he owned the team and the Jaguars and Jacksonville are fortunate that Khan fits that description as well. His work to improve the business and off-field aspects of the operation goes well beyond what anyone reasonably could have expected when he purchased the team in 2011. As far as Khan’s commitment to the Jaguars and Jacksonville, let’s put it this way: I’m 50 years old and I will be very surprised if I live to see the Jaguars not owned by the Khan family – and equally surprised if I live to see the franchise not in Jacksonville.

Aaron from White Hall, AR:

So, with the Raiders possibly moving to Las Vegas, I have seen where they would have to pay a $550 million relocation fee. I know the NFL probably has this in place to keep teams from moving all the time, but what do they do with that money?

John: They buy a lot of silly hats.

Mason from Palm Bay, FL:

Hey, Zone: Sorry, I just got done laughing at David Caldwell’s comments about “Bortles winning a Super Bowl.” Whew, that was a knee slapper. Has he ever even beaten a team over .500? I know you won’t answer this, so I might as well keep going. Did you see that article Big Cat Country posted recently that showed the roster we would have if Kiper/McShay made the picks over Caldwell? Lol @ this franchise.

John: What’s “Big Cat Country?”

Matt from Easton, PA:

One thought keeps surfacing while contemplating the reason why the Jags have been bad for so long, and that thought is that the Justin Blackmon situation severely handcuffed the team, which has yet to overcome it. He looked like a stud wide receiver, which would have lessened the need for drafting the position for years to come, and the selections could have been used on important depth and overall roster quality. It’s not the only reason, but it’s quite a big one in my opinion. Do you agree?

John: Nah. Not really. Blackmon’s situation hasn’t helped because it always hurts when a Top 5 or Top 10 selection doesn’t work out. That’s because you not only don’t get production from that player, you also usually have to draft it again, so instead of a Pro Bowl talent you have another young, unknown trying to develop. But the biggest reason the Jaguars have struggled is they haven’t gotten good enough play consistently at the quarterback position. That’s the biggie.

Aaron from White Hall, AR:

So, I know this could be considered a conspiracy theory, but could you see where the Patriots drop off a duffel bag full of money at Tom Brady’s house? The reason I say this is because of his contract compared to other quarterbacks and it helps the team with their salary cap. I know they would be fined and loss of multiple draft picks, but if anyone could keep that secret from getting out it’s the Patriots and Brady.

John: I don’t believe the Patriots pay Brady “under the table.” The reason I don’t believe this is to do so would require people aside from Brady and Patriots Owner Robert Kraft knowing. That means there would be risk of it getting discovered. And if something like that would ever get discovered … well, if you think the fallout from SpyGate and DeflateGate was bad …

Saif from Washington, DC:

You’re saying that the organization’s focus will be more on the short term. While I want to win just as bad as everyone, do you think management will make sure not to mortgage the future too much for the sake of immediate wins?

John: I think that’s the daily/monthly/weekly balance every NFL team seeks. A case can be made that the Jaguars focused too much on the short term in the 1990s and a similar case can be made that they focused too much on the long term in recent seasons. A case also can be made that there is a place somewhere between the extremes.

Ed fom Ponte Vedra, FL:

Since I’m football bored for the next few months I’m going to make a wild prediction. Marrone and Coughlin will go at each other throwing punches by the third game next season.

John: Wow. You are bored.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Seriously

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

HOUSTON – Super Bowl Zone.

Let’s get to it …

Carlos from Mexico City:

So here we are: Thursday before Super Bowl weekend … does our No. 71 get in the Hall of Fame? What does your gut tell you? This fan base could use some good news, right? Whatever happens, here’s one for Tony.

John: Voting for the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class indeed is two days out, and the question of former Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli’s chances for enshrinement is understandably Topic A, B and C for the Jaguars’ fan base this week. Boselli is a huge reason we at jaguars.com are in Houston this week and because we are in Houston, I am in the unenviable position of spending five days of my life doing very little except talking about how great Boselli was. While this is unpleasant and bothersome, I can live with it because Boselli indeed was in my opinion the best left tackle in the NFL’s Golden Age of Left Tackles – the mid-to-late 1990s. Former Jaguars Head Coach and current Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin on Tuesday talked about Boselli being mentioned in the same group as Hall-of-Fame left tackles such as Willie Roaf, Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones and Orlando Pace. Those players played in Boselli’s era and Coughlin was right: Boselli was as good if not better than every one of those players – and I would only put Jones on Boselli’s level. Thus, the question: does Boselli get in the Hall? I am now convinced Boselli will get in the Hall in the next few years. He is a finalist this year for the first time and many influential voters seem very convinced he is deserving. He undoubtedly has momentum on his side. I think it could happen this year, and I think it will probably come down to Boselli and Joe Jacoby if an offensive lineman makes the Hall Saturday. If that happens, the honoree undoubtedly should be Boselli. I was a huge Redskins fans during Jacoby’s career, but he wasn’t close to the same level as Boselli. So, do I think No. 71 gets in this year? I’m guessing yes – with the caveat that with Hall voting you just do not know what’s going to happen until the voters vote. It’s often difficult to even get a sense. Either way, yeah … one for Boselli – and then I can stop talking about him for a while.

William from Windermere:

The Pro Bowl was a big hit in Orlando and my family wore our Jaguars jerseys with pride. Happy to see so many others in the Jaguars’ nation showing their love. Do you think the NFL should change its policy like the MLB and make sure that all NFL franchises are represented at the Pro Bowl festivities? We definitely had a few worthy of consideration – , , and . Go Jags!

John: I suppose the NFL could make a rule ensuring that all teams are represented by at least one player each year at the Pro Bowl. Considering the number of players per Pro Bowl team, it would probably be an easy rule to implement – and it probably would make the experience more enjoyable to all fans. At the same time, it is the Pro Bowl, so it’s realistically quite far down the list of concerns for many observers – including, quite likely, many observers within the NFL.

Heath from Orlando:

I don’t care who the Jags pick up as free agents. I don’t care who they draft. I don’t care who stays healthy, who gets hurt in preseason and I will not get hyped up about this next season. It is too painful to have a bright outlook on things just to be slapped in the face with a top 5 pick.

John: OK.

Keith from Jacksonville and Section 436:

Watching the NFC Championship game, I heard Alex Mack’s name many times. Alex wanted to come here. Why did Dave Caldwell not seriously pursue him last offseason? It was bonehead moves like this that got him demoted and the Jags still stuck with the dregs of the league.

John: The Jaguars indeed pursued Mack when he was a transition-tagged free agent in 2014 and they opted against doing so last offseason when he was again free agent without restrictions. The thought last offseason was that Brandon Linder would do fine moving from guard to center, which he did. The thought also was that Mack perhaps because of age wasn’t quite the high-priority target he had been two seasons before. The decision in that sense felt like something with an eye on the long-term development of the roster rather than the short term. The sense now around here is that there will be a more pronounced focus on the short term in the future. Much more pronounced.

Daniel from Urbandale, IA:

Oh and … isn’t this Joe DeCamillis second stop in Jacksonville?

John: Yes. DeCamillis, hired recently as the Jaguars’ special teams coach, served in the same capacity with the Jaguars from 2007-2008.

Chris from Mandarin, FL:

Sure, Dalvin Cook might be able to run for five yards on first down with this line, but when throws a slant behind on second and gets picked on an out route to on third, we’re back in the same position as 2016.

John: That wasn’t very nice.

Tom from Orlando, FL:

Every year there is talk about trading back in the first round, but it never seems to happen. This is sad, because it means we are always drafting early because the team has been really bad for a really long time. Also, it seems that finding a trading partner is harder than it looks. Are there any players in this draft that teams might fall in love with and want to trade up for? There isn’t an Andrew Luck, RGIII, or Cam Newton that I am aware of.

John: Trading back in the draft is difficult for the simple reason that teams must want a player enough to make the trade up and give up draft selections. And it’s logical that if a player is good enough to warrant the trade, then the team holding the spot might want to stay there and take that very good player. As you note, it usually takes a quarterback to merit the blockbuster trade-back scenario, but no … this does not look like a year where there a quarterback will be so valued.

Daniel from Honolulu, HI:

Your answer on the question about drafting running back early was “unless he is something special –Adrian Peterson.” How has that been working for the Vikings, I don’t remember seeing them in any Super Bowl lately?

John: And that indeed is the dilemma.

Eric from Fernandina Beach, FL:

I love the JAGS.com homepage. I always wondered what Master Gunny Maronne and FADM (Fleet Admiral) Coughlin looked like in business suits. Neither appear to suffer fools gladly. #DTWD

John: Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone do appear to be seriously serious on our jaguars.com pages. Seriously.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

Obviously Tom Coughlin will have to put the final stamp of approval on all signings and draft picks; that has been made clear. But, do you think he will involve himself more in areas where Dave Caldwell has struggled? For instance, Dave has already “rebuilt” the offensive line with a No. 2 draft pick and some big free agent signings (Zane Beadles, , etc.). Now the offensive line needs significant upgrades again, so do you think Tom will be move involved in that process than, say, at the team does at tight end, or what they do at the safety position?

John: I think Tom Coughlin will be heavily involved in all facets of the Jaguars’ football operations and all decisions that involve the roster.

Real Keith from Jacksonville:

O, it’s been a little bit since our chat at Ford Field where I spotted you walking all alone on the sidelines before the game. I have been thinking of David Caldwell’ words for Blake since this has been a topic recently of readers and wanted to know what you think of the possibility that Caldwell put that out there for trade value on dealing Blake at some point? Caldwell can throw surprises in time to time as we have seen.

John: I think Caldwell believes Bortles can be a franchise quarterback – and I believe that was the reason he said as much recently. And while Cadlwell knows Bortles must improve, I think Caldwell indeed believes Bortles will make that improvement – and that if he does, he can lead the Jaguars to a Super Bowl. I don’t think he had any ulterior motive to say those things.

John from Jacksonville:

On behalf of this Jaguars fan since the franchise was born, and I’ll guess I’m speaking for most others, I’m sincerely hopeful that our guy Boselli will be elected to the Hall of Fame this weekend (and fully expect that will happen). What a great football player to represent our team in the Hall.

John: I agree. Seriously.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Just saying

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

O-Zone: Just saying

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Greg from Section 122 and Jacksonville:

Regardless of who the Jaguars pick at No. 4 overall, they need to be a serious contributor right out the gate like this past season. We have had too many drafts in this regime that have taken long times to develop. is still a serious question mark, may or may not be the foundation quarterback and gets hurt and shows serious maturity issues in his first real season. Bottom line: we need to start hitting on these high draft picks while we are still getting them.

John: You indeed must hit on first-round selections, particularly in the Top 10 – and no doubt the Jaguars haven’t gotten enough from Joeckel, Bortles or Fowler. The final sentences aren’t remotely written on the stories of those three players, but all must improve dramatically to be considered “worth” top five selections. Ramsey, meanwhile, exceeded realistic expectations for a rookie – even for a Top 5 selection – this past season, and certainly seems on his way to an elite-level career. There realistically is a place between Joeckel/Bortles/Fowler and Ramsey that is the Reasonable Expectation for First-Year contributions, but yeah … the Jaguars need to find that place more often.

Charlie from Ponte Vedra, FL:

John, why is it “I before E except after C”?

John: Is it?

Joseph from Dexter, GA:

I agree that the pass protection last year was “good enough.” However, isn’t there a chance we can escalate Bortles’ play by providing him elite protection? Is it easier to take an above-average quarterback and surround him with great tools to make him play at an elite level, or find an elite quarterback? Given the lack of apparent talent in this upcoming draft, I’d try to surround him with elite talent, and I think that starts up front.

John: There’s no question the Jaguars’ offensive line has room for improvement. It in no way was elite last season, and that’s true despite the pass protection improving. The line must improve as a run-blocking unit, because that creates opportunities in the passing game – and that presumably would help Bortles and the wide receivers, particularly

, by creating play-action opportunities. And yes … elite pass protection couldn’t hurt Bortles. But the Jaguars’ offensive line for the most part gave the quarterback time to throw last season, something that was even true a good percentage of the time in obvious passing situations. That’s improvement from 2014 and 2015. It can improve more, and I don’t think there’s any question moves will be made in that area this offseason, but the unit played well enough to allow for quality quarterback play last season.

Ed from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

I realize there were only a few practices under Doug Marrone, but what did you notice will be a major difference from a Bradley practice?

John: The media observes only about 20 minutes at the beginning of three practices a week during the regular season. This time consists mainly of warmups, individual drills and special teams, so no outside observers got an opportunity to notice much difference.

Dave from Duval:

What do you think the odds are that the Jags take a quarterback with their first pick this draft? If Tom Coughlin really likes, say, Deshaun Watson, this Bortles-is-our-quarterback talk is what I would expect him to put out there anyway.

John: I think the odds are relatively low the Jaguars select a quarterback in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft because I doubt there will be a quarterback there at No. 4 worth that selection. It remains to be seen if Mitch Trubisky or Watson projects in the Top 5 – and if either does project that well, he may be gone before the Jaguars select at No. 4. Does Coughlin believe those players are the future? And would he be willing to trade up from No. 4 to get either player? Is either player worth giving multiple draft picks to move up? Those are questions yet to be answered, but that’s the point: a lot of questions have to get answered “yes” for the Jaguars to go quarterback in the first round in April. I don’t anticipate enough yeses to make it happen.

Thomas from Jacksonville:

I guess the losses are finally dragging me down. Last season was the worst of all after all of the hype. Even with Coughlin coming in, my enthusiasm is at an all-time low. Will I renew? Of course, but I’m not sure how many times I can continue to go through the whole offseason build up to failure. Sometimes, I feel like the fool, when everyone around me thinks I’m crazy to keep buying tix. The ads with Coughlin and Marrone just seem hollow, regurgitated messages and promises. Yeah, I’ll fork out the cash against my wife’s wishes, but I am not going to buy into any hype or predictions. I expect a 2-16 season again next year. If the Jags start to do better. Wake me up. I’ll be in my seat at the game.

John: It’s perfectly understandable you feel this way. I don’t sense you’re alone. The Jaguars have lost too much for too long to expect all fans to assume they will succeed. They must earn people’s excitement. That’s their reality, and that’s OK. Its professional sports: it’s OK to be expected to win.

Ryan from Fremont, OH:

You said that paying big money for a quarterback like Jay Cutler doesn’t make much sense, but since it is such a valuable position, wouldn’t the risk be worth the reward if in fact the quarterback we’d bring in is a little better than Bortles?

John: Your question asks about the risk being worth the reward if a quarterback is “a little” better than Bortles – and therein lies the core of the question. How much better does a veteran quarterback need to be than Bortles to be worth $9, $10, $11 million a year? It’s an expensive question with an expensive answer. We’ll see how the Jaguars address it.

Hunter from Jacksonville Beach, FL:

Dude, I’m a Coughing fan. It’s like he stepped off a battlefield somewhere and said, “I’m going to run a football team now. My job here is done.”

John: Dude, I’m not a coughing fan. It distracts my co-workers, and if it goes on for a couple of days I usually wind up with sore stomach muscles. I also get this weird look my face just before break into a loud, awful hack. Coughing is very definitely not cool. I do not like it.

Dave from Jacksonville:

Everything Khan mentions as a possibility does seem to end up becoming a reality. Everything, that is, except a winning football team.

John: This is a keen observation, and it’s certainly not a new one. Khan by any measure has done remarkable things in five years as owner. Pretty much everything about the Jaguars within his control has improved dramatically. What’s tough to control is results on the field. That’s why winning is so cool in professional sports when it happens. It’s, you know, hard.

James from Jacksonville:

Watching YouTube highlights it’s easy to get excited about a prospect, but Leonard Fournette looks like a pro playing against high schoolers in his. Yet, I don’t get that same feeling watching Dalvin Cook. If you were general manager of a team that is going to take a running back, who would be your pick?

John: I think both Cook and Fournette will be good NFL backs. I like running backs who make people miss and have a lot of shift in their games, and I’ve seen a bit more of that in Cook than Fournette. For that reason, I lean a bit toward Cook. Either way, I’d lean away from taking a running back at No. 4. I may shift on that before the draft if no other position seems to make sense at that spot, but for now I just believe it’s too high for the position.

Mandy from Section 414 and Tallahassee:

Hello Mr. O. Well, I’ve been a season-ticket holder for a very long time and I’ve seen my Jags go somewhere between 40-95 during that time and watched just nine – count them – nine home wins in the last 5 years. I just renewed for another season this week. My question is; “Am I insane?” On second thought, don’t tell me, I may not want to know the answer. 😉

John: No, probably not.

Darren from Jax:

This is important stuff. I took an online quiz about Jags trivia and it asked how many people have worn the Jaxson DeVille costume and I said two because I thought Curtis retired after 2015 and it said I was wrong and only Curtis had worn it. So, I’m asking you, who wore the costume this past season?

John: You were right. As far as who wore it this past season, I’m not saying it was this person and I’m not saying it wasn’t. All I’m saying is I’m just saying …

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Talkin’ ’bout the man

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Frankie from London, UK:

Does free agency affect your targets in the draft? Or does the draft class affect your targets in free agency? Does the attitude differ team by team? Would be interesting in hearing your take as you spout your grand knowledge on to me like how Tom Coughlin will sprinkle the dust from his Super Bowl rings onto Doug Marrone.

John: I don’t know who’s sprinkling what around here, but when it comes to free agency and the draft … in an ideal world, neither would affect the other. That’s because in an ideal world a team would partake in free agency mostly by re-signing its own players and perhaps – with an emphasis on perhaps – signing an unrestricted free agent or two to address a small need or two here or there. In that same ideal world, the team would have starters/core players in place – and therefore be able to draft the best available player with each selection and develop players over a season-to-season-and-a-half before moving them into front-line roles. Alas, teams rarely operate in an ideal world, so free agency and the draft are rarely mutually exclusive. That means teams usually do what they can to fill needs in March during the first few expensive, high-risk days/weeks of free agency, then fill a remaining need or two in the first round or two of the draft in late April. If teams are still filling holes after that … uh-oh.

Tom from Orlando, FL:

With Tom Coughlin in the building, everyone will have to be more professional and up their game – no slacking off will be allowed. So what does this do to the O-Zone? From what I gather, slacking off is pretty much your bread and butter. Or do you up your game by slacking off even MORE— like just coming in wearing sandals and a Hawai’ian shirt, and disabling spellcheck?

John: Tom Coughlin doesn’t scare me. Wait, that’s not right.

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

I have been one who never bet against the Patriots. However, I think I am ready to do that this year. The Falcons have a good offense led by a good quarterback. Julio Jones is going to be difficult to stop, and the Falcons have the league leader in sacks. I think it will be a great game, but I think the Falcons pull out a win.

John: I, too, think Super Bowl LI will be highly competitive. If I could forget about the uniforms and the fact that the Patriots will be wearing theirs, I probably could select Atlanta. The Falcons were dominant in the playoffs and appear to be peaking at the right time. But a couple of things keep gnawing at me when thinking about the Falcons’ chances. One is the Patriots seem to have the better defense, and the better defense typically prevails in high-pressurized games such as the Super Bowl. Another is I like the more experienced quarterback in tight, pressurized games and Tom Brady is the more experienced quarterback. This feels like it could play out a lot like the Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl a couple of years back with multiple big situations in the final minutes without much time to prepare or think. I give the edge to Bill Belichick, Brady and the Patriots in that situation.

Cliff from Dufall/Jags4life:

The Jaguars should *seriously* sign Manziel and/or Tebow. See how they do at running back or wide receiver (see Pryor, Terrelle). What do they have to lose? Publicity?

John: Are you serious, Clark?

Tommy from JAX:

O, I applaud you for not being shy about writing honest things about . I am glad you understand we will be the same old Jags until someone new is under center. And please let Tom choose this time. Dave’s comments on Bortles are a bit concerning …

John: Contrary to the opinion of some, I strive to be as honest as possible in as many answers as possible. Let’s be clear: I am not “down” on Bortles, and I believe he can be an effective NFL quarterback. I say that honestly. But he absolutely must improve in decision-making, consistency and pocket presence. I leave mechanics out of that Holy Trinity, because I think there’s a fairly high-percentage chance he can get his mechanics worked out to the point where they’re not an issue. The decision-making, consistency and pocket presence are more difficult areas to improve and are more important. That will be the unknown until next season.

Darren from Arlington, TX:

Can we please stop talking about a running back at No. 4? I’m sorry but I don’t really see Leonard Fournette or Dalvin Cook as being that game-changing player you’d like to have in the Top 5. I do however, really like Jamal Adams and his potential. Can we talk about that instead?

John: OK.

Clint from Mandarin:

Have you heard of Anthony Calvillo?

John: Yes.

Bruce from Green Cove Springs, FL:

I think most agree that Blake Bortles has three major issues: mechanics, decision-making and having protection. Only Blake and his coaches can fix the first two. If the Lions don’t persuade guard Larry Warford to stay in Detroit, would he be a way to start fixing the third issue?

John: I’m fine with the idea of pursuing Warford if he hits free agency. The idea of signing a veteran interior offensive lineman makes sense because it’s a place where you can be reasonably sure how a player will fit – something that can sometimes be difficult to gauge as a free agent. But I’m not as on board with protection being a major problem for the Jaguars this past season. Bortles certainly was under duress at times in 2016, but not to the point where protection was a defining issue of the Jaguars’ season – and not to the point where the majority of Bortles’ struggles last season should be attributed to it.

Ray from Jacksonville:

John: Was there an effort by the Jaguars to sign Alex Mack last year?

John: Not a significant one, no … (/ducks).

JV from West Des Moines, IA:

“Bortles himself has said that he is not a natural thrower of the football.” Why does that sentence scare me so much, O?

John: Because Bortles is a quarterback and quarterbacks need to throw well. That’s why his motion is such an issue – because it’s evident he must work and focus on the area to maintain his accuracy. Now, that doesn’t necessarily make him unique among NFL quarterbacks. Many quarterbacks spend significant time each offseason focusing on mechanics – and time before and after practice trying to make sure that offseason focus doesn’t lapse during the season. Does Bortles have to spend more time on this because he’s not Mr. Natural? Perhaps. This is still playing out.

Joe from San Antonio, TX:

At No. 4 I only want to see us draft defense. If we can trade back, then I could see it being a smart play for an offensive lineman or Cook/Fournette depending on where we land. Offensive line at four is a reach, and one of the premier running backs would be handicapped equity without better run-blocking, and therefore not worth it at four. Thoughts?

John: My thoughts are your thoughts are good, sound thoughts – and my gut is that likely will be how the Jaguars approach the draft. I’m a big believer that unless a back is ultra-special – i.e., Adrian Peterson and the like – it’s very difficult for the player to outplay his offensive line. And even if the back is ultra-special, quarterback still will more often than not decide the team’s fortunes. Now, there are circumstances when the available players make a running back make sense early – and considering the players who currently project at No. 4 – this might be one of those seasons.

Doug from Jacksonville:

Bortles will quiet the critics next year. He won’t have Hall-of-Fame numbers, but with improved line play and an improved running game he will be fine. In a couple years, people will forget they were calling for his release. If you go through the list of quarterbacks in the league, of course there are the top tier, but then I would be hard-pressed to trade Bortles for any of the rest. He is still young, he has natural athleticism and an improved team allows him time to grow and improve.

John: #BBTWD

Jeremy from Dodge City, KS:

O, you’re the man! Jags Nation!!!

John: OK.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Burning the oil

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Job from Trinidad and Tobago:

With the staff basically complete, what’s your impression?

John: The Jaguars’ coaching staff is a mix of experience levels, with coordinators Nathaniel Hackett and Todd Wash relatively young in NFL years and but two key position coaches – Perry Fewell in the secondary and Pat Flaherty on the offensive line – having extensive experience. And Joe DeCamillis is one of the NFL’s more experienced, respected special teams coordinators. Those last three have a Tom Coughlin Feel, as does Keenan McCardell as wide receivers coach. McCardell and running backs Tyrone Wheatley are both ex-players with 10 or more years NFL experience – and having coaches with NFL playing experience is a positive. The most intriguing hire is quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich, who spent the past five seasons as a CFL head coach. That hire raised eyebrows because he never has coached in the NFL, but good coaches come from a myriad of backgrounds. Overall, it looks like a fine, professional NFL staff. The keys to me are obviously the coordinators and Flaherty. How different will Hackett’s offense look this season than last, when he essentially ran former coordinator Greg Olson’s offense for the final nine games? The guess here is there’s a heavier emphasis on creative run looks and more emphasis on the run game overall this season compared to last. How extensively will Wash change the hybrid, 4-3/3-4 “Leo” based scheme he ran under then-Head Coach Gus Bradley last season? And then, there’s the offensive line: The group improved as a pass-blocking unit under Doug Marrone the last two seasons. Now that Marrone is head coach, can Flaherty extend that improvement and give the Jaguars the run threat that quarterback and the offense dearly need? The answers to those last three questions will be key for this staff.

Tom from Orlando, FL:

Given his age and injury history, do you think Cutler will be affordable in free agency? I would love to see him throwing bombs to A-Rob.

John: I like Jay Cutler more than many observers do, because I like strong-armed quarterbacks who can make every throw. Still, Cutler’s situation entering the offseason is a bit murky. He remains under contract with the Chicago Bears next season and there’s no guarantee the Bears will trade or release him. My guess is they eventually release him this offseason because they do seem to have moved on from Cutler. Still, a trade seems unlikely because it seems unlikely any team would give up draft selections and the money it will take to pay Cutler because of his age and injury history. As far as his affordability should he become a free agent, Cutler would command starter-level money, but you’re going to pay big for any starting quarterback. The objective would be to sign him to a short-term contract that you could get out of after a year or two – and that seems a realistic goal. The issue with Cutler? If you bring him in even at a short-term deal would that mean he is competing with Bortles or starting? And if you’re bringing him into compete, is what he would cost too much to be reasonable – even if that’s a short-term cost?

Bill from my work computer:

Who wins the Super Bowl and why?

John: The Patriots because life isn’t fair.

Jeff from Jacksonville:

I’ve been hearing that one of the major reasons Aaron Rodgers fell in the draft is because his mechanics were all out of whack. He had the drive and mental fortitude to commit to improving himself and now he’s one of the best in the business. Not only do I believe Bortles is fixable, but if Rodgers had started immediately instead of waiting Packers fans might have been riding him off as a lost cause too.

John: Rodgers’ mechanics indeed were an issue when he was coming out of Cal in 2005. He held the ball higher than usual, something some at the time attributed to his college coach – Jeff Tedford. For his part, Tedford said Rodgers entered Cal throwing that way and that Rodgers played so well he didn’t want to change it. But yes, Rodgers’ mechanics have been a topic at times during his career – and they were a topic when he “struggled” early in 2016. Considering he played the last part of the season at a higher level than most quarterbacks can even imagine, his mechanical issues were indeed fixable. One difference in Rodgers and Bortles is that Tedford said Rodgers was always a pretty natural thrower of the football, and Rodgers does a lot in his delivery that is mechanically pretty close to perfect. Bortles himself has said quite often that he is not a natural thrower of the football, and at this point in his career it would seem a stretch to think he will be “mechanically perfect.” That doesn’t mean Bortles can never be effective. Many quarterbacks have succeeded with less-than-perfect mechanics. Perhaps the big takeaway from the Rodgers “comparison” is that it’s not uncommon for quarterbacks to have to focus on mechanics and fundamentals throughout their careers. Most quarterbacks need to constantly work on this area, though Bortles indeed seems to need to work on it more than most.

Bob from Sumter, SC:

If the defensive linemen the Jags like are gone at No. 4 … Leonard Fournette is really intriguing. Power and speed – potentially a big impact player from Day One. Think he is in play for the pick?

John: We’re essentially three months from the 2017 NFL Draft, and Coughlin has been on staff less than three weeks … considering those two elements alone it’s safe to say pretty much anything is “in play.” But yes … I think the Jaguars will consider Fournette/running back at No. 4. Improving the running game is enough of a priority that any number of things will be considered in this area.

Otto from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

John, I’ve read some things about moving to the Sam linebacker position. He played most of his college career as a standup rusher. Dante himself says he’s more comfortable standing. Any thoughts?

John: Having Fowler play standing up rather than playing down defensive end makes some sense, and I think it’s something the Jaguars indeed should consider. With Wash remaining as defensive coordinator, the Jaguars seem likely to continue using a 4-3 scheme; that could mean Fowler playing strong-side linebacker – or it could mean him standing up in some pass-rushing situations. Remember: the Jaguars are just now finalizing the coaching staff; a lot of details about personnel and scheme remain to be determined.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

Tom Coughlin went 14-2 in 1999. He sent Jimmy Johnson out of the NFL with a 62-7 victory over the Fins. The only team to beat the Jaguars that year was the Titans. That was his second division championship with the Jaguars. The first time was the Jaguars second year with a team he put together the year before. The other thing is he keeps it tight. Fans need to stop fighting him and hide and watch. He will get it done. Go Jaguars!

John: #TCTWD

Clyde from Sanford, FL:

John, have consultants Monte Kiffin and John Idzik been let go during the coaching staff releases?

John: Kiffin was an assistant coach last season and is no longer with the Jaguars. Idzik is the special assistant to the general manager and he is still with the Jaguars.

Ben from Memphis, TN:

Offseason plan… re-sign Prince, Alualu, . Pick up Beachum’s option. Keep . Let Cyp and Joeckel walk. In free agency, try to sign a G such as Kevin Zeitler, T.J. Lang, Larry Watford and a pass rushing D lineman such as JPP, Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram, Kawaan Short, or Calais Campbell. In the draft take Garrett or Allen if available- can’t have too many pass rushers or versatile stud D lineman. If neither are there take Fournette or Cook (whoever is ranked higher on your board). Second round pick up one OT that is still available like Cam Robinson, Garett Bolles, Ryan Ramcyzk, Forrest Lamp who could start at RT or at least provide competition at both LT and RT. Third round SS to challenge Sample/Wilson. Fourth-Seventh need a CB, TE, QB, G in some order. Realistically, no FA or drafted QB is going to start over Bortles next year. Give him every chance to succeed and if he doesn’t the 2017 QB draft class looks like a potentially great one. Thoughts?

John: Can you repeat the question?

Charles from Midlothian, VA:

We know you slack off during the offseason. But I assume TC and the new coaching staff will be burning a lot of midnight oil prepping for the draft, free agency, game planning, etc., etc. etc.. between now and until the players report?

John: Midnight oil? No. Will they be rolling in a few hours before O-Zone each a.m.? Yeah, most likely.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Just wondering

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Chris from Mandarin:

Hypothetically, would it have been against the rules for the Jaguars to hold off on hiring their quarterbacks coach until is done with his time at 3DQB with Adam Dedeaux in California, and then hire him to get around the fact that coaches aren’t allowed to interact with players in the offseason? That is, assuming Dedeaux would be interested. …

John: That would not be against the rules, but Dedeaux is a motion mechanics instructor as opposed to a coach. That means he focuses on the specifics of mechanics and fundamentals as opposed to coaching the overall position. He and Tom House run a very successful business out of Southern California and they work with many different quarterbacks on their own schedule – as opposed to the year-round, round-the-clock schedule of a coach. He also presumably is well-paid and doesn’t have the stress of needing to win to keep his job – and he doesn’t have knowledgeable fans and clueless senior writers criticizing his every move and decision. So, yeah … there’s a chance he might not just jump at the chance to work as an NFL position coach.

Greg from Nashville, TN:

“I’d hate to use the phrase ‘help him along’ because I think Caldwell can succeed without help”… the last four years show otherwise, and Shad Khan’s recent moves show otherwise as well. But at least the demoted general manager has the senior writer in his corner.

John: OK.

Clinton from Terre Haute, IN:

Is it out of the question for us to try to bring in Eric Berry? I think that money would be well spent and would benefit almost immediately. I’ve been a fan since 1995. I just want to see some wins; 8-8 would be like a Super Bowl win with all the luck we have had in the past few years.

John: Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason. He also is a really good, difference-making player and has made it clear in recent days he wants to remain in Kansas City. My experience is that teams like to keep really good, difference-making players and that really good, difference-making players tend to re-sign with their teams in free agency even when there is speculation, talk and dreaming by fans of other teams to the contrary. The guess here is Berry remains in Kansas City. If he doesn’t, then by all means the Jaguars should try to sign him. He’s big-time. Go for it.

Kevin from Jacksonville:

The Jaguars should hold open tryouts. I’m a better quarterback than Blake Bortles and I can play offensive line better than four of the five starters. But then again, so could my five-year old daughter. We need a better team in Jacksonville. We the fans are done.

John: You’re probably right about your five-year old. And you’re right that the Jaguars need to improve.

Eric from St. Augustine, FL:

How is it that during the season all the people down on Bortles were clamoring for to come in at quarterback? Now that the draft is coming up, we must draft a quarterback, or get one in free agency to give Bortles competition. Why was Allen so great during the season, and now not even an afterthought? Is he really bad, and should not have been kept on the roster – or was this the case of the best quarterback is always on the bench? Every fan knows that! Do you see a future for Allen?

John: I honestly have no idea what Allen’s NFL future holds, and I have no idea why people clamoring feel one way or the other about Allen. I try not to assess the mindset of clamorers; my experience is that’s usually a dangerous, disturbing task. What I can tell you is Allen is an unproven sixth-round quarterback, and while there are cases of unproven sixth-round quarterbacks emerging as four-time Super Bowl champions, there are far more cases of sixth-round quarterbacks emerging as … former sixth-round quarterbacks. Allen looked good at times in training camp and practice last season. I can also tell you that just because a rookie quarterback doesn’t play doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be kept on a roster. I’m sure he will figure into the quarterback competition this offseason. I doubt he beats out Bortles because it’s a stretch to believe he’s better than Bortles. I also doubt Allen will be the only player considered by the Jaguars as possible competition this offseason for Bortles because I think a vast array of considerations will be considered in the coming months. When you go 3-13 and bring in new leadership, re-considering and re-evaluating is part of the equation.

Jonathan from Duval:

Which of the bands excite you the most that were just announced to be coming to Daily’s?

John: I was so disappointed Mister Mister wasn’t involved that I didn’t want to talk about it for a while.

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL:

Nice to see all the information on Daily’s Place. It seems to be coming together as a great enhancement to the city and Jaguars experience. I would assume another Super Bowl isn’t in the city’s near future, but could this addition bring the draft to Jacksonville? Indianapolis has become a combine tradition, so why not Jacksonville becoming the draft tradition?

John: I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see Jacksonville host the NFL Draft. Jaguars Owner Shad Khan has mentioned that as a possibility while discussing the Daily’s Place/amphitheater/flex-field improvements and his vision for how those improvements will enhance downtown Jacksonville. Things Khan mentions as possibilities have this weird way of happening.

Carol from Jacksonville:

Here’s a shout out to and his parents! They were on the HGTV Show Fixer Upper this past week. What a wonderful family! Kelvin’s parents purchased a home that needed to be remodeled and Kelvin helped pay for it. We seem to always hear negative things about players so this was refreshing! Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Beachum for having such a wonderful family!

John: Hey, one fer Beachum! And family!

Jonathan from Jacksonville:

You keep saying you believe Bortles will be the Jaguars’ starting quarterback in Week 1 next season because you believe it will be difficult for the Jaguars to find a better option given the players available in free agency and in the draft. Now riddle me this O: If Bortles doesn’t improve this year, now all of a sudden there’s gonna be a better options in 2018? All of a sudden they would be able to find a replacement within two years instead of this year? Care to explain?

John: I think it will be difficult for the Jaguars to find a replacement for Bortles without spending major equity either in the form of money or draft selections. It’s always difficult to spend your way to a quality starting quarterback because elite quarterbacks aren’t available for purchase, and that usually leaves you spending insane amounts for unproven – and often so-so – players. For that reason, if/when the Jaguars replace Bortles I believe the odds are greater that it will happen through the draft. The 2018 NFL Draft is supposed to be a good quarterback draft while the 2017 NFL Draft is not considered good for quarterbacks. The draft typically is the best place to find a long-term answer at quarterback, so in that sense … sure, there is a decent chance there would be a more attractive option for competition available in 2018 than 2017.

Joe from San Antonio, TX:

I’m thinking the vast majority of Jags fans would be ecstatic if the last home game of the season was boring because the Jags were resting starters for the playoffs. I know I would be, but maybe I’m the weird one.

John: That’s not what makes you weird.

Yikes from Jacksonville:

Cardinals hire Byron Leftwich as quarterback coach?! Is this April Fools? Seriously, I never understood how a mediocre quarterback could ever become a quarterbacks coach. It’s laughable at best.

John: I’m sorry you don’t understand. That can be an unsettling feeling. But no, it’s not actually laughable that a mediocre quarterback could become a quarterbacks coach – or a quality offensive coordinator. Or even a very good head coach. It’s actually a relatively common occurrence. Jason Garrett. Jim Harbaugh. Sean Payton. Sam Wyche. None were great NFL quarterbacks … all are pretty good coaches.

Chris from London, UK:

O, you say you believe Bortles will be the Jags’ starting quarterback next season as quarterbacks of proven better or similar quality are not out there. Two words for you Tyrod Taylor!

John: I agree that Taylor would be good competition this offseason. I even agree that Taylor might be better than Bortles. But might is a key word, and considering what Taylor likely will command … well, I can’t see the Jaguars paying big-free agent money for something that’s closer to “might” than a sure thing.

Steve from Jacksonville:

John, what do you think? Just wondering…

John: I honestly have no idea anymore.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Competitive advantage

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Carter from Seal Beach, FL:

Mr. O, what positions or notable free agents do you see the Jaguars targeting this offseason? Will they spend big again this offseason?

John: I do believe the Jaguars will be aggressive in free agency this offseason because there is a belief within the organization the team can win quickly – and because the Jaguars will have salary cap room this offseason. Right tackle is a position that could be considered, as is left guard. I don’t think it’s absurd to think the Jaguars will pursue adding a veteran pass rusher for a couple of reasons. One is you can’t have too many pass rushers. Another is the team lacked a veteran edge presence last season. produced at times, and showed flashes, but the Jaguars didn’t have veteran players they could count on to get consistent pressure in big situations. The over-riding issue is the over-riding issue every offseason when it comes to free agency. As Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell accurately said this week, you can’t invent players – and teams usually re-sign great, impact players. Hence, the importance of drafting well – particularly at the quarterback position.

E Nuff from Banner Elk, NC:

I keep reading on the forum how Tom Coughlin was a terrible general manager here. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he was never the general manager for the Jaguars. That was Shack Harris’ job.

John: You’re indeed wrong, so I indeed will correct you – but the forum is wrong, too. You are wrong because Coughlin indeed was the Jaguars’ general manager – in fact if not always in publicized title – from 1995-2002. Shack Harris was hired as general manager after that. The forum is wrong because Coughlin was not a terrible general manager. He built the Jaguars into four-time playoff team that made two AFC Championship Games and had Pro Bowl or elite players such as Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor, Leon Searcy, Kevin Hardy, Tony Brackens, Keenan McCardell, Mark Brunell, Gary Walker and Tony Boselli and so on. He also drafted Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. He knows talent. Now, it is true that the Jaguars spent aggressively enough during that time that they found themselves in serious cap difficulties at the end of Coughlin’s time there. That history needn’t repeat itself.

Mark from Jacksonville:

I’m quoting you here … “I truly believe Caldwell is a good, competent general manager and I believe he has laid the foundation for a team that can begin winning soon.” He’s preparing for his fifth draft with a team that has won a combined 15 wins under his leadership. I believe that your “competent” enough to throw a dart at a board and do just as well.

John: I have the remarkability to remember what I write – for a day, anyway – so there’s not technically a reason to quote what I write back to me. Unless you want to quote back that one really, really funny thing I wrote once. Wait. That was a while back. I can’t remember it.

Cliff from Orange Park, FL:

Dak Prescott has earned a lot of love. But I wonder how things might look if had been as fortunate to play behind that line with that running game and Dak was in Jacksonville?

John: I think it’s fair to say that Bortles would have been better behind Dallas’ line and with Dallas’ running game. Dallas had perhaps the NFL’s best offensive line and best running game this past season; when those two elements play at that level, it helps everything: coaching, defense, quarterback play … everything. So, yes, Bortles would have benefitted. Would he have shown Prescott’s ability to make correct decisions and play with patience to avoid costly turnovers? I think Bortles would have been better in those areas behind a better line, but it would be unfair to Prescott to say that Bortles would have matched his performance. I don’t think we can call Bortles an efficient, mistake-free quarterback until we see more consistent examples of him being that guy.

Paul from Jacksonville:

We fans have a tendency to make blanket statements about things that are too complex to be described in simple black-and-white terms. I’m never doing that again about anything, ever.

John: You might. Or you might. It actually depends.

Mark from Jax Beach:

Do you think the organization is a “stubborn” organization? As a fan base, this is the perception and perception is reality regardless of the classic O-Man’s spin.

John: Apparently you’re not going to believe my answer. What a relief, seeing as this saves me from having to waste time, you know … answering.

John Section 409 Since Day 1:

Kurt Warner first-ballot Hall of Fame? When I think of the quarterbacks playing in his era, I don’t ever think of him. Asking because of the overbearing man crush his colleagues have for him on the pregame, and how far over the top they are going in promoting him.

John: Kurt Warner has been on the Hall of Fame ballot the past two years. He is not in the Hall of Fame. I believe he should be in the Hall of Fame because he quarterbacked in three Super Bowls, led one of the best offenses of the last two decades with the St. Louis Rams and proved himself not a fluke when he took the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl late in his career. I don’t think it would be a crime against all the NFL holds holy if he doesn’t get in, but he’s deserving.

Vishwa from Jacksonville:

Hi O, Coughlin mismanaged the cap, not the selection of the players. In fact he was very good at identifying talent. But the salary cap at that time meant that he had to release some very good players. Since cap is not an issue any more, I am more optimistic about what he can do.

John: It has been a decade and a half since the Jaguars got into the salary-cap constraints that crippled them in the early 2000s. Your point that such cap crises are rarer now is a pertinent one, but are cap difficulties impossible to create? Of course not. Either way, Coughlin is an intelligent, capable football man more than capable of learning from experience. Just because something happened once does not mean it will happen again.

Al from Orange Park, FL:

Re: the old saw about “you can’t just go in the backyard and pick a new quarterback off the quarterback tree,” do you see anything of worth on the “quarterback tree” this offseason? Any in the draft intriguing? Any interesting free agent options? I’m not seeing any, but I’d be interested in your thoughts.

John: There’s no easy pick on the ol’ quarterback tree. That basically means there’s no quarterback who seems a prototype front-line Top 5 selection. That in no way means you can’t find a capable quarterback, but it does mean there’s not going to be a consensus player in the draft who the Jaguars will draft and who will come in and beat out Blake Bortles. There’s also not such a player available in free agency. Brian Hoyer. Ryan Fitzpatrick. A.J. McCarron. Jay Cutler. Tyrod Taylor. I personally like Cutler, but he’s a high-risk option. Those are the names you hear when discussing quarterback options. That’s not the healthiest tree, but it doesn’t mean you can’t find something edible. The question is whether the players available are better enough than Bortles to be worth the price. That’s a legitimate question that remains unanswered.

Ryan from the Southside:

Isn’t Tom Coughlin a needs-based guy when it comes to drafting? Wouldn’t that conflict with Caldwell’s best available player strategy? I need answers John!

John: Caldwell has hardly been a best-available-player purist – even in the Top 5 … and whatever Coughlin’s strategy he has final say on draft-day decisions. I don’t see a whole lot of conflict happening.

Scott from Jacksonville:

What benefit would there be for the team to announce details about offensive and defensive schemes for next season? Wouldn’t we be better off keeping things close to the vest, and doesn’t that approach seem much more likely with Coughlin in charge? Being upfront and transparent in all things didn’t make the team better the last few years.

John: I absolutely believe the Jaguars may keep some information close to the vest and Coughlin’s older-school approach might not be overly transparent. Not that transparency realistically has much to do with on-field results, but NFL folks aren’t always at ease with outward information flow. As for the offensive and defensive scheme, I don’t expect the full details but I do expect the coordinators and/or Marrone to address the direction moving forward in enough detail to have an idea of what to expect.

Chris from Mandarin:

It seems pretty likely right now that Blake Bortles will be the starting quarterback next season. If someone is brought in to compete and Bortles wins the job, I imagine he will have a very short leash, like two-to-three games short. What do you think?

John: Who’s the competition?

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Open season

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Aaron from Chantilly:

The comments from Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell that placed with Super Bowl potential somehow doesn’t sit well with me. It really has me doubting our direction and future if that is his evaluation. Hopefully, I’m taking this the wrong way…

John: You’re referring to a jaguars.com interview this week in which Caldwell said he believed Bortles capable of winning a lot of games and getting the Jaguars to the Super Bowl. This raised some eyebrows and even some ire from fans who are convinced that Bortles is not capable of such things. I, too, am skeptical about Bortles’ ability to be a franchise quarterback – and I think the vast majority of observers share at least some level of that skepticism because Bortles’ level of play has done little to promote confidence. But don’t overthink Caldwell’s comments. Yes, his belief in Bortles remains strong. Yes, it’s his job to support Bortles. Bortles is the Jaguars’ quarterback right now and you support your quarterback 100 percent until he’s no longer your quarterback. There is no other way. But this is January 27, which means we’re a month and a half from unrestricted free agency and three months from the 2017 NFL Draft. Tom Coughlin has been on the job as executive vice president of football operations for less than three weeks, which means a lot of meetings and decisions regarding personnel and approach moving forward have yet to take place. I believe Bortles will be the Jaguars’ starting quarterback in Week 1 next season because I believe it will be difficult for the Jaguars to find a better option given the players available in free agency and in the draft. That difficulty doesn’t mean the Jaguars won’t seriously look at the quarterback position and perhaps pursue competition to improve the position.

Chris from Orlando, FL:

So, next season we will see the Gus Bradley defense at home against our new-look Jags. Do you think Bradley might have been influenced to take the Los Angeles job knowing he will see the Jags this year (as it seems they do every year)?

John: No.

Derrick from Jacksonville:

John, it seems to have become common practice in sports these days to rest your team if they have clinched their division. NBA teams are now resting their players throughout the week as not to wear them down with the long-season grind. I wouldn’t have an issue with that if the leagues would refund some money to fans who purchased a ticket to see games and the best players or teams compete. In my opinion, it is a bad practice and not fair to the paying fan. What are your thoughts on this practice and fairness to the paying fan?

John: It seems this is a far bigger problem in the NBA than in the NFL, because NFL teams typically only rest players if playoff positioning is clinched – and I think fans generally understand that situation when it arises. But I don’t think it’s remotely fair to the paying fan – and I understand the disappointment in such a situation. My wife and I drove to Miami last spring to see Roger Federer play. He pulled out of the tournament because of injury. That was disappointing for us as Federer fans, but it obviously was understandable. If he would have pulled out for some other reason – which he wouldn’t have, because he’s, you know … perfect – it would have been phenomenally disappointing, irritating and even angering. As far as team sports go, this seems like an issue that isn’t getting solved any time soon. NBA teams seem to have adopted midseason rest as a matter of course. And I can’t foresee teams and leagues initiating a policy that includes refunds based on participation of some players. A big reason for that is that money is cool. People like it. Once people or teams get some they don’t want to give it back.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

How much does the new staff’s approach to free agency and the draft tell us about their view of the state of the team? If they go out and sign some established veteran players in free agency, or sign some of the “big-name” free agents – and if they pick players in the draft who seem more ready to play, or draft positions that are traditionally easier to transition from college to pro – does that tell us that they think the team is ready to win now? Conversely, if they start dumping contracts, acquiring future draft picks, and picking developmental players, does that tell us that they think the team needs to be rebuilt and it’ll be a few years before winning is realistic?

John: I think the Jaguars will sign players aggressively in free agency and I think they’ll draft players they think can contribute immediately. I don’t see the approach moving forward feeling “developmental,” and I don’t think you’ll hear people talking about winning in 2018 and not worrying about 2017. I don’t know if that will mean the people running the Jaguars honestly believe the team is ready to win now, but I think it will show that’s their objective.

Scott from Jacksonville:

Can you tell people to stop saying “What say you?” It is so worn out that when I see it, I want to punch a baby in the face.

John: I don’t think you should do the part where you punch the baby.

Hoov from Section 118:

Quick question, O: Could the Jags consider Philip Rivers as a free-agent acquisition or not so much? You’ve probably addressed this before so I’ll apologize in advance.

John: If Rivers were a free agent it probably would be something worth considering. Rivers is an elite quarterback whose addition would improve most NFL teams’ quarterback situations. Rivers, however, is not a free agent. He’s under contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. While he has expressed his disappointment with the team leaving San Diego for Los Angeles, that doesn’t mean he won’t be playing for the Chargers next season. All indications are he will, which is good for the Chargers.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

“Not fair to say Blake can’t read a defense?” Let’s just take one (of many) examples from last year. He threw a red zone pick against Oakland, which was intended for in triple coverage. Do you mean to say that he read the defense, knew Lee would have three guys on him, but opted to throw it anyway?

John: He read that defense poorly. He read other situations poorly this past season. He didn’t read all situations poorly, which is why it’s unfair to say he can’t read a defense. Is it fair to say he must improve reading defenses? Sure.

Frank from St. Augustine, FL:

Dave Caldwell overestimated the talent on the offensive line by not addressing it last year. I’m not talking about getting a left tackle with a bad knee, either. With this being a weak draft for offensive linemen, he should have upgraded it this past season. He had an opportunity to get Alex Mack and John Sitton and didn’t even try to sign them. Oh, btw, Mack is going to the Super Bowl and Sitton is going to another Pro Bowl.

John: OK.

Mike from Charleston, SC:

John, how do the Patriots continue to have late draft choices and continue to release so many key players almost every season and still be so successful every year?

John: Tom Brady plays for the New England Patriots, and Bill Belichick coaches the New England Patriots. It has been this way for 17 seasons, with Brady as the quarterback for 16 seasons. Coaching isn’t everything in the NFL and quarterbacking is a lot of the NFL. When you have greatness at quarterback and when you have a coach who clearly knows what he expects and has the ability to communicate that, and when the organization wins consistently enough that players buy in totally to what the organization does, you can get on the kind of roll that New England is enjoying. It’s a once-in-a-generational-type thing. In other words, it’s historic.

Swizznuts from Flagler Beach, FL:

John, if you owned a five-star restaurant that overall served good food with the exception of your assistant seafood chef, who consistently served awful seafood, and you found yourself needing a head chef, would you promote your seafood guy to the top spot? Obviously not. Hence, I can’t understand promoting a quarterback coach that was involved in Blake’s regressing. Seems to defy logic.

John: Your scenario – the whole five-star seafood thing – indeed does defy logic. The problem is while it is a well-written scenario, it doesn’t actually apply in this instance. That’s because quarterbacks coach is not to offensive coordinator as assistant chef is to head chef. The ability to call plays and run an offense effectively is an entirely different skill than implementing fundamentals and developing a quarterback.

Ramon from Valdosta, GA:

Do the Jags hold open tryouts?

John: For what?

Pages: 12