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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

O-Zone: Nothing left

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

MOBILE, Ala. – Let’s get to it …

Rick from Franconia, VA:

O, I’ve been watching the reaction to the hiring of Keenan McCardell as the Jaguars’ wide receivers coach, and my reaction was, “Really?” My view: Hat tip for all he did as a player, but we just went from a guy recognized as one of the best wide receivers coaches in the entire NFL for the past two decades to a guy that didn’t even have a job in the NFL last year. I am bracing for impact. What say you?

John: I say coaches get hired and leave NFL staffs every season, and there often is no rhyme and no reason to comings or goings – beyond a head coach or decision-maker being more comfortable with one coach or another. NFL coaching is a difficult, strange profession that often defies logic. That’s why you can look at pretty much any coach’s biography and see multiple stops with multiple teams – and that’s true no matter the “quality” of the assistant or head coach in question. I thought Jerry Sullivan did a great job with the Jaguars’ wide receivers and think , and the Jaguars’ receivers benefited from his presence. I also think McCardell will be fine as the Jaguars’ receivers coach. I always thought he would make a really good coach when I covered him as a player and I’ve thought the same thing during my conversations with him since he stopped playing. As far as McCardell not being in the NFL last season, don’t sweat that. It’s not unusual for good, young assistant coaches to be out of the league briefly at the start of their careers. It’s a difficult business that often makes little sense. McCardell will be fine. No need to brace yourself over this one.

Levi from Bloomington, IN:

I’d really like to see the Jags jump up and grab Deshaun Watson, but I don’t think they will for the sole fact that we have on the team. Watson seems to be the guy that has that clutch factor, something we really need at quarterback. I just feel like this will be a situation similar to when we passed on Big Ben just because we had drafted Byron Leftwich. If the Jags fall in love with Watson, could you see them taking him, if available?

John: Sure, if the Jaguars love Watson they could take him – but I don’t know that the Jaguars would need to “jump” any team to select him at No. 4 overall. It seems quite likely the former Clemson quarterback will be available at that time. I also don’t know that the decision will hinge nearly as much on Bortles’ presence on the roster as on how the Jaguars feel about … Watson! Should the Jaguars select him? That remains to be seen. The concerns over his ability to be a big-time pocket passer are legitimate – and while mobility is nice, making plays from the pocket remains a key, necessary attribute for elite NFL quarterbacks. There’s a long way to go in Watson’s evaluation process before the draft and I imagine it will be one of the No. 1 pre-draft issues league wide. Will the Jaguars fall in love? I doubt it, but we’ll see. Sometimes love takes time.

Saif from Washington, DC:

If after next season Bortles shows us he is not our franchise quarterback, what does that mean for the future? Would we have to wait another season or two to find our next quarterback? And what would it mean for Doug Marrone and David Caldwell, who both had faith in Bortles? I assume Tom Coughlin would be spared any repercussions.

John: I doubt Bortles’ play next season will have any repercussions for either Marrone or Coughlin. As for Caldwell, he has a three-year contract that runs through 2019. That speaks strongly to repercussions in the future. The more pressing question in your scenario is how long the Jaguars would have to wait to find their next quarterback. If they know after this season that Bortles isn’t the answer, the Jaguars wouldn’t wait at all. They would actively seek the next quarterback. As of right now, I wouldn’t rule out the Jaguars’ seeking that player right now. The odds of finding a starter better than Bortles for next season seem long, but does that mean the Jaguars aren’t evaluating and exploring options? I doubt that.

John from Ponte Vedra, FL:

After watching the conference championship games this past weekend, it really became clear how far the Jags have to go to contend. Do you really think that major work is not required? Is that what you said? If so, do you still stand by that view?

John: My point in recent weeks has been that the Jaguars do not necessarily have major work/overhaul to do to contend for the postseason – and yes, I believe that. As far as contending for the Super Bowl, yeah … right now, it’s fair to say that seems like a ways off. All four teams playing last weekend had elite quarterback play, and at least three – Green Bay, Pittsburgh and New England – had franchise quarterbacks playing in stable, long-term coaching situations. That’s a good formula for perennial Super Bowl contention. It’s not the only formula, but it’s a good one.

Jerell from Columbia, SC:

Why is this franchise wasting time with Blake? We have seen enough to know he is garbage. We can’t afford to waste 2017 to find out rather Blake is the guy. Cut him/trade him and move on and start the process again.

John: Don’t be shy, Jerell.

Ray from North Augusta, SC:

Do you think that Mr. Khan has so much on the table that he needs to have a man like Tom to run things while he spends more time with his other interests? He can’t be giving the other businesses the attention they need because the Jaguars are taking the bulk of his time.

John: Shad Khan since purchasing the Jaguars has allowed football people to run the football operations of the Jaguars and President Mark Lamping to run the business side of the operation. This isn’t to say that Khan is not involved in the Jaguars, but it is to say that Coughlin’s hiring isn’t likely to change significantly the amount of time Khan spends with the organization. Khan has never pretended to be an expert on football, and since purchasing the Jaguars he has preferred to let people more knowledgeable in the area make decisions.

Jason from Jacksonville and Section 140:

John, I think it’s easy to see now all of the blame for the past season’s struggles is squarely being put on Gus Bradley’s shoulders by the organization. Not that his historically terrible record doesn’t speak for itself, but it seems like David Caldwell and Shad Khan were satisfied with what they did, and felt Gus was the one holding the organization back.

John: This has become a popular theory among observers – that the organization believes Bradley was solely at fault for all that went wrong last season. It indeed appears that is going to be the narrative of many observers moving forward. That’s fine, and people are going to believe what they want to believe and say what they want to say. I can tell you that the people running the organization do not believe 2016’s struggles were all on Gus Bradley – primarily because when you go 3-13 it’s never all-anything. The Jaguars, remember, changed not only Bradley, they also changed the person with final say over the roster – and I expect they also will change a lot about the offensive and defensive schemes. I don’t remotely expect personnel to stay the same, either. In fact, by the time the 2017 season starts playing out, I expect a whole lot around the Jaguars to look different, and perhaps we won’t be quite as concerned about blame, either.

Rick from Alexandria, VA:

O, once upon a time Tom Coughlin had total control over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was great as a head coach but he mismanaged the remainder of “football operations” so badly his greatness as a head coach couldn’t overcome his shortcomings as a general manager and he was fired. He went on to win two Super Bowls as a head coach when someone else was the general manager. So now Shad Khan has hired him not as head coach, but to assume the only role he’s ever failed at. What are you counting on that makes you believe it will be different this time?

John: The ability of an intelligent, motivated, successful football man with a knowledge of how to build an organization and select players to learn from experience.

Strnbiker from Dothan, AL:

There are 256 regular-season NFL games– all gone with only the Super Bowl left. #sad Ready for your vacation? #happy

John: I don’t believe in vacation. I believe in grinding myself to the nub and working until I don’t have an ounce of energy left and until my mind is an absolute fuzz and I’m ready to keel over from exhaustion. Wait … no, I don’t.

Pages: 12

O-Zone: Familiar feeling

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

MOBILE, Ala. – Let’s get to it …

Greg from St. Johns, FL:

O, does it makes sense to draft defense again early and often (and sign free agents on defense) with the thought being that the only way to beat elite quarterbacks in the league is to have an elite defense? I think the other way is to have your own elite quarterback. Not picking on at all, but even if he ends up being a mid-tiered quarterback, it might be more important to have that elite defense to get by Tom Brady, Big Ben etc. … Assuming we get to the playoffs. Just looking at big picture … thoughts?

John: I think the unquestioned No. 1 best way to give yourself the best chance to consistently be in the postseason and therefore give yourself a chance to get through the playoffs – and to the Super Bowl – is to have an elite quarterback. If you don’t have one of those, then get the best quarterback you can and surround that guy with good players. If you can surround a good quarterback with good offensive players – and get a few pass rushers to pressure the opposing quarterback when you have leads late in games – you can win a lot of games. If you can get a few pass rushers and enough other good defensive players, then you can defend your way into a lot of success for a long time – a la Seattle in the last half decade. But the best way to assure yourself a chance over the long haul is to be as good as you can at the quarterback position. As for the Jaguars’ approach this offseason, I think they’ll look very hard at the quarterback position and try to determine their best approach there. I also think they’ll be active and aggressive in free agency. The idea is to win. Now.

David from Oviedo, FL:

Johnny-O, some Jags players complained about the Jags’ defensive schemes last year. Does Todd Wash listen to what is being said or do coaches coach and players play?

John: For the good of all that is holy and right – and for the sake of the team – let’s hope that the coaches coach and the players play. You don’t want to see what happens otherwise.

Chris from Mandarin:

Until the defense is good enough to stop Tom Brady, none of it matters.

John: None of it?

Gabe from Washington, DC:

If we were to assume Blake Bortles has a ceiling of a top 15-20 quarterback in this league – which is far from certain – does it make sense to lock him up to a long-term deal? Don’t you need a Top 10 guy to win it all? And if you do, does it make sense to waste a huge amount of cap room on a middle-of-the-road (at best) quarterback?

John: I would be stunned if the Jaguars approach Bortles about a long-term deal before next season. If after next season it appears he has a chance to be a Top 15 quarterback, then sure … a long-term deal makes sense. We have a lot of time and frankly Bortles has a lot of improving to do before that’s a consideration.

Al from Coldwater, OH:

I saw on E$PN that the Patriots would be willing to trade Garoppolo for a first-round round pick. I say we offer Blake Bortles and a second-round pick.

John: I’m truly, truly, truly, truly not trying to be snide here, but why would the Patriots see value in that trade right now?

Garrett from Jacksonville:

Hey John, I’m curious as to when some information will be given about what the new schemes will be offensively and defensively? Is there going to be a press conference with the coordinators any time soon? I’m not expecting every little detail. I’m just dying to know what the new schemes will be.

John: I expect the Jaguars to address these issues when they know enough details about the answers to discuss them. Doug Marrone just finalized the hires of defensive coordinator Todd Wash and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett within the last week and a half or so – and the staff has not yet been finalized. Once that happens, then I imagine we’ll hear more details.

Alan from Ellington, CT:

I liked what Dave Caldwell was doing collecting talent. Did you get the feeling that he needed someone like Tom Coughlin to help him along? It always felt like the coaches weren’t able to put everything together on the field.

John: 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. I believe it remains uncertain whether or not Bortles is the quarterback who can get this team to the postseason, and I believe there are a few more pieces that need to be put in place aside from quarterback. Coughlin has the experience and vision to make the right choices, so I believe there’s a good chance the Jaguars can succeed soon. I’d hate to use the phrase “help him along” because I think Caldwell can succeed without help … but however you want to phrase it is fine.

Keith from Palatka, FL:

I remember reading an article in “Sports Illustrated” called “Why Can’t Johnny Read?” about a young quarterback who in his fourth season was still struggling to read defenses. He eventually got better at reading defenses and turned out to be a pretty decent quarterback. His name was John Elway. Do you think Blake Bortles will ever figure out how to read defenses?

John: I don’t know how accurate it is to say that Blake Bortles can’t read defenses, though decision-making remains an area he must improve. Do I think he will? I suppose the question now will be whether he will have time to do so. He is three years into his NFL career and realistically needs to improve quickly to remain a starting quarterback – and it will be difficult to improve as a decision-maker if he’s not starting. Fair or unfair, there is urgency to Bortles’ situation. The time is pretty close to now.

Bill from Jacksonville:

John, the NFL Playoffs so far have been frankly bad. Only two games have been competitive, and one of those games saw a team win without scoring a single touchdown – by kicking six field goals. Is this so far the worst NFL Playoffs that you can remember? Why do you think the games have been so noncompetitive? Thanks! Go Jags!

John: I was actually thinking about this Sunday during the AFC Championship Game because there’s no doubt the games in this postseason have been more one-sided than usual. I don’t really see a particular reason for that, though I have gotten the impression all season that there was a big difference between the elite teams – New England, most obviously – and the next level. This is not all that unusual, because the reality is that “parity” long has been a myth in the NFL; it simply does not exist. I suppose the biggest reason the playoffs haven’t been entertaining is you’ve got a lot of cases where teams have been a lot better than the ones they’re playing. My guess is it’s a one-year blip more than a trend.

Jordan from Mandarin:

I would make resigning Alualu a priority. He’s been such a solid player for the Jaguars since Day 1.

John: I would re-sign , too. I don’t know what the Jaguars will do on this front because until key decision-makers – read: Coughlin – delve deep into the roster we don’t know the answer to many questions.

Chris from Houston, TX:

I was reading your article about the Senior Bowl. Is it normal for many of the seniors who are projected to be drafted early not play? Do they not want to get hurt/lose draft stock? Most of the players mentioned in the article were second-round picks with most being mid-late round picks. Or is it a possibility of more juniors coming out this year that much better?

John: Most players who are projected in the Top 10 or even in the Top 25 or so in the draft forego the Senior Bowl. For those players, there’s nowhere to go but down and the risk of injury outweighs any positives.

Joe from Hall of Fame City, OH:

Hey Mr. John, I for one am very pleased about TC coming home. He not only brings experience, his newly formed position creates a solid front for the team. No games allowed in Duval anymore … everyone knows or will quickly find out. At the very least Shad Khan would get a blueprint for how to win for a long time #DTWD

John: #TCTWD

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL:

With the London game so early (Week 3), do you expect we will see the bye week in Week 4, or would the team consider going the path of the Colts last year and playing the following week?

John: I hope the Jaguars delay the bye week because I hate the bye so early. I believe there is a good chance the Jaguars will do as I wish. If they don’t, I suppose I will be disappointed yet again.

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O-Zone: All ripped up

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Logan from Wichita, KS:

I am going to predict right now our defense takes a HUGE step back next season. The offense will continue to be as effective as a dead cat in a mouse-catching contest and the “new scheme” or old one will fail or be figured out and we will be yet again in the Top 5 of the draft. This sucks.

John: Well, I suppose your scenario indeed would suck for the Jaguars – except that there’s no reason to think the defense will take a huge step back next season. I don’t know that the Jaguars will be the sixth-ranked defense in the NFL next season, but there’s no reason they can’t be a Top 10-to-12 defense – which essentially is what the Jaguars’ defense was this past season. The unit was improved and solid, but it wasn’t great. As far as next season, it can be a defense that can improve – if it improves as a pass-rushing unit, which is an area I expect to be addressed in the offseason. It can also improve in producing takeaways, an area that should improve as the pass rush improves. As for the offense … well, a lot of that depends on quarterback play more than scheme. That’s probably about . That’s the Jaguars’ great unknown. We’ll see how that develops.

Chris from Mandarin:

What I am most excited about this season is that Dave Caldwell will not have the final say on offensive-lineman acquisitions. Tom Coughlin is an amazing evaluator of that part of a team. I know that this area will become a strength soon. Count on it.

John: OK.

Justin from Jacksonville:

Hey, Zone. I saw a mock draft recently that only had two offensive linemen going in the entire first round the first of which didn’t come off the board until Pick 20. I know mock drafts are essentially popular guessing games, but are the offensive line draft prospects really this bad?

John: Mock drafts indeed are guessing games, but they’re usually at least indicative of a general consensus among draft analysts. And yes … the general consensus among analysts this offseason is that the 2017 NFL Draft isn’t a great one for offensive linemen.

Max from Wyckoff, NJ:

O-man, you never answer my questions any more. I guess I need to find a new O-Zone?

John: Oh, gosh. Please don’t.

Rick from Chicago, IL:

Recently I saw an interview with Justin Forsett and he talked about his experience with the Denver Broncos. He said what impressed him the most was the veterans there had such a high standard – and what they expected every day. If that is one of many traits you need to win in the NFL, where is this going to come from in the Jags locker room? We are still a very young team and that leadership doesn’t work from players who don’t know how to win yet. Blake Bortles sure doesn’t have the experience to help the team yet.

John: Experience and veteran leadership indeed are areas the Jaguars still need to improve. I believe it’s very important, and I believe it has been a big area of need. Perhaps the biggest area lacking is a core of veterans who set the standard about which Forsett spoke. That’s a difficult standard to establish with free agents, and it has been difficult for the Jaguars to establish because many of the players who should be establishing it – i.e., players drafted between about 2009-2012ish – are no longer with the organization. The hope is that many of the players drafted since that time will prove worthy of being re-signed and therefore will form the core moving forward. We’ll see.

Nate from Vidalia, CA:

has been one of my favorite players on this team for a long time. A grinder. Definitely hope he sticks around and finishes his career here.

John: Hey! One fer Tyson!

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

I am really excited to see Keenan McCardell as the wide receivers coach. What are the odds Coughlin gets the band back together and they hire Fred Taylor as the running backs coach? I’ve heard worse ideas, what do you think?

John: I don’t mind the idea in theory, but it might bother Tyrone Wheatley a bit seeing that he was hired as running backs coach last week.

Mike from Atlanta, GA:

Julio Jones is the best receiver in the NFL. True or false?

John: True.

Jeff from Richmondale:

I have a theoretical question for you. Let’s say you have a solid roster but you’re being held back by your quarterback play. You also have eight or nine picks in the draft. Do you think it would be worth the risk to draft a quarterback in every round and increase your chances of one of them becoming great? It sounds dumb, but hey … it’s all about the quarterback isn’t it?

John: Your approach in theory is an intriguing one, because it indeed is all about the quarterback. One major issue in your approach would be logistics, because it would mean a minimum of eight or nine – and possibly more – quarterbacks in organized team activities, minicamps and training camp all needing repetitions. That never would have been realistic in any era, and it’s certainly not realistic with current limitations on practice and meeting times, etc. The realistic limit on quarterbacks you could have legitimately fighting for a job? Three, maybe four – and even that’s high.

Jerome from New York:

This is more of a statement than a question, but I really like what this organization is doing inside. We are fixing inside the walls of this team. I am very excited about this team now. I go through this every offseason with the Jags. I even try to go Jacksonville to see at least one home game every year. I just love Jacksonville. I know the draft is not here yet, but if he is still available we should really draft Jonathan Allen. So happy about Tom Coughlin, Doug Marrone, the offensive coordinator – even Keenan McCardell as wide receivers coach is gonna be great for our young receivers. It’s gonna be beneficial for A-Rob a lot –and and – but it’s gonna really help A-Rob. I’m excited and this is just the beginning. Maybe I will be taking three or four trips to Jacksonville this year. Let’s see what happens. To be continued …

John: #DTWD

Charles from Midlothian, VA:

“We’re going to turn this around under Gus Bradley and make a run.” – When we were 2-6, that wasn’t going to happen. BUT there was a chance if Gus was gone we could. Why not THEN?

John: I understand the perception is that there was no way the Jaguars at 2-6 weren’t going to make a run with Gus Bradley as head coach. I also understand that perception became reality when the Jaguars in fact did not make a run in the second half of the season. But the reason the Jaguars didn’t make a head-coaching change at that point was they believed the best chance to make a run was to maintain Bradley as the coach. I understand fully the chorus of groans and the many, many eye roles this statement brings about. I understand many observers might even laugh out loud at the notion. That’s fine, but no matter how people feel about the fact that the Jaguars felt that way midway through last season that indeed was how they felt. Therefore that was the reason they didn’t make a head-coaching change earlier than they did.

Matthew from Arlington:

Not a question but just a comment that I am glad to see Gus picked up so quickly by the Chargers. Didn’t work out here but, sue me, I like the guy. One fer Gus.

John: Absolutely. One fer Gus.

Dave from Los Angeles, CA:

Random observation. I’ve been following the NFL for 20 years and have never until the last few months heard NFL franchises referred to as “programs” – because that has always been a college football concept. I’m hearing it *quite* frequently all of a sudden. What gives?

John: I have no idea. It’s probably the way Cris Collinsworth says “boundary” instead of “sideline” a few times on Sunday Night Football and everyone has to say it. It’s just one of those things no one can control and we all must live with, I suppose.

DUVAL DOOM from Section 217:

This whole thing hinges on the quarterback. It has always hinged on the quarterback. It will always hinge on the quarterback. Sure, there are a myriad of factors that can HELP the team, but eventually, to play in the biggest games, the quarterback has to be the one to get you there. That being the case, even as much as I want a winner as fast as possible, I STILL find myself hoping it’s Blake. It’s so weird.

John: So, if I’ve got this right, you’re saying one fer Blake even if rips you up inside! Or, #BBTWD … as weird as they may feel sometimes.

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O-Zone: Improbable cause

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

JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get to it …

Jagster from Gainesville, FL:

Let’s be real: assistant head coach is a way to steal a coach from another team to make it sound like a promotion instead of lateral, which wouldn’t be allowed.

John: Not really … no; and in fact, not at all. Any coaching movement between NFL teams that doesn’t involve a promotion to head coach is considered “lateral,” and therefore NFL teams can decline to grant permission to any team wishing to interview an assistant for any position other than head coach. If a team wanted to interview, say, Jaguars running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley for offensive coordinator or any position other than head coach next offseason, the Jaguars in theory could decline permission. That’s true whether or not the requesting team attached “assistant head coach” to the proposed title or not. The assistant head coach title more often than not is a nod of respect to a former head coach or to a particularly respected member or the staff deserving acknowledgment or promotion, but it doesn’t in any way help a team hire an assistant who otherwise would be unavailable.

Chris from Mandarin:

I believe can fix his mechanics, though it will require constant maintenance. However, at this point, I don’t think his inability to read a defense is fixable. He throws easy interceptions into triple coverage. So do I, John … so do I. That among hundreds of other reasons is why I am not a quarterback.

John: This is a fair concern and I agree Bortles’ decision-making is a bigger issue than his accuracy. Can he improve in this area? We’ll see.

Limo Bob from Jacksonville:

Is Tom Coughlin in a no-lose position? Only way we can go is up.

John: That may be how outsiders see it – as if 7-9 if 8-8 would be a dramatic improvement and a pretty cool thing next season, and as if whatever the Jaguars do would be improvement so there’s not much pressure on Coughlin or Head Coach Doug Marrone. I doubt Coughlin would see 7-9 as very cool and I doubt Marrone would like it all that much, either.

Joshua from St. Johns, FL:

So, TC is back, Keenan is the wide receivers coach … can Boselli be far behind as the O-Line coach? They’ve joked about it on 1010XL for a bit, but is there a legitimate reason he wouldn’t merit real consideration?

John: One reason is that the Jaguars already have hired an offensive line coach: Pat Flaherty. Another reason is I don’t know that Boselli wants to coach in the NFL just yet. I can see it being something he does down the road, though – and at that point, I can see it being something at which he’s pretty good.

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL:

O, it appears the staff is mostly assembled. What additional roles do you expect to be filled, and what are your thoughts on the group?

John: The Jaguars still haven’t announced tight ends or linebackers coach, but for the most part – yes, the Jaguars’ coaching staff is pretty much assembled. It’s an interesting group because how it was assembled will be the focus of some scrutiny. The Jaguars retained the offensive and defensive coordinators – Nathaniel Hackett and Todd Wash – from last season; because this team went 3-13 last season, that’s a decision that understandably raised some eyebrows. I think both will implement changes next season – and they both showed themselves qualified for their jobs last season – but when you retain coordinators from 3-13 it’s going to be a focus. As far as the assistants, the group has a definite Coughlin feel with defensive backs coach Perry Fewell, wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell and Flaherty all having strong ties to Coughlin. That’s a topic because those coaches feel to some observers like “Coughlin hires” rather than “Marrone hires.” How it feels now matters not a whit compared to how it feels in the fall. How will it feel then? This appears to be a capable staff with a lot of NFL experience. There are no glaring deficiencies. We’ll see how it all comes together.

Bob from Sumter, SC:

Do you think is a natural fit at middle linebacker – or is he a natural weak-side linebacker and the team is trying to find a spot for him with playing at a Pro Bowl level?

John: I think Jack could fit fine either at middle or weak-side linebacker and the team is trying to find a spot for him because both Smith and are playing at very high levels.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:

The history of the Jaguars after Tom Coughlin left has me thinking anything he wants to do is the way to go. I am ordering up that teal juice by the case. The thought of someday the Jaguars winning a championship is all I care about. Only a fool would bet against Coughlin and I was a fool when he left last time and that is not going to happen again. His word is golden to me. If he wants fans to bark at the moon than I am howling! Go Jaguars!

John: #DTWD

Maurice from North Potomac, MD:

I do understand the temptation behind taking a running back at No. 4, but why? I ask because what good is a running back at four behind THIS offensive line? That to me would be like a Todd Gurley situation in St. Louis all over again. Everyone looks at Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas, but forget he has the best line in the league. OF COURSE, we can all say this NOW without knowing what will happen in March, but to me it’s a HUGE reach – especially since the run game REALLY improved under Hackett. Go need with a guy we really need such as Jonathan Allen, etc., instead of luxury behind a line that clearly struggled. Drafting a running back behind this offensive line is a HUGE reach and possibly a waste of a pick. I still have faith in behind much better interior guard play. Thoughts?

John: My thought is I often have said that I philosophically am not a big Running-Back-in-the-Top 10 guy in the draft, but what I am more than anything is a Get-an-Elite-Player-Who-May-Be-An-All-Decade-Guy-in-the-Top-5 guy in the draft. When selecting in the top five, you want to get that sort of guy because it’s rare to have a whole bunch of those guys on the roster and you usually can figure out a way to let them help you in the long run. So, if a mega-talented running back on an Adrian-Peterson level is there at No. 4 … yeah, OK. Mega-talent is cool. Coaches like it.

Chris from Jacksonville:

If the front office thinks so highly of Doug Marrone, then why do you think they took so long to make a switch? There seems to be more to this story as it would seem more likely that an earlier switch would have been a great opportunity to test the new coach instead of just the last two games. What’s your take on this?

John: This is a question I get a lot, and the confusion is understandable. But remember: Jaguars Owner Shad Khan and General Manager David Caldwell in November and early December of last season weren’t thinking, “Let’s test Doug Marrone to see what he can do as a head coach.” Rather, they were thinking, “We’re going to turn this around under Gus Bradley and make a run.” Now, it’s understandable to ridicule, resent or even regret that thinking because the Jaguars never did make that run – but that’s why the timing played out as it did. The decision wasn’t about Marrone and the future; it was about Bradley and the 2016 season.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

I have heard a lot about Tom Coughlin’s choices for the coaching staff. Now I’m hearing a lot of questions about what Coughlin might do in free agency and who he might pick in the draft. It is clear that among fans and the media, Tom is the man in Jacksonville right now. It is also clear that any success this team has in Year One will be attributed to him. My question is will Tom be blamed if things don’t work out like everyone hopes, or will the blame go to the head coach and general manager as is customary?

John: I guess I’m just very good at predicting blame – probably because I don’t spend all that much time trying to figure out Individual blame in what is by definition a team endeavor. But if recent history and experience tells us anything it’s that if the Jaguars aren’t successful next season there will be more than enough blame to go around – and yes, Coughlin and Marrone will get the brunt.

Mark from Palm Coast, FL:

It is not that improbable to go from 3-13 to playoffs next season. The Cowboys were 4-12 … then divisional playoffs. It can and will happen!

John: Going from 3-13 to the postseason is by any definition “improbable.” That’s because it likely would take a six-to-seven game turnaround. But is it impossible? Of course not, so yeah … #playoffsin2017 #DTWD

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