{"id":6100,"date":"2019-05-11T13:59:55","date_gmt":"2019-05-11T13:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jags4life.com\/?p=6100"},"modified":"2019-05-11T14:11:06","modified_gmt":"2019-05-11T14:11:06","slug":"4-27-19-2-2-3-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jags4life.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/11\/4-27-19-2-2-3-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2\/","title":{"rendered":"O-Zone: Long, long ago"},"content":{"rendered":"
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JACKSONVILLE \u2013 Let\u2019s get to it \u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mike from Mandarin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John, I hope all the fans just don’t show up this season. Just want to take the season off from TIAA Bank Field without any explanation. Also, just got up and left work yesterday without saying anything to my boss, too. Hope I don’t get fired. But on a little more serious note, this sounds like a serious drug problem. I have no doubt that this is the demise of his career.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You\u2019re referencing Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith\u2019s announcement Thursday that he doesn\u2019t plan to play in 2019 \u2013 and you are equating your position as an employee with an NFL player\u2019s position as an employee. As I say often in this forum, NFL players \u2013 particularly star, veteran players \u2013 are in an entirely different situation than \u201cnormal employees.\u201d This is \u201cnot fair\u201d in much the same way that life is \u201cnot fair.\u201d NFL players are in a very real sense independent contractors and because they can do things athletically that place them in high demand, they can do things without getting \u201cfired\u201d where perhaps normal \u201cemployees\u201d would lose their jobs. As for your perception that this is a drug problem and the end of Smith\u2019s career, I learned long ago not to assume things I don\u2019t know, so I don\u2019t know what led Smith here \u2013 just as I have no idea if this will be the demise of his career. We\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Steve from Duval<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So, Telvin taking a year off \u2026 How do you think his teammates feel? Or do they care?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Worried. Yes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jay from Jacksonville, NC,<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It was interesting to see former Jaguars quarterback Cody Kessler released this week. The team must really like what they have with Alex McGough\/Gardner Minshew. Given that McGough has a season in the trenches on the practice squad in Seattle, does that give him any type of a \u201cleg up\u201d in regards to the game slowing down, or is he still as raw as Minshew coming straight out of college?\u00a0Also, how do you see them shaking out the depth chart? Do the Jags actually keep THREE quarterbacks this year?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I can\u2019t assess McGough\u2019s level of \u201craw,\u201d or how his experience on Seattle\u2019s practice squad as a rookie this past season helped or hurt him. That\u2019s because the Jaguars have done no 11-on-11 or seven-on-seven work, and there are no observable offseason practices until later this month. As for the depth chart, Minshew will have every chance to be the backup and it feels as if that\u2019s what the team wants \u2013 though he must earn the position. I could definitely see the Jaguars keeping three quarterbacks this season, with the third quarterback \u2013 likely McGough \u2013 likely on the practice squad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Keith from Jacksonville and Section 436 since 1995<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Please tell me Josh Allen and Jawaan Taylor remained intact Friday in the first day of rookie minicamp.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Yes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Strnbker from Dothan, AL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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With quarterback Nick Foles having spent some limited time with the offensive line, what is the general reaction to his addition both on and off field?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There has been little reaction. I expect more once the Jaguars started organized team activities later this month. That\u2019s when players will start getting a better feel for one another \u2013 and when players will start talking about these things publicly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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David from Maplewood, NJ<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John, are you kidding? There is no way that is whole story. Still no idea what it is, maybe he is pissed at the team, maybe he hurt himself in some contractually penalizing way. We will probably never know for sure, but I will never be convinced that that dude who addressed the media all last year in the manner he did and cried at Poz’s retirement needs a mental health year off in his prime. Sorry not buying that.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Until we know details, it will remain tricky for someone who is not Smith \u2013 or who doesn\u2019t know him well \u2013 to assess \u201cthe whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Nick from Palatka, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Z, how much do you think Poz’s retirement had to do with Telvin Smith’s decline? Smith definitely had an off year last year \u2013 and now this. I really hope he gets it together, but if he follows through and really sits this year out I don’t see him coming back. Hope I’m wrong.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Smith and former Jaguars middle linebacker Paul Posluszny were very close. Smith looked up to Posluszny a lot. His retirement couldn\u2019t have been a positive for Smith. I can\u2019t say how much it hurt or what effect it had on Smith. I don\u2019t know Smith well enough to speculate on that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Josh from Pensacola, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Telvin Smith situation is disappointing to say the least, especially when just two seasons ago he said he wanted to be a leader on this team. He has been one of my favorite Jags since he came into the league. My question is do you believe this is an isolated incident or is there growing dissension on this team? It\u2019s starting to become concerning, but maybe I\u2019m overthinking things.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Dissension is defined as \u201cdisagreement that leads to discord.\u201d What\u2019s going on with Smith isn\u2019t dissension. There\u2019s nothing to suggest what\u2019s going on with Smith has anything to do with any Jaguars player other than Smith.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Touchdown from Festus, MO<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I would like to know if we are experiencing turmoil? Or is this a crisis? Telvin has blown many fans away with this whole-I’m-sitting-out-a-year deal. Maybe not, but I’m thinking the front office knew something was amiss with TS50. And Quincy fills that spot nicely in my mind … almost too nicely …<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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They have acquired five veteran linebackers and drafted a rookie \u2013 Quincy Williams \u2013 since the 2018 season ended. Of course the front office knew something was going on with Smith. They didn\u2019t know he was going to make the announcement he made Thursday, but they knew they needed to prepare for something.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jeremy from Dodge City, KS<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Quincy is a STAR! He needs to be put up on the front-page banner.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You go, girl \u2013 and stay in your lane.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mike from Atlanta, GA<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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With Nick Foles at quarterback, will the offense be more of an intermediate and downfield passing offense? If running back Leonard Fournette can bring the defense closer to the line, wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. is a size\/speed guy. With a quarterback who can accurately throw downfield, this could be an exciting offense.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That\u2019s certainly the hope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Bob from Sumter, SC<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Who is more valuable: a defensive end who can get you 10 sacks a year like Yannick Ngakoue or Jalen Ramsey, one of the best cornerbacks in the league? Your chances of finding a good \u2013 if not great \u2013 cornerback in the draft are more likely than finding a ten-sack defensive end. With only so many $100 million contracts to go around is a cornerback \u2013 as good as he is \u2013 worth that cap hit?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Double-digit-sack players are valuable \u2013 and if all else is equal, pass-rushing defensive end indeed trumps cover corner. But all else isn\u2019t equal here. Ramsey isn\u2019t just one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He is a player capable of changing games at his position, and he\u2019s capable of being an All-Decade\/Hall of Fame performer. There are great players and then there are transcendent ones. Ramsey has a chance to be transcendent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jason from Thousand Oaks, CA<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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John, you’re an actual genius, when it comes to football.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Yes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Matt from Fort Worth, TX<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I was mad we did not acquire Tyrod Taylor last season. I am now glad we have Nick Foles instead of TT. Pretty rare to have the opportunity to acquire a Super Bowl MVP. Hindsight is 20\/20. Also, I feel the need to put one in the ‘fer column for Ben Koyack. Is he the best tight end ever? No, but the guy ain’t bad for a seventh-round pick.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hey \u2026 one fer not being angry anymore, one fer signing Super Bowl Most Valuable Players and one fer Koyack I guess.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Scott from Nashville, TN<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Diehards want to see the division games at TIAA Bank Field because they’re supposed to be our biggest rivals. That said, our division kind of sucks from a popularity standpoint. We have two of the newest expansion franchises in Jacksonville and Houston, a team that was vilified for abandoning the City of Baltimore in the middle of the night, and another team that bailed on Houston. As much as I love seeing us battle those division foes, I always have the most elbow room at the stadium for the division games. I’d like to be upset when we lose a division game to London, but it has to be better for the bottom line. I let my friends be mad about it. Oh, and who cares who we play as long as we win!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Fair.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Richard from Starke, FL<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Is every night “New Year’s Eve?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Not for me. Not anymore. Not in a long, long while.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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