JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Chiana from München

Many fans are too negative looking at this year's team. We are like three-to-six plays from being 6-7 and in the hunt for the fourth or seventh seed. The Travis Etienne Fumble in Week 1, any third-and-long against Houston, the interception versus the Philadelphia Eagles in the end zone to end the game. Yes, the results really sucked this year, bad teams find ways to lose as the Jags did, but this team is not as bad as it looked. Discussions about coaching and the general manager are valid, but this team should be way closer to a wild-card team than the other teams with 9-to-11 losses. It's still far from being a real contending team, as the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions games told us, but nothing which can't be changed within two seasons. So, let's enjoy some wins to end the season. The players deserve those and culture-building in the locker room and learning to finish games already starts now!

There's truth here, though this is not a particularly popular opinion as the Jaguars enter a home game against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium Sunday. While the Jaguars are a disappointing 3-10 this season, they indeed in many ways aren't that much different from the team that finished 9-8 the past two seasons. A play or two here or there and the record – and the feeling – around this team this season would be different. This is why it's usually best to make measured decisions regarding change rather than quick-trigger decisions immediately after tough losses. That doesn't mean there will be change after the season. It doesn't mean there won't be change after the season. It means the season and structure are usually best seen through a wide view.

John from Ramsey, NJ

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Why can't the Jags' fanbase realize that losing the rest of the games this season for a higher draft pick is worse than winning the rest of the games to set up a winning culture to springboard into next season? I'd much rather hear the broadcasters say, "and here come the Jaguars, who haven't lost a game since November of 2024." We had so many season of early first-round picks. Realistically, they have not played up to early first-round picks. I believe our biggest need is a shutdown corner again… one that wants to play for and stay with the Jaguars. Am I wrong in my thinking?

I expect corner will be a priority in the 2025 NFL Draft. But from this view, the Jaguars' biggest need is being more stout and more dominant on the interior of both sides of the line. I would have hard time passing on the most dominant defensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft. I also would have a hard time passing on early round interior offensive linemen if I thought they would make the offensive line nastier and more of a team identity.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

The higher the draft pick, the better the player, right ? Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt, Sauce Gardner, Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Penei Sewell, Saquon Barkley, Khalil Mack, CeeDee Lamb, etc., etc. .... All No. 1 overall picks, right?

Point taken.

Rob from Orange Park, FL

I don't want us to tank for draft position for all the reasons you mentioned in a response (players pride, etc.), but I still want them to lose. Weird.

The Jaguars have lost too much for too long. This has caused various emotions for various fans for various reasons. Nothing's "wrong" right now. Emotions are high.

Andrew from Panama City, FL

I'd like to attempt to put the draft position debate to bed by pointing out that the Jaguars have had no shortage of early draft picks the last 20 years and are currently one of the worst teams in the league. I rather doubt their future hinges on picking first instead of 5th this time.

One fer doing a little winning.

Rob from the duuuuuuuu

Have you guys (media) asked the coaches why they continue to play Armstead out of position? You keep joking about that information as if it is impossible to ascertain but the media could just continue to ask the coaches why they continue to make this decision. Although players must make plays, it is pretty universally agreed upon that a coach's job is to put players in the best position to be successful. We clearly have a player playing out of position and therefore not giving the team the best chance to be successful. Why hasn't the media asked Head Coach Doug Pederson and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen about this more often? Why don't you guys press them as to why we never see our best defensive linemen on the field at the same time? I think it is important for fans to know who is making that particular decision and why. Has this been addressed in press conferences?

I have written about this multiple times. I don't recall joking about it. The Jaguars consider Arik Armstead a defensive end who plays defensive tackle in passing situations. They believe in rotating Armstead and defensive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. This is why they signed Armstead. Yes, this has been asked. And answered.

John from Jacksonville

It used to be NFL football was only about the Super Bowl party. Then I took my 12-year-old son to the Jaguars' first preseason game. Here I am all these years later still cheering every first down. Jaguars football has become a weekly family get together with three generations of fans. We would NEVER root for them to lose. 1999 still stings so it was a pleasure to see them come out of Nashville with a victory. We don't have season tickets but the whole family is going to the home game against the Tennessee Titans. Why would someone waste their money on tickets when the season is already over? To see them sweep the Titans with a win. That's what fans do. DTWD.

Yep.

Jason from Jacksonville

An O-Zone reader suggested we were stuck with Gabe Davis for another year, is this true?

Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis, after signing as an unrestricted free agent in March, has a salary cap figure of $6.7 million for 2025 with a $20.3 million dead-cap figure. It would be expensive from a cap perspective to release Davis before the end of the '25 season. It's quite the contract.

Anita from Springfield

I still think safety Andre Cisco is quite talented and capable, and feel like we're better than worse when he's on the field. But based on decreasing snaps it seems the coaches disagree. What would you say is the likelihood of him sticking around into next year, and can he play well enough the rest of the year to do so?

The coaches absolutely disagree. I would be very surprised if Cisco is with the Jaguars next season.

Marcus from Jacksonville

While I can see the point that fans are making about the Jaguars ruining their draft position by winning, I'm more concerned with them creating the illusion that they're moving in the right direction as the season comes to a close. Every season, there seems to be something that gives the perception that we're just a couple pieces away from contention. There always seems to be a reason for the owner and other decision-makers to think that tweaks are all that is needed, when wholesale changes are really what's needed. We don't need a couple more pieces, or some veteran leadership to push us over the top, we need an overhaul at several key positions. A winning streak to end the season may give Owner Shad Khan the idea that we're headed in the right direction, so I want them to lose to make sure we get the changes we need, not just so they can pick higher in the draft.

I don't know what decisions Khan will make at the end of the season. Your concerns are valid and your opinion is shared among many fans. There are also benefits to continuity, and there's a reality that not all that has happened under the current regime is bad. There has been success. There have been strong signings and good draft selections. There also have been mistakes. The 2022 free-agency class was about as good as is possible for a free-agent class. The 2024 free-agency class was not nearly as good. Bottom line: The Jaguars' 2024 season has been disappointing enough that change wouldn't be surprising. Whether we will see change remains very much to be seen.

Jaypee from The Vortex

Ooohhh nooooo!!! We might not get the first overall pick. The jags will suck without it! Wait how many top 10 picks have we had in the last decade? How many Ttop 5? How many No. 1 overalls? And where has that got us? Last place. I think we might need wins a little more.

OK.