JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Logan from Wichita, KS:
We won the offseason again ... big whhoooppdeeedooo. Everyone is projecting us to go worse than 3-13 this year and players around the league already say we lose every game by 50 and have no respect for us. Why even bother drafting players this year? Not like anyone we draft can change our destiny of yet ANOTHER Top 5 pick next year.
John: You're absolutely right that the draft probably won't dramatically change the record next season, Logan. That's because the draft usually doesn't have a dramatic effect on the following season's record – contrary to all of the hype and emphasis we feel compelled to place upon it each season. But "everyone" is not projecting the Jaguars to go worse than 3-13 next season, and the notion that players around the NFL have no respect for the Jaguars is extreme at worst and misguided at best. And you know what? Whether people take your "whhooooppdeedoo" approach of dismissing hope for next season or the unreasonably giddy approach many took last offseason, the Jaguars' season is going to come down to a few things: the ability of Blake Bortles to improve his accuracy/decision-making, the ability of the team to rush the passer in key situations and the ability of the team overall to begin taking on the professional, tough identity of Doug Marrone and Tom Coughlin. I do believe the team will buy into the approach of Marrone and Coughlin and I'm willing to go with the idea that the tough, professional approach could yield fewer mistakes – and that will give the Jaguars a chance to push for .500 next season. Can that push happen? Is that push about the quarterback? Yeah, a lot of it is that. Because NFL.
Chris from Goodnight, TX:
Drafting Jonathan Allen would result in a logjam at the big end/five-tech defensive-tackle spots, would it not? Reminds me of when the Jets had Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson on the roster, but still drafted Leonard Williams. If it's even close in terms of talent, I'd rather see the Jaguars draft another position because there are only so many snaps to go around. Any thoughts on my thoughts?
John: I think Leonard Williams looks like he's going to be really good.
Marc from Oceanway:
What is "college free agency?"
John: College free agency is the term NFL executives use to refer to the signing of players who go undrafted in the NFL Draft. They are players not under contract and are free to sign with any team, so they are therefore correctly referred to as "free agents."
Mike from Navarre, OH:
Johnny O, I had a dream that the Jaguars won their first game of the season, 21-3. Here's to hoping it's true. Do we know who our first opponent will be? I know they haven't released dates. However, is this something that is known at this point?
John: It's not released yet, but it should be in the next few weeks. Either way, it sounds as if the season-opening opponent is in a lot of trouble.
Alan from Jacksonville:
Of all the plausible trade scenarios I've seen so far, the one that seems the likeliest is for the Jags to trade their No. 4 pick for Cleveland's No. 12. This would allow Cleveland to get the top defensive player and best quarterback in the draft. The trade chart says this would be worth Cleveland's No. 33 pick, giving us three picks in the first 35. That would give us the flexibility to get three quality players instead of just two. What say you?
John: I say what I always say when it comes to predicting trading in the draft. I always assume a trade won't happen until it happens because most pre-draft trades don't happen. I think it would be great for the Jaguars to trade down this offseason because there's not likely to be a dazzling, obvious player at No. 4. Because there's not likely to be a dazzling, obvious player at No. 4, it's unlikely a team will be dazzled enough to move up. Will the Browns like a quarterback enough to move up? It seems to me there's not a quarterback worthy of such a move. Here's hoping for the Jaguars' sake I'm incorrect.
Jim from Middleburg, FL:
John, Tom Coughlin's first pick was Boselli. Our defense is looking very good. It has been reported that the Jags' needs are left tackle, left guard, tight end and quarterback. There are lots of great players in this draft starting in the second round. So let's repeat Tom C.'s Rule No. 1 and draft Ryan Ramczyk at No. 4.
John: Whoa. Slow down there, Jim. First, I don't know that Draft Left Tackle At All Costs is really Coughlin's first rule, and remember: Coughlin selected Boselli 22 years ago. Not only was the NFL a different game then, but college football was, too. Boselli played college football when it was far more similar to the NFL with fewer spread offenses. Now, the rise of such offenses has helped to make it far more difficult to scout the position, and it arguably has caused there to be far fewer premium left tackles available. Perhaps Ramczyk will be a great player, but taking him at No. 4? That's a tough projection.
Mike from Atlanta, GA:
I realize this will be a rotation-heavy defensive line, but who will be the starters at defensive tackle? Will it be Malik Jackson and Sheldon Day, or Jackson and Abry Jones?
John: The Jaguars' starting defensive tackles likely will be Jackson and Jones.
Greg from Section 122 and Jacksonville:
I would like to weigh in on the Las Vegas-move thing. I personally think that these moves are going to decrease pretty quickly. Why? I think it is very obvious there are limited cities that can spend $750 million to get a team. Furthermore, I think there are even fewer that are going to be WILLING to do that in the future. Having the public end up paying for a team they have to then pay to go see? That is getting less palatable to the public every day. Especially when the people moving these teams are usually billionaires. In no other business does this happen. Ever. Curious on your thoughts. I think the Oakland, San Diego and other cities losing teams is a sign of the future. People are fed up paying for these stadiums that billionaires use to make money.
John: I think if a city wants an NFL team the city often is going to have to spend a lot of public money to have it, and I think that's especially true of a city that never has had the NFL. I think that always has been that way, but that the dollar figures are insanely high now. I do believe people are fed up with billionaires getting public money for stadiums, but unless the NFL becomes dramatically less popular I think there are usually going to be cities and areas willing to pay the billionaires because a lot of people think the NFL is cool. They like it.
Roger from Valdosta, GA:
Steve Young was a magical, Great Quarterback in the Sky that served as a backup.
John: Yes, he was.
Antony from Columbia, SC:
Jonathan Woodard is next in line behind our 30-plus-year-old defensive end? I was thinking we should get Leonard Fournette in Round One, but now I think we should get the defensive lineman from Stanford or from Alabama. Need some talented youth at that position. What say you, John?
John: I say I'm always fine with adding defensive line in the draft because you can never be too strong or good or deep there, but I also say it's not fair to assume that Jonathan Woodard isn't talented youth.
Mike from Atlanta, GA:
If A.J. Bouye plays as well as he did last year, he, Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Colvin are one of the best cornerback trios in the NFL. Cornerback may be the strongest position on the team. If the Jaguars get even an average pass rush they could have a very good pass defense.
John: Yes.
Chaun from St. Louis, MO:
If Reuben Foster falls to us in the second round, do you think we would draft him? What would be his role?
John: Foster, a linebacker from Alabama, is considered by many an elite, Top 10 level talent. That means he very possibly would be the best player available if he was still available when the Jaguars select early in the second round, so yeah … that selection makes sense. Foster being a linebacker, I imagine he would play … linebacker. He might not start this season if Myles Jack and Paul Posluszny are playing at a high level, but Posluszny isn't going to play forever and there's nothing wrong with second-round selections playing special teams and reserve roles for a year. In fact, that ideally would be the norm.
Glen from Orange Park, FL:
O, since we are going to have a 4-3 front seven does that mean we will stay clear of outside linebackers?
John: Ever?