JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …_
Nathan from St. Augustine, FL_
John, you have said the last wide receiver spot may come down to Rashad Greene Sr. and Jaydon Mickens. What will be most important in that decision, their ability to contribute in the passing game or their ability as a returner? You could argue Greene cost the Jags a couple games when he was the punt returner and Mickens helped win a couple games with big returns.
My thought entering training camp is this may not be a simple either-or, Mickens-Greene decision. If a player such as Dede Westbrook, for example, is deemed to be the Jaguars' best punt returner it could mean a player such as Greene having a chance to make the roster more for his abilities as a receiver than as a returner. If either Mickens or Greene is clearly the best returner, then that player could force his way onto the roster based on that. I honestly don't have a real strong feeling about how this will play out. Greene looked good enough in the offseason at wide receiver that I think the Jaguars could have a difficult time releasing him. I also think Mickens did enough as a punt returner last season that another receiver will have to look really good during preseason as a returner to keep the Jaguars from having him as their returner. We should know more here in five or six weeks. It's definitely a major storyline entering training camp.
Frank from St. Augustine, FL
Seen playing the clarinet at Stogies in St. Augustine. #FrenetteSighting
Yes.
Jess from Highland Park, IL
Best debut album - Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey. The Boss.
I'm a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen's first four or five albums. I believe in fact that those first five – Greetings; The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle; Born to Run; Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River – are in the conversation for the best first five albums by any artist. But I personally can't put Greetings in the same category of My Aim is True by Elvis Costello or The Clash by the Clash, Ramones by the Ramones or Look Sharp by Joe Jackson. Just me.
John from Jacksonville
As mid-July brings us closer to the end of the Dead Zone, August will bring much concern and angst about "X" having a bad practice or "Y" having a bad preseason game. Then, September will bring amnesia to all fans about the training camp and preseason games when the real action starts. What do you predict the first fire alarm in training camp will be? Blake Bortles throwing an interception? The coach (Head Coach Doug Marrone) forgetting his bologna? Frenette scheduling a concert gig at Daily's?
Any interception thrown by Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles anywhere – in practice, preseason games, in warmups, wherever … -- will cause at least the beginning tremors of collective anxiety for Jaguars fans. How many interceptions will it take for anxiety to become panic? One or two, I imagine. Fans always gonna fan.
Big on Blake from Philly
King John, I know I'm probably going to read a million Tony Romo prediction emails, but I'd just like to say it made me happy to hear that a) someone didn't lock in New England for the AFC; and b) Jags got their respect. With the three biggest opponents coming to our turf (New England, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh) I can see us with an early advantage in playoff seeding. If I were to ask you the same question, who would you pick the Jaguars playing against in the Super Bowl this year? ;)
The Minnesota Vikings.
Ed from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
I recently watched the last 2:50 of the playoff game between Jaguars and Bills. I was at the stadium, so I missed the benefits of TV coverage. Two things I concluded: 1) Until we get a tight end threat to move the ball, we are not taking it to the next level. 2) If it would had been the Patriots, Ramsey interception would had been called a drop.
The Jaguars signed tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins as an unrestricted free agent this offseason for exactly the reasons you cite – though an argument could be made that being a few minutes from the Super Bowl is a "relatively decent level." As far as the Ramsey interception against the Bills being called a drop had the Jaguars been playing New England in that game …
Stacey from East Arlington
On my laptop I use the Windows 10 "Reading View" option to convert O-Zone to text only, no ads. It's fantastic.
Thanks. I put a lot of effort into the design of jaguars.com.
Andy from St. Augustine, FL
Bro - Do you even football ...?
Jaguars 2018 Training Camp begins July 26 with players scheduled to report July 25. Rookies and first-year players are scheduled to report July 18 with quarterbacks reporting July 20.
Rob from Duval
New layout mandate aside, is there any chance of changing the light gray font on white background? No need to post this question but it does get a little tough getting through a whole article without my eyes feeling strained. Love everything you do.
Probably not, which isn't to say your issue isn't valid.
Ryan from Dearborn, MI
Johnny B. Goode - all this talk about the all-time Jaguar greats has me wondering: who would say is the greatest defensive player in Jaguars history? And who do you think will be the first defensive player in the Jags' Ring of Honor?
We'll leave out active players on the current team because it's too difficult to know how current players will project once their careers play out. I suppose I have to go with former defensive end Tony Brackens as my answer for both with a nod to cornerback Rashean Mathis and defensive tackle Marcus Stroud. I didn't cover Stroud or defensive tackle John Henderson during their time in Jacksonville, so if there are people who strongly believe they should be the answer I wouldn't argue vehemently. Brackens was the most disruptive Jaguars defensive player I personally watched extensively until last season; he changed games from the defensive side of the ball, which is something very few players can do. There are obviously many players on the current team – defensive end Calais Campbell, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Myles Jack, defensive tackle Malik Jackson, linebacker Telvin Smith, cornerback A.J. Bouye and many others – who eventually could be discussed in this conversation. Check back in 10 seasons or so. Or five.
Caradog from Cardiff, Wales
Math is always important O. Gene Frenette taught us that.
True that.
John from Jacksonville
Is it good or bad to be referred to as "that guy?" There are times that I longed to be "that guy" but lately I wonder if I want to stay away from being known as "that guy." What's your lean? Is being "that guy" the stud or the dud?
When it refers to me, it's "the stud." Obviously.
Chris from Mandarin, FL
As to whether any quarterback has changed their run style after an ACL tear when it was instinct ... look no further than Mark Brunell. He was an outstanding runner before receiving the cheap shot that forced him to change his game. He went on to play something like 14 more years in the NFL though, so I think he was okay.
To be entirely accurate, Brunell tore his medial collateral ligament in the 1997 preseason – and "only" partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament. But he did have to change his game a bit following that injury. You're right that Brunell was OK after that. He didn't remain a Pro Bowl level quarterback for long, and didn't stay a starting level player for as long as you might have expected, but a lot of quarterbacks would have liked to have had Brunell's career – before or after the knee injury.
Don from Lake Mary, FL and Section 35 Day 2
I bought two season tickets the second day they went on sale in 1994. Over the years I've had up to six at times and currently pay for four club seats. I've spent well over $100,000 on season tickets since the get-go and will continue to financially support my Jags moving forward. You can make an argument that without the loyal Jag fans that have supported the team since 1995, specifically the season ticket holders, the team might not still be in Jax. This is professional football; it's about the money, and not just what the owners and players earn but what the loyal fans shell out. Brian who likes poking bears clearly doesn't understand that if you've been a ticket buying fan since 1995 it damn sure is a Badge of Honor and newer fans of the team should at minimum understand that ... just saying.
You know what, Don? You're damned right.