JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Kevin from Jacksonville

There is a lot of hype and optimism around this new Jaguars regime. Frankly, I see it as more of the same old. With a lot of questionable moves. It seems we're starting over again. We'll see, I guess.

I not unexpectedly have received multiple versions of this email since the Jaguars' decision-making leadership team of Head Coach Liam Coen, General Manager James Gladstone and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli became official late last month – and you know what? Given the Jaguars' past, both recent and distant, this assessment is understandable and fair. While there is plenty of legitimate reason for optimism and hope around the franchise's new direction, Jaguars fans and observers have seen plenty of new directions in the last decade and a half – and every new direction brings with it a level of hope and optimism. The tone too often has changed once the games started. The thought here is that the reasons for hope with this regime are real. Boselli has brought with him an ability to set tone and communicate with common sense that should allow the football operations to work as one. Gladstone is as good a communicator as I've been around, and he has a reputation around the NFL as one of the league's brightest young evaluators. Coen has a similar reputation as an offensive mind and leader. As for the moves made so far, they for the most part have been about shedding cumbersome contracts and trying to add starters so they can move forward by building through the draft. There's nothing questionable or even all that unconventional about that. The key to roster building isn't as much the "grand plan" or vision as the ability to make good decisions, stay true to a vision and have some good fortune. I can't guarantee your skepticism isn't warranted. I can say I legitimately feel good about the people leading the Jaguars into the future.

Dwight from Naples, FL

Hey, OSH. Recently a lot of fans have asked who your boss is. Is it possible your boss is Eugene Fornette the Icon of Floods? Is it possible you get together with him and write your articles. I have a friend who asked me to ask you so just wondering?

I, too, spend a lot of time wondering about the identity of my boss. What I do know is it's absolutely not Boselli and I don't think it's longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette, either. I also know Gene and I don't get together to write my articles. That wouldn't work. I have a deadline to meet.

Bill from Neptune Beach, FL

Can I buy you a beer?

God yes.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

The truth is the young, ascending, apartment-dwelling duo of tight end Brenton Strange and wide receiver Parker Washington were virtually indistinguishable from the older, injury-riddled, luxury-estate owners – tight end Evan Engram and Christian Kirk in a similar number of starts. I'm sure the pros and cons were weighed carefully and a tough decision was made – and it makes sense. Engram and Kirk are solid pros and those aren't easy to find. They will be missed, but not that much because once you get past the Top 9 or 10 players or prospective top players it is actually more about the plays than the players.

I'm not sure exactly what you're last sentence means, and it's rarely – if ever – about plays over players in the NFL. Know this: The Jaguars didn't want to part ways with Engram and Kirk. They took no joy in releasing Engram or trading Kirk to the Houston Texans earlier this month. The moves were about moving on from players who had dealt with injuries in recent seasons – and were therefore less productive than in previous seasons – and realigning the salary cap. As for Strange and Washington … Strange indeed has shown he can be a versatile, every-down tight end – and the thought is he can excel in Coen's system. Washington also has a chance to be productive, though he must develop a bit to be compared favorably to a healthy version of Kirk.

Will from Jacksonville

How are YOU doing? Really?

Everything's great. Obviously.

Steven from Jacksonville Beach

Judging from the events of recent weeks, the Jaguars must have really hated their offensive line.

Hate's a strong word, and I have received no indication that the Jaguars feel that way about players such as left tackle Walker Little, left guard Ezra Cleveland and right tackle Anton Harrison. Those are the returning offensive-line starters from last season, and it's possible they could start along newly signed center Robert Hainsey and right guard Patrick Mekari. But make no mistake: The Jaguars' new regime absolutely is focused on dramatically upgrading the offensive line – not only because the area needs to improve, but because the group should and must be the identity of the team under Coen. He believes in a strong running game. Gladstone also has been vocal about the importance of the group protecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence. With that emphasis, it should be no surprise they signed not only Mekari and Hainsey in free agency but tackles Fred Johnson and Chuma Edoga. They also almost certainly will select at least one offensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft – perhaps somewhere in the first two days. No, the Jaguars didn't hate their offensive line before. But they sure want to love it moving forward.

Lawrence from Blair, NE

I think all those upset about the Gabe Davis contract need to remember two things. 1) It's just one bad, injury-marred year.; it hardly means his career is suddenly over. 2) $1 Million per RECEPTION: Jerry Porter, 2008. Cut after one season. Top 3 disaster FA signing, if not outright No. 1 in my opinion. Where would you place it?

Up there somewhere.

Jesse from Texas

For teams choosing in the Top 5, such as the Jags, do they generally know beforehand who the teams before them are going to pick?

Teams selecting so early generally have a decent idea who will be selected before they're on the clock, and all teams have projections/scenarios for how they draft will play out. But no one knows for absolute certain what players teams will select until teams make the selections.

Brad from The Avenues

Aren't all of our questions aimed at massaging our emotional well-being?

Fans fan. It's what they do.

Vincent from Jacksonville

Am I the only one who found it odd that the Jaguars couldn't stop the run last season and did NOTHING to address run defense in free agency?

You're not the only one who found this curious. But the Jaguars like a lot about their defensive front, particularly ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. They also believe veteran Arik Armstead can be strong inside at three technique and they like what second-year veterans Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson can bring inside along with nose tackle DaVon Hamilton. This isn't to say the Jaguars won't select interior defensive line early in the draft – perhaps at No. 5 – but they don't consider the area a weakness.

Mike from Atlanta, GA

I'm sorry, there was nothing in Jerry Porter's career that merited that salary. The year prior to signing with the Jaguars in 16 games he had 44 catches and 700 yards. That's less than three catches per game. Signing a 30-year old receiver with those stats on that salary was malpractice. That's not even the worst thing they did that year. That was the year they gave up half of the draft to move up to take defensive end Derrick Harvey at No. 8 who ended up with like 3.5 sacks in 3 years. Fun times!

You're living in the past, man.

Rob from St. Augustine, FL

Winning your division should only guarantee a playoff spot. Teams shouldn't get a home playoff game just because they were better than three other teams.

You're not alone in this opinion. But there are many within the league – and historically many, many people who run the league – who believe otherwise. There's a strong belief – perhaps left over from the days of fewer teams in the league with three divisions per conference – that winning the division should bring a significant reward. The flaw in that logic is that back in the day when there were only three divisions and four playoff teams in each conference, a division winner always had to go on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, I don't expect owners to change this when it gets considered at the NFL Owners Meetings later this month. The league wants the divisions to matter. If you take away the home-playoff-game incentive, they matter a lot less.

CaptBob from J-TOWN

In response to Gary, are you sure it wasn't Yogi who said that?

I'm not sure of anything anymore.