JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Jeff from Atlantic Beach, FL

Well, that escalated quickly.

I have received multiple such emails in recent days as the Jaguars have made moves to prepare for the start of the 2025 League Year next Wednesday – and I confess I remain a bit bemused by this reaction. Yes, the Jaguars are absolutely making roster changes. These changes reportedly include trading wide receiver Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and releasing players such as tight end Evan Engram, wide receiver/returner Devin Duvernay, cornerback Ronald Darby and wide receiver Josh Reynolds. Center Mitch Morse also announced his retirement Thursday. I suppose this was an "escalation" in the sense that there wasn't much Jaguars news Monday and then there was a lot of news in the last few days. But seen against the backdrop of what was expected this offseason this week was from this view pretty standard stuff. Releasing Duvernay and Darby – and having Morse retire – meant moving on from a lot of last offseason's "odd" free-agency period, and the Kirk and Engram moves weren't remotely unexpected considering the duo's health last season and projected salary-cap numbers for 2025. I'm not trying to dismiss the news value of the week. Or the attachment to Engram and Kirk. But in terms of shock value there wasn't much there and it's hard for a reasonable observer to see the week's moves as anything but logical and necessary.

Dave from Section 103

Hey, O. I don't get it. If the Jags can have 90 players on their offseason roster, why release players until they need the salary cap? I can understand if a player is a malcontent, but our coaching staff hasn't even had face to face contact with these guys. Enlighten me.

NFL rules mandate that teams be under the salary cap by the start of the NFL League Year Wednesday, March 12, at 4 p.m. But this week's moves aren't simply about being under a number at a certain date. They're about getting the salary cap where the Jaguars' decision-makers want it so that they can make better manage the roster – i.e., plan the future and pursue free agents – moving forward. Some of the week's moves were about the cap and some were about moving in a different direction under a new regime, and most were a combination of the two.

KC from Orlando, FL

KOAF - trying to understand the intricacies of the salary cap with the Kirk trade. From my understanding, the only difference between an outright release and the trade is just that we got a pick and no other salary cap implications, or am I missing something?

You are not missing anything. At least not when it comes to this question.

Jason from Yomitan, Okinawa

Are we in complete rebuild mode now? Watching Kirk go to the Texans for a seventh-round pick and then releasing Engram gives me a queasy feeling in my stomach – like we are going to suck for another two to three years while the rest of the division passes us by.

It depends what you mean by "rebuild mode." Will this Jaguars offseason be about change? Yes. But that was to be expected. When you change the general manager and head coach, and add an executive vice president of football operations, there's going to be change. Remember, too: The Jaguars finished 4-13 last season. When that happens, there's almost always going to be change. So in that sense, the Jaguars are building differently and moving in a new direction. But if you mean "rebuild" in the sense of not expecting to win very much for two or three seasons … no, that's not when this regime is thinking.

JT from Palm Coast, FL

Sure, let's trade Kirk to a rival for a crap seventh-round pick. That is a very Baalke thing to do. Awesome!!!

The Jaguars were going to release Kirk had they not traded him. Trading him simply meant getting compensation as opposed to getting nothing. Would it have been nice if they had traded him out of the division? I suppose. Are we overplaying the fact that they traded him to a division rival? A case could be made.

Charles from Riverside

Hello, John. It seems our expectations with the new regime are a bit high? While the change was evidently needed, and brings new hope for the Jags, isn't this the start of a Rebuild? I remember when no one expected an immediate major one-year winning turnaround at the start of a Rebuild, and if it happened it was very rare. When all the dust settles, what do you think we should expect this coming season regarding wins? Back in the day, six wins in the first year of a total Rebuild would have been great.

I can't speak for expectations of individual fans. The regime expects to compete immediately. I expect the Jaguars to at least push to be around .500 next season. That's a very general expectation because Jaguars haven't signed a free agent or drafted a player or practiced yet under this new regime.

Pedal Bin Barnborough, Hampshire, UK

Oh Mighty 'O' / King Of All Funk, I am a bit surprised at all the angst over the recent player transactions and claims "the offence got weaker." That's the offence that won four games last season?

This is correct. I googled it.

Colin from Sanford, FL

I know it's just a business, John. But I think every person in the stadium in the aftermath of the dirty hit on Trevor Lawrence would agree that Evan Engram earned his keep for the next year. Sadly, Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone wasn't one of those people.

I expect Gladstone would have made a similar decision if he had attended the game to which you refer.

Mario from West Kelowna, BC

Well, that's the salary cap for you. It's all about the money. And not that our new GM needs defending but even if the previous GM had not been fired Kirk and Engram would also have been a salary cap casualty.

Very possibly.

JT from Palm Coast, FL

Let's see what this Gladstone guy can do, I suppose. One thing is for sure, a lot of change is on the horizon.

Fans clamored for a clean break. When they're a clean break, players with high salary cap figures often are part of the break.

The real JT from Plano, TX

The thing that makes me most sad about losing Evan Engram is the loss of what he represented to Jags culture: teammate. I get the injuries and the business of the NFL, sure. But remember who the first person was to race over and stand up and light up Al Shaair after the cheap shot on quarterback Trevor Lawrence last season: EE. Somehow even got fined for it. That kind of teammate seems hard to find today. Hope we do find the next one, and I'll give the new general manager the benefit of the doubt, but wish No. 17 the absolute best in what's ahead for him. One fer.

Yep. One fer Engram. No doubt.

Deane from HIll AFB via Daytona Beach

Yo O-Zone!!! The idea of bringing back Calais Campbell is intriguing. I think it would allow for us to really rotate our front line with Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson and allow them to learn from some amazing defenders. Also, I believe it would allow us flexibility with our first-round pick; whether that is stay put and pick the BPA or move back to get someone we really covet that might not be the right value at pick five. What says you, O-Zone???

Predicting free agency is a fool's game because you never know the interest level of a player, or of other teams. I wouldn't rule out the Jaguars trying to sign Campbell next week. I have no idea the likelihood of this happening.

Tony from Jax

Love the changes! Must destroy this failing team to rebuild. Lots of free agents and draft prospects who I prefer over these ex-Jags.

One fer the changes.

Rich from Dacula

It has been stated that the Jags have more draft selections over the next two drafts. We have good cap management from the previous administration, so what was the real story on why our general manager lost his job. Was it age, personality, a previous disagreement, etc?

Many issues factor into such a major decision. Four and 13 played into it. A realization that it was time to move on and reset the direction did, too.

Dmiz from Jax 904

"There's plenty about me I don't like all that much, probably because I know myself better than anyone else and am forced to spend a lot of time with me. I am the king of all funk." That's, like, super funny. I cracked up when I read that.

I'll be here all week.