JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Russell from Cincinnati, OH
When the Jaguars fail to make the playoffs, will Grandpa Coughlin, Bologna Man Marrone and The Youngster feel the Wrath of Khan as Shad has promised? We need youth and innovation ... not a VP and Coach who can't relate to these players.
Jaguars Owner Shad Khan never promised to show "Wrath," though he did say following last season that more was expected this season. How much more Khan expected only time will tell. I expect Khan's decision regarding the future of the franchise to be based on the same factors on which he always bases these decisions – i.e., what's best for the organization based on circumstances at the time. While Khan has been criticized for retaining Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin, General Manager David Caldwell and Head Coach Doug Marrone following last season, remember: This was a franchise a year removed from the AFC Championship Game, coming off an injury-wrecked season. Maintaining direction made sense. As far as Coughlin and Marrone not relating to Jaguars players, I suppose the basis for this is the Jalen Ramsey situation. I don't care how young, old, innovative, stodgy or whatever anyone is … relating to someone who doesn't want to be told anything he does is remotely wrong, and who can't handle being told to play within a team concept … well, the Jaguars' higher-ups weren't the first people not to be able to "relate" to this situation, and it would be shocking if they were the last.
Otto from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
John, do you think this is another 5-11 season? If not, why not? Go Jags!!
No. Because I think the Jaguars will win at least four more games.
Jack from St. Augustine, FL
Someone within the organization should call out Ramsey for quitting on them, whether it's a player or a coach, because it doesn't matter how mad at Coughlin you are, don't punish your teammates for it.
No one needs to "call anything out." Sometimes, it's OK to take the high road – and this is one of those times. People know what happened. Ramsey knows what happened. The teammates he so "loved" … believe me: They absolutely know what happened. It doesn't need to be said publicly.
Edward from Los Angeles, CA
Jalen is in for a rude awakening here in LA. Nobody really cares about football here, much less about him. No one will treat him like royalty and roll out the red carpets. His ceiling here is basically that of a C-list celebrity -- and sightings of them here are a dime a dozen. People aren't going to recognize him on the streets or in the club. He'll be an anonymous nobody. Narcissists tend to have a real problem with that.
That won't matter as long as he has teammates to love.
Mark from Richmond, VA
Seemed kinda weird when linebacker Myles Jack and cornerback A.J. Bouye were being interviewed Thursday. They were trying to be all PC when answering questions about the trade, but you could hear screaming from other players, then Jack would have a smirk. Man, I would love to know the real vibe in the locker room. Do you really think our guys feel like 20 quit on them? Or are they like "Go get your money any way you can?" To some degree I think that some players might not like what he did but would never say it. It's all about the money, though, right? I don't know what to think anymore but I'm juuuuuuust about ready to move on.
I've told readers the real vibe about this, but I will again: Players support players when they're seeking better contracts, and they always publicly support offseason actions toward that end. They also will support teammates if those disputes extend into the season. But once the season is underway and once a player is committed to that season, then there becomes an element of, "We're in this together and fighting for one goal." When Ramsey requested an in-season trade following an incident in which he perceived himself to be disrespected, that went outside doing what a player must do for his family or for his financial security. That was much more about "I didn't get treated the way I wanted to, and I didn't like getting yelled at by somebody." To want off the team based on that seemed to cause the locker room to lose patience with the situation. Players wanted Ramsey on the Jaguars. They know he made them better. They didn't dislike Ramsey. But after years of being around him, they also knew what he was about and knew he approached things about Ramsey first and team second. That's why there never was locker-room division over his situation. It got to the point by the end of the Ramsey saga that there was a collective eyeroll and a weariness with the act. Again: they didn't hate it. It didn't cause division. It just was what it was. They would have preferred him to stay because of his talent, but it wasn't if they lost a leader or someone core to the fiber of the locker room. They lost a great player, but not necessarily a great teammate or friend.
George from Savannah, GA
The only delusional thought is your own thinking that Coughlin had nothing to do with Ramsey leaving. If Marrone had been allowed to handle this situation with Ramsey, ask the players if they think the same outcome would have occurred.
I never said Coughlin had nothing to do with Ramsey wanting to leave. I'm sure Ramsey believed he had been disrespected by Coughlin. But know this: If Ramsey believes he was "disrespected" by Coughlin saying he wanted him at voluntary activities last offseason and by management telling him his behavior in Houston was wrong … were either of those actions by the team so outrageous to have made a player want to leave? Were those actions that disrespectful? Yes, Coughlin could have gone without saying he wanted Ramsey at organized team activities, but that's a comparatively minor transgression. As for Ramsey being spoken to following his behavior in Houston … did anyone expect that not to be addressed? Really?
John from Jacksonville
What are the chances the Jags use some of their draft picks to acquire a veteran tight end? Would you trade the 2020 picks or the 2021 picks?
I would be shocked if the Jaguars traded a first-round selection for a veteran tight end. I wouldn't be surprised if they traded a lower-round selection.
Brandon from Louisville, KY and Section 412
When will people stop asking about former players? We have three huge games coming up in this schedule that are very winnable and would change the course of the season!
People will stop asking about any player – current or former – when that player stops interesting them, but you're right: The next three games are critical. The Jaguars need to win all three, but they absolutely can't lose more than one.
Daniel from Jacksonville
As one of the fans that apparently pays your salary, I am only here for the trolling of fan questions. Keep it coming.
About that salary, Daniel… Ya got some 'splainin' to do.
Jim from Jacksonville
Do teams have to play in London if they don't want to?
Yes, but most teams want to.
Steve from Comfortable Living Room Couch
Why can't the NFL move home Jags games to 4 p.m. in the early part of the season? Revenue from having only a few choice 4 p.m. games and the Jags aren't "choice?" They show great concern for players health. How about those dozen or so fans that get heat stroke every game? How about the dangerous sun exposure risking later skin cancer? Do the fans need to initiate a class action suit a la the concussed former players? There is no forum for Jags fans to formally request game times out of the hottest part of the day. Is it time for Duuuval nation to unionize?
There's no forum to formally request such things because the league's not going to schedule games that way, and the reason the league doesn't schedule more 4 p.m. games is the league and its television partners want a national viewership for those games to boost ratings and therefore revenue. I would be all for starting games later in the day and I would be all for anything to make home games cooler for fans, but I wouldn't bet on seeing a major move to 4 p.m. starts in September and October for Florida teams.
Roger from Houston, TX
This hole just might be getting too deep.
The Jaguars' hole isn't too deep. They're 2-4 with winnable games the next two weeks against teams – the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets – with one victory between. The hole will get deep for real if the Jaguars lose either of those games.
