JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Sam from Winter Park, FL
The Josh Oliver trade just looks weird now considering we are kicking the tires on a 33-year-old ex-quarterback.
I understand there currently is a Tim Tebow obsession among many Jaguars fans and observers. Again. I don't share it, because I just don't see the idea that the Jaguars could potentially sign him as a tight end as a flashpoint moment for the organization. If the Jaguars sign him and he makes the team, it's wonderful. If they sign him and he doesn't make the team, there's no harm. I don't expect that anyone in the organization realistically believes he's going to the Pro Bowl. I don't know that anyone in the organization realistically believes he will make a dramatic difference to the tight-end position. If he's signed, it's to see if it might help in some way. As far as any weirdness, the Jaguars didn't have confidence that former tight end Josh Oliver was going to contribute significantly. That's why they traded him to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason. I suppose Oliver and Tebow are connected somehow to some people. If so, so be it. But one really just doesn't have all that much to do with the other.
Michael from Phoenix, AZ
Zone, Jaguars Owner Shad Khan is a businessman, and one of his goals is to fill the stadium. Tim Tebow assists this goal. If he can suit up and not embarrass himself on the field, he makes the team in some capacity – even if he is not active on gameday.
Tebow signing with the Jaguars certainly would create interest. His popularity is real. But if he signs and plays for the Jaguars this season, it will be a Head Coach Urban Meyer decision. Not a Shad Khan decision.
Corey from Glen St. Mary, FL
The Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer duo gives me such an expectancy that this team is bound to do well. There is an atmosphere building across the fan base, and it's an atmosphere of hope. Still, with hope on the rise, the Jaguars are still at the bottom of people's lists of "Good Teams." Is this the year Jacksonville rises on that list, and is taken seriously?
Perhaps.
_Nick from St. Augustine, FL _
Hi, John. The draft was fun. We selected some promising young athletes. But what's next? We have a rookie minicamp and then...?
The Jaguars are scheduled to open their rookie camp Friday, May 14. Organized team activities are scheduled to be held May 24, May 26-27, June 1, June 3-4 and June 7-10 with a mandatory minicamp to be held June 15-17.
Justin from Jacksonville
If the Jags were serious about signing Tebow, wouldn't they have done it already? This feels like the longer he's not signed, the less likely it happens.
Fair.
Frank from Jacksonville
This franchise played a game each year across the pond to help secure the franchise financially in Jacksonville, so why are you so quick to dismiss the Jaguars hosting a Hard Knocks? Wouldn't this be good for the franchise and possibly open the door to new fans across the country which could help increase our fan base, and revenue. If we are willing to pack up all our gear and fly to another country for a home game, why wouldn't we do Hard Knocks?
Perhaps the Jaguars will do Hard Knocks some year. I don't get the sense Meyer would want to do it in 2021 because of the importance of this training camp to establishing the franchise's new culture in his first season. It would seem that Hard Knocks cameras being a constant present over several weeks could run counter to that whereas a home game in London essentially is a three-day proposition. Also: the revenue from a game in London helps the revenue situation in "real time." Financial benefits from Hard Knocks may be real, but they are less concrete in the short-term. Either way, I don't see it this year. We'll see.
Daniel from Jersey City, NJ
O-man, are you "all in" for next season?
Sure.
Russ from Jacksonville
Big O, if a drafted player gets in trouble with the law before signing their contract, can they be released? Would that effect our cap? Thanks as usual for your expertise.
A player is not under contract until he signs the contract. A player would not count against the salary cap if he were released before signing a contract.
Pradeep from Bangalore, India
Hi, John. Who will be more comparable to Pocket Hercules, MJD, between J Rob or Etienne? With new regime around, hope we won't lose rare gem unearthed by a previous Jags regime.
I don't know that I see a good comparison between former Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and either Travis Etienne Jr. or James Robinson. Etienne is a burner with make-you-miss ability and Robinson's strength is special vision and awareness that allows him to maximize runs. Jones-Drew, while explosive, was more of a bowling ball and was perhaps a combination of Etienne and Robinson. But I admit I'm not the best at comparisons. Maybe Etienne or Robinson is more like Jones-Drew than I can see.
Clod from Yamacraw Junction
I keep reading about quarterbacks having to learn different systems with different coaches. What's a system?
Offensive approach, scheme, philosophy, play-calling, game planning.
Steve from Nashville, TN
Curious what your eyes go to first when the schedule comes out: the bye week, the cold-weather games, the London game, west-coast games and prime-time games?
Bye week, prime-time games, London game, west-coast games and cold-weather games. In something like that order, I guess.
Jeffrey from Middleburg, FL
We all think, heck ... know … Meyer is a top-shelf coach and I'm pretty sure he thinks that way, too. Since it's always coaching, and with his recent comments about it being time to "coach them hard" ... how much of a difference does this caliber of staff make on a young team?
We'll see.
Don from Marshall NC
Do you see the Jaguars' defense playing more man to man? The Kansas City Chiefs lead the league playing man about 60 percent of the time. Go Jaguars!
Yes, I expect the Jaguars to play more man-to-man defense next season. That's why the Jaguars have focused on the secondary this offseason, not only signing Shaquill Griffin as an unrestricted free agent and re-signing Sidney Jones IV and Tre Herndon, but selecting Tyson Campbell No. 33 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Meyer has talked about wanting to play more man-to-man coverage and needing to cover better than the team did last season. I don't know what percentage they will play, but the objective is to be a good man-to-man team.
Julio from Southern California
O, what are the changes of a Taven Bryan for Hayden Hurts trade before the season starts?
Traaaaade Maaaaachiiiine!!!!
Ray from Vernon
Hey Zone, I have watched Luke Farrell's tape. He looks like a pass-catching machine. Granted, highlight tape won't show drops and such, but coming from a fan I hope he becomes a beast tight end for the Jags. Do you think he has what it takes to become a dependable tight end in this league? Thanks O-Man for your daily read.
Farrell, a 2021 fifth-round selection from Ohio State, appears to have potential. The Jaguars believe he can help quickly as a blocker and be a second option to Chris Manhertz in that role. We'll see if he becomes more than that.
Brian from Gainesville, FL
Big O, is there a sense among NFL coaches that they can teach players who aren't already good how to be good? Take Tyson Campbell: he has physical traits for days and by all means checks Coach's box for speed. But he was just not at all productive in college, and not because quarterbacks were afraid to throw at him. Do the Jaguars coaches believe they can teach him how to play cornerback after his college coaches failed?
I don't know that the Jaguars personnel people and coaches would agree that Campbell "failed" in college. There was some speculation among draft analysts and observers that Campbell is purely an outside corner and that he can't play inside. Jaguars coaches disagree with this and believe he can be an effective nickel corner. I suppose in that sense they believe they can get production from Campbell at a position where others doubt the player – and yes, there are cases where NFL coaches often believe they can get more from a player than many expect. Sometimes they're wrong. Sometimes they're right. Stay tuned.
Daniel from Jersey City, NJ
O-man, I don't like the Tebow distraction, but whatever what I think about that doesn't matter. What does matter is if Tebow makes the team, will we be able to deploy the best trick play ever by having Tebow through the ball to himself now that he is a tight end?
That's a good play. It's not as good as the old 23 Skiddoo, but it's up there.
