JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Andrew from Windsor, Ontario:
It is starting to increasingly look like it will go quarterback and quarterback with the first and second picks (via reports all over the place). Would this limit the trade opportunities that we may have had via having a top quarterback available at No. 3 in other scenarios?
John: I'm not nearly as convinced as many seem to be that it's going to go quarterback-quarterback at the top of the first round of the draft next month, but there's going to be so much talk and smokescreen in the coming weeks that we probably won't have a clear idea on this until draft night. The Jaguars probably will have trade opportunities with the No. 3 selection whoever remains on the board, but if Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston are indeed gone that will mean Leonard Williams remains. Will there be a trade possibility for the Jaguars in that scenario? Yes, almost certainly. But I don't know that a trade will look all that appealing to David Caldwell in that scenario because the idea of drafting Williams could look awfully good, too.
Will from Jacksonville:
If Shad Khan makes more money having one game in London, isn't it a matter of time before he realizes that he will make even more money playing 10 games in London?
John: Khan arrived in the United States essentially with nothing and is now worth more than $4 billion. He owns professional teams in two sports. He is a smart man – certainly smart enough to know that he can make more money in London than Jacksonville playing 10 games there. And without question he already knows this. That's the short-term, and it's also assuming that Khan only is in this for the money. Yes, money is important, and the Jaguars must make enough to have a sustainable model. London helps in that, but if Khan wanted to move the Jaguars he would have no reason to make the sincere, significant efforts to strengthen the Jaguars in Jacksonville and the Jacksonville market. London is a part of the Jaguars equation; it is not the entire equation and the plan doesn't call for it to be that way in the future, either.
Chris from Jacksonville:
With his recent failed drug test, there is talk Randy Gregory could slide down the draft board. Let's say Leonard Williams falls to us at No. 3 and we take him … do you think we move up to grab Randy Gregory if he falls to the 20s? Those would be some really great additions to the D-Line.
John: Those would seem to be great additions and I doubt the Jaguars would completely scratch Gregory from their draft board because of the positive test. I also doubt many teams would lower his grade so far that he would slide into 20s, so while your scenario is intriguing, it's doubtful.
David from Durban, South Africa:
Why do fans have difficulty with envisioning Lee and Robinson on the outside and Blackmon in the slot? They have short memories. He was a beast in the slot and a nightmare to cover. Strong hands, physically imposing and fearless over the middle, not to mention a lack of deep speed sounds like a slot receiver to me. What's the problem here?
John: Blackmon indeed could play the slot, and while I understand fans love envisioning where Blackmon might play, it's important to remember that the Jaguars simply aren't spending much time on this subject. While I have written often that I believe there is a good chance Blackmon could play next season – and that if he does play he will play with the Jaguars – the Jaguars are not counting on that to happen. That's not a change in Blackmon's status; it's just a reminder that until he is on the field or at least in the facility all of the Blackmon talk is talk.
Mike from St. Mary's, GA:
So, I guess we can rule out Randy Gregory.
John: At No. 3? Sure, but it hadn't looked like he was going to be a top three or four selection for quite a while, anyway.
Frank from Jacksonville:
Did Caldwell make any effort to sign C.J. Spiller? If not, why not?
John: Because Caldwell has a different plan at running back. The Jaguars have acquired eight players of significance in the last month. Teams don't sign every player available at every position.
Kevin from Kingstowne, VA:
If the is the common consensus is that if you find a franchise quarterback you can expect years of success, why don't teams simply use their first three or four picks on a quarterback and hope one pans out as the long-term solution? All other positions can be filled in free agency or with good coaching. Thoughts?
John: I think your second sentence is proof that just because something is written with confidence and a tone of authority doesn't make it true. But drafting three or four quarterbacks in one draft simply isn't realistic because there's no way more than two would get enough repetitions in practice or games to have any idea whether he was a long-term solution or not.
Jeff from Jacksonville:
Can a team trade its supplementary picks the way it can trade regular draft picks? Or does the league mandate basically "force" that team and that team only to use that pick?
John: Supplemental selections cannot be traded, though having a supplemental selection or two can make teams more willing to trade other draft selections. In that way, they do give teams some added draft-weekend flexibility.
Ralph from Jacksonville:
John, you have written often about the young roster and the need for first- and second-year players to develop as keys to the progress we expect to see this year. Do you agree Gus needs to show improvement as well? I am not one who thinks he is on the hot seat. I think highly of him and appreciate the enthusiasm he brings, an enthusiasm that our recent free-agent acquisitions also made note of. But I think he has progressed and will have to progress further for this team to achieve the goals being set for them. Your thoughts?
John: Sure, Bradley can improve. I think he'd be the first to tell you that. I think he feels like he has improved the offensive coaching staff, and I think he'd tell you that he has learned a lot transitioning from being a coordinator to a head coach. It's a little tough to gauge coaching when your team is significantly less talented than the opposition and that has been the case the past two seasons, so I think we'll see a lot more about Bradley and the entire staff this season.
Jim from Jacksonville:
Zone. The table is still square! That is all for now.
John: Wait! What?
Anthony from Duval:
Dave says a slot receiver is still a priority and couldn't address it in free agency with the Packers retaining Cobb. Does this mean he will give Amari Cooper a hard look at No. 3 with him being the more polished receiver in the draft? I can only imagine how the addition of Julius and Amari will hasten Blake's development.
John: Yes, do think the Jaguars will study Cooper closely before the draft. Jaguars wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan attended Cooper's Pro Day earlier this month and Cooper is among the draft-eligible players who reportedly will visit Jacksonville. My guess remains that the Jaguars will go pass rusher, but a trade down and a pretty deep draft at receiver and pass rusher? Hmmmmmmm …
Ben from Indianapolis:
I have in my mind that this year is a win-win for us as it pertains to the quarterback. Either Blake Bortles improves his mechanics and shows signs he can be a successful quarterback or this offseason we spend franchise money signing Nick Foles to a long-term deal after he lights it up for a year in St. Louis. Am I a deranged lunatic?
John: I have no idea if you're deranged or a lunatic. I suppose your Foles theory could play out – in theory – but that's a big leap. Realistically, we're talking about two players in Bortles and Foles who have yet to show if they're franchise quarterbacks. Bortles struggled as a rookie with a very young offense. Foles had one very good season in Chip Kelly's system in Philadelphia in 2013 and had another good season while playing half the games this past season. Will he be as effective in a different system? We'll see. Will the Jaguars even need to remotely consider such a scenario? We'll see about that as well.
Steve from Jags Beach:
Here is my question regarding every player who will soon be cut or released from every other roster in the league for whatever reason: I was reading this site that said this thing about this player and who had this issue but has great skills even though he's above a certain age. Do you think we should try and pick him up if the price is right or should we count on our younger player to develop and just move on?
John: Good question. Sign them all.