JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Randy from Jacksonville Beach, FL:
John, I was very disappointed to see Ryan Davis had been released. It seems like he was a very productive player to not be able to find a role on this team.
John: The Jaguars haven't officially made public their moves to a 53-man roster. That must be done by Saturday at 4 p.m., so we'll have more extensive coverage of the moves on jaguars.com sometime that day. But when Davis tweeted on Friday that he had been released, I must say I was disappointed on a personal level. He was great story and a nice guy, a player who had made the roster as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and stuck with the team through the first three seasons of a new regime. That's not easy in the NFL. Davis had been effective as an interior rusher while playing Leo end the past three seasons, but the team moved him to Otto linebacker this offseason. Ultimately, he was the victim of an improving roster. I believe he'll get a chance to play elsewhere. Here's wishing good fortune to a good guy.
Ben from Jacksonville:
Corey Grant is the fastest guy on the field and he showed it against Atlanta. He has the ability to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Why isn't he more involved in the offense?
John: Patience, Ben … patience.
Bill from Jacksonville:
John, with the roster cuts now final, where is the "influx of pass rushers" Dave Caldwell alluded to during the offseason? One new pass rusher making the team isn't exactly an "influx" is it? Thanks! Go Jags!
John: Bill! Whaddup! Cuts aren't yet final and won't be until later Saturday afternoon, but I get your point! Concern over the Jaguars' pass rush is a legitimate worry. It didn't look great in the preseason, and it must be better during the regular season. But regarding your question, "pass rush" and "edge rush" are not one in the same. The Jaguars believe the interior matters when it comes to the pass rush, and in that light additions such as defensive tackles Malik Jackson and Sheldon Day are important. The Jaguars appear likely to keep 10 defensive linemen. Four – Jackson, Day, Yannick Ngakoue and Dante Fowler Jr. – did not play a snap for this team last season. That's 40 percent of the front new. Maybe that's not an influx, but it's not nothing, either.
Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Hi, John: People complaining about clock management in the fourth quarter of Preseason Game 4? The only thing Gus and Dave could have seen at that point to alter their personnel decisions would be an injury. #Getthegameover
John: This refers to a Friday morning O-Zone question/answer about Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley's clock management at the end of the loss to the Falcons Thursday. My answer was because Bradley allowed clock to run late in the game, my inclination was to nominate him for an award – because anything that shortens a preseason game is a good, noble thing. I found this answer uproariously funny – and I assume multitudes of others agreed. But I understood the questioner's bigger point – that at times Bradley's clock management hasn't been ideal. I would agree, and there have been times the end-of-game, or end-of-half clock management could have been better. This is the case with many teams in the NFL – and indeed my sense is the majority of NFL teams could manage the clock better. There are also times with clock-management issues when there's no right or wrong way. Sometimes coaches opt to save time outs and let clock run because they prefer to have the time outs on the other side of the two-minute warning – and they feel incomplete passes or the two-minute warning will stop the clock and the remaining time outs would be valuable. That wouldn't have been the case in the late-game scenario on Thursday, but that indeed was a preseason game. And as I've said often: when it comes to preseason clock … let it run, baby … let it run.
Scott from Aurora, IL:
We got Jalen Ramsey AND Myles Jack. Still giddy. Still excited. That's not even to mention Dante Fowler Jr. and Yannick Ngakoue. It's not going to be next week, but this defense is going to be a monster sometime soon. Stay tuned.
John: Add Sheldon Day into that mix. These are all young players, and as I say often – whether or not people like to hear it – it takes young players some time to truly be the reasons their teams are successful on the field. But the young defensive talent on this roster? Yes, there are signs that it has a chance to be monstrous. And yes … stay tuned.
Steve from Hudson, FL and Section 106:
No question, just want to let all the folks along the west coast of Florida know our thoughts and prayers are with them. That was a nasty storm and I hope everyone is safe. I travel through those areas often, and there are a lot of Jaguars fans there.
John: Word.
Rabbit from Jacksonville:
I am just confused about this Myles Jack playing weak-side linebacker. I feel like Telvin Smith does more positives than negatives. Also, isn't Poz worse in coverage than Smith? Maybe they are just trying Jack out at WLB to see how he does. But is there any chance we can see him playing strong-side linebacker? I think Jack is a good tackler and has enough smarts and speed to be a good blitzer. Your thoughts??
John: This is confusing to many people and seems destined to be an emotional topic. Jack worked at weak-side linebacker against the Falcons Thursday. He did so because the Jaguars' coaches are trying to get him on the field. He's not going to play middle linebacker because the coaches like how Paul Posluszny is playing in the base defense and in nickel. I – like many – thought strong-side backer (Otto) might be a possibility for Jack, but playing him on the weak-side Thursday certainly indicates that's where he would play if he plays in the base package. The issue with Smith has been discipline and mistakes, which at times have countered his playmaking ability – and no, Posluszny is not worse in coverage than Smith; he's not as fast as Smith, but that doesn't make Smith a better option. I don't think it's in any way a certainty that Jack starts at weak-side linebacker this season, but he's going to have a role on this team and it certainly seems as if it's going to be a prominent one pretty quickly. How exactly that plays out I honestly don't know.
Herbert from MidState Office Supply Accountz Receevablez:
Is there really a chance another team would sign Brandon Allen to their active roster? Wouldn't he be safe on the practice squad?
John: Yes, there's a chance another team would sign Brandon Allen to the active roster; there's no guarantee, but there is a chance. As far as Allen being safe on the practice squad … yes, I think he probably would be safe there. But it's not a certainty – and if you think he's the future backup quarterback with a chance to develop at the position then you don't want to risk losing him.
Jeff from Anaheim, CA:
An interesting hypothetical: Brandon Allen continues to get better and show potential but remains relegated to backup duties over the coming years while Bortles continues to be "The Guy." Would the Jaguars be able to trade Allen a la Rob Johnson considering he would likely not be interested to re-sign with the team as a backup.
John: Hmmm …
Matt from Section 133:
Were Jason Myers' misses something to be concerned about? Yeah, they were longer kicks, but in the regular season he's going to have to make, you know ... longer kicks. They looked pretty ugly to me.
John: Sure, Myers misses Thursday were concerning – particularly the 49-yarder. It needs to be surprising when an NFL kicker misses from 50 yards and in. Myers statistically was very good on field goals last season, but because of his struggles on extra points last season it's just not surprising when he misses. Only time will change that, but he needs to change it.
JACK from Mayport, FL:
WHEN WILL THE JAGS GIVE UP ON JADON MYERS AND FIND A MORE ACCURATE PLACE KICKER? I STILL THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE NOT TO PICK ROBERTO AGUYEO and LET THE BUCS STEAL HIM.
John: I DON'T KNOW WHO JADON MYERS IS AND I DO THINK JASON MYERS' INACCURACY IS CONCERNING. BUT IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE IT WAS A MISTAKE TO TAKE MYLES JACK IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE 2016 NFL DRAFT and NOT ROBERTO AGUYEO THEN I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE WATCHING THURSDAY'S GAME VERY CLOSELY.
Smhlol from Jacksonville:
Jaguars fans be all impatient for season to start, but when the Jags get off to a slow start, the fans stay that way.
John: You go, girl.