JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Darwin from Cebu, Philippines

John, I'm excited to know it was Gladstone. I thought for a while there they would mess it up once again by hiring either Ethan Waugh or Josh Williams (who have Baalke connections). I would have lost it had they did. Salute to Jaguars decision-makers on getting these head coaches and general managers hires spot on. One fer Big Bo 71!

The Jaguars indeed hired former Los Angeles Rams Director of Scouting Strategy James Gladstone as their general manager Friday, and he will speak to the media for the first time in that position Monday morning. But while you're weren't alone in not wanting Jaguars Interim General Manager Ethan Waugh or San Francisco 49ers Director Scouting/Football Operations Josh Williams because they once worked with former Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke, such thoughts regarding the candidates were unfortunate and unfair. And perhaps a bit uninformed. While Waugh and Williams indeed had ties to Baalke, they had equal ties to San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch – one of the NFL's most-respected front-office executives. Perhaps the most amusing email I received on this front in recent months came from a reader vehemently advocating Baalke's departure and pushing for a young, forward-thinking executive such as Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It's absolutely the case that Adofo-Mensah is one of the league's brighter young minds. It's equally the case that he was initially hired into the NFL – and worked his first four NFL seasons – with the 49ers under Baalke. Irony can be ironic.

Woody from Dunlap

KOAF: For those among us with failing memories, kindly remind us: (1) What the rules are on when a new coaching staff can begin meeting with players contrasted to teams with a returning head coach, and (2) What is the rationale for NFL rules not allowing professional players to meet with their coaches year-round (to talk schemes, plays, etc.) if they choose/want to do so?

Coaches on a "new" staff can begin meeting with players in an official capacity two weeks before teams with returning coaching staffs. In the case of the Jaguars this season, they may begin meeting with players on April 7, the first day of the offseason program. The rationale for not allowing players to meet with coaches year-round is if the league allowed this on a "voluntary" basis coaches/teams could imply that it would be "wise" to do so on that "voluntary" basis. Those sort of quote marks can get very emphatic quickly and such emphasis can make voluntary seem very mandatory just as quickly. If the rules aren't clear, the competitive (compulsive) environment that is the NFL can turn what already is close to a year-round sport really year-round very quickly.

Ross from Mechanicsville, VA

I've been away for a while. I'm back now. What's new with our Jags?

Not much.

John from Hopkins

So, the Jaguars have 10 total picks this year in the draft, with two selections in Rounds 3, 4 and 6. Do you think we don't move at all in the draft (keep all 10 picks), or do you think there's a decent chance we try to move up in the late first or second round to get a coveted player? Without knowing a ton about Gladstone's approach, of course.

This is a common question each offseason as the NFL Draft approaches. The answer will remain the same with Gladstone as it was with any past Jaguars general manager. If there's a player available in the draft that a team covets and it makes sense to trade, a team will try to trade up. If a team has multiple players equally graded as a selection approaches and it receives a reasonable offer, a team will usually trade back. There's no way to predict the chances of such a trade until the draft because there's no way to know specifically what players will be available at specific times.

Marty from Jacksonville

John, regarding wide receiver Christian Kirk: While his salary cap hit this year is very high, what's relevant is the salary-cap difference between keeping him and cutting him. That number is just over $10 million. With the new regime talking about how it's all about quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and helping Trevor, I can't see cutting our second-best wide receiver who is also Trevor's close friend in order to save $10 million.

Your point has merit. Quite a bit, actually.

Victor from Troy

How would it affect the cap situation if the Jaguars were to move on from Gabe Davis this offseason?

Wide receiver Gabe Davis, who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 offseason, has a $6.9 million salary-cap figure for 2025 if he is with the team. The cap figure if he is released is $20.3 million. So, yeah.

Paul from Lake City, FL

This is the biggest reset of the football side of the organization since Owner Shad Khan bought the team. The last time he replaced the head coach and general manager in the same offseason was when he brought in Dave Caldwell as general manager and Gus Bradley as head coach. This time, he has brought in a new head coach (and related coaching staff) a new general manager, and a new Executive Vice President of Football Operations in Tony Boselli. I don't know that everything will work right out of the gate, but this has the feel of the kind of organizational reset that could truly put the team on a new (and winning) path.

OK.

Jordan from Mandarin

This went from the worst offseason to pure magic. This is the most excited I've been since Khan has taken over.

You're not alone.

Sam from Orlando, FL

Lotta talk about Derrick Henry in this forum and most of these people are too young or dim to remember when Eugene "Meredith" Frenette ran for 4,500 yards in a season. Record books omit it because speaking about Gene causes him to appear and destroy the town.

Longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette doesn't get enough credit for this feat. Speed kills.

Keith from Titusville, FL

If the Jaguars were able to retain both Kirk and tight end Evan Engram along with Davis, would it prevent them from taking a wide receiver in the first round?

Not necessarily.

Rob from The duuuuuuu

Is Doug aware that mullet haircuts are like the most "in" thing in the world right now? Mullets have had a massive resurgence and are now cool again, as are mustaches and loose-fitting jeans. Me thinks Doug is the one who is a little out of touch with current trends. The trend now is going back to old trends, throwing it back if you will. The Prowlers are in. I also hate the white Raiders uniforms we wear at home. How have the Raiders not sued us? It's their exact white and black minus the silver helmets.

Black and white are pretty common colors. I'm not sure they're all that exclusive to a particular organization, no matter how iconic.

Andrew from DUUUVAAAAL

No question, just a congratulations and welcome to Jimmy Happy Rock!

OK, I think.

Sean from Oakleaf, FL

What kind of important or critical topics do you see coming up at the League Meetings at the end of next month - any significant rule changes on the horizon?

Perhaps the most significant NFL offseason topic in 2025 will be a push to expand replay. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during his Super Bowl press conference earlier this month said he expects such a move, and Atlanta Falcons Chief Executive Officer Rich McKay – the chairman of the NFL's Competition Committee – told Judy Battista of NFL Media that the committee discussed the issue extensively Sunday. The most intriguing part of this is McKay telling Battista that "objective aspects" of officiating could be added to replay. This presumably would bring roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness and perhaps interference into the process – and would mark a major break from the original intent of replay, which was to overturn clear and obvious penalties. The league has kept replay away from subjectivity as much as possible because it didn't want judgment and interpretation involved; once you open the system to these areas far more plays can be reviewed, which leads to more play stoppages and longer games. When you bring judgement into replay, you also invite more controversy rather than less. I also expect issues such as the "Tush Push" and the new kickoff rules to be topics, but if replay indeed is expanded that would be the major offseason NFL issue.

Rob from the duuuuuuuuu

Gladstone's intro pic got me thinking about pre-plane fashion shows. Is there anything more ridiculous? Guys on the runway modeling their outfits and matching bags, etc. – just seems like a silly distraction. Oh, well … I assume it's here to stay.

I'm afraid so.