JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Michael from Orange Park, FL

I just can't wait. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself. You seem so calm and detached. How do you do it, Zone?

My Scooby sense – not my Scobee Sense – tells me you're excited about the 2024 Jaguars season, and that's understandable. We are as of this morning's O-Zone six days from the '24 regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. It has been a long, long wait since the end of the 2023 regular season and the time since has featured re-signings, drafts, organized team activities, looooong training camp practices, preseason games and a slew of roster moves all to prepare for what will finally begin Sunday. We'll at last get a real-time look at this offensive line and the new-look defense of first-year coordinator Ryan Nielsen. I expect Sunday to be a difficult matchup and a real test for the defense because of Miami's speed on offense. This doesn't mean I don't think the Jaguars can win. It means it will be a difficult matchup and it will be fascinating to see if the Jaguars are ready. Six days.

JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

John, I don't see much discussion in the Zone about No. 23 Foyesade Oluokun, who has been a key part of the defense the last couple of seasons. It seems almost forgotten that Oluokun's 184 single-season total tackles and 128 solo tackles in 2022 led the NFL and are the most in Jags history. Last year, Oluokun's total tackles ranked fourth in the NFL. Importantly, he has always been healthy and available, starting every game since he became a Jag. When is Oluokun's current contract finished and do you think he will be the next member of The D to get a big extension? Thanks

Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun has been uber-reliable in two seasons with the Jaguars since signing with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent and there's no reason to think that won't continue in 2024. He signed with the Jaguars in 2022 for $28 million guaranteed and renegotiated this past offseason with $21.5 million guaranteed at signing. That second Jaguars contract essentially means he will be with the team through at least the 2025 season. Oluokun is 29, so I don't know that there automatically is another "big extension" pending. He from this view has remained under a contract that is pretty fair for him and relatively manageable from the team's perspective.

Brian from ROUND ROCK, TX

The Hunt was really cool, except for the Pederson parts, of course. Did I see the team rolling their eyes when he spoke to them? Anyway, that guy has his head coach cliches down pat. I see why the reporters love him so much. They can just write their stories before the interview. It saves a lot of time.

Insider tip: Not everything can suck all the time and takes that might seem "hot" at first glance can quickly get tuned out if they're so slanted so often that they clearly lack any objectivity. Such takes get tedious and tiresome. I'm not sure why these thoughts came to mind just now. They just did.

Jim TC from Jax

Oracle Of Jax, do the new dynamic kickoff rules eliminate the old onside kicks?

Rule changes designed to make the game safer have reduced the success of onside kicks in recent seasons. Though the NFL's new "dynamic" kickoff rule didn't eliminate them, it seems unlikely to make them more successful or a bigger part of the game. Under the new rule, teams cannot attempt an onside kick until the fourth quarter, and they cannot attempt one unless they are trailing. They also must declare to the official that they are attempting an onside kick. This therefore takes away any element of surprise. The new rules are noble in intent in that they are designed to bring one of the most exciting plays in the game – the kickoff return – back into the game. The next step must be to do something to revive the spirit of the onside kick – i.e., a legitimate way for teams trailing late in games to have some chance to regain possession. My sense is this may be a scrimmage play with the trailing team needing to convert a first down to retain possession. If the dynamic kickoff becomes a permanent part of the NFL, I can't see the onside kickoff being around much longer. We'll see.

E.B from Brooklyn

Can we see first team with a running game?

My Scooby Sense is at it again, and it says you want to know if the Jaguars will be able to run effectively this season. It's a huge storyline that won't play out until the games matter. Stay tuned.

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

You portray coaching and play-calling as negligible on the outcome of games. I assume you believe in Jimmys and Joes over Xs and Os? Why does it have to be either/or? Why can't it be both/and? Roster talent and play execution matter big time. No argument here. But masterful play-calling matters, too. You can't tell me that offensive play callers that know when to exploit certain matchups, or call the one off (or trick play) and are able to keep a defense off balance don't matter? I believe coaching (and specifically play-calling) matters a lot and so does talent.

I've never said play-calling doesn't matter. I often have said many, many observers and fans overemphasize its importance because these many fans/observers tend to focus solely on playcalling whenever their team struggles offensively to any degree. What's fun about saying this isn't just that it's true, but that so many people tend to interpret it as me saying doesn't matter. This angers and irritates people. How much fun is that, really? It varies, but it's always fun.

Shawn from The mean streets of Arlington

Do you see any similarities how this team will rotate the defensive backs to the receiver corps on opposite sides of the field? It seems we have a lot of talent, skills and depth

I expect the Jaguars to rotate defensive backs a bit in 2024, though perhaps not to this extent. I expect the Jaguars to rotate defensive backs in nickel situations this season, but I don't know that you'll see their top two cover corners – Tyson Campbell and Ronald Darby – off the field all that much. If those are their top two guys, I expect the top two guys to play most snaps.

Keith from Jacksonville

I'm just curious, what are the pros and cons of calling a game from the booth as opposed to calling a game on the field?

The pros of calling a game as a coordinator from the press box are above-the-field perspective and calmness of environment compared to being on the field. The pros of being on the field are being able to communicate face-to-face with players and therefore being able to "feel" the emotion and flow of the game compared to being in the press box.

Cliff from ORANGE PARK

Your strong support of Don in your response to Sam from Orlando made me wonder; does John know that Don is actually Eugene Frenette incognito in an effort not to show you up on your website?

Longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist, Northeast Florida cultural icon and Dancing With the Stars consultant Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette never, ever, ever, EVER goes incognito. When Gene comes to play, you know it. And he always comes to play.

Brad from Jax

Practice squad salary questions have been all the rage lately. Will you miss them once the season starts? Would you like me to wait a few weeks and ask a question about how much money practice squad players are eligible to make?

Do what you gotta do.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

I think you covered Tony Dungy for several years and though I'm sure I disagree with him on some subjects, he always seemed like a phenomenal human being and an excellent coach. I get the sense that Doug Pederson is cut from a similar cloth. Is this true?

I covered Dungy seven seasons as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He during this time did many, many things right in terms of perspective, communication, treating players professionally and managing the highs and lows of a season. These were just a few of his strengths when it came to running an NFL team, but they're very important strengths. Pederson from this perspective indeed shares many of those strengths and it's what in my estimation makes him a very good NFL head coach.

Bill from Bostwick

DreamLand makes a killer barbecue sauce, by the way.

OK.

Gary from St. Augustine, FL

Even with the regular season at hand, you really do still suck.

The Jaguars open the 2024 regular season against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday.