JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Armand from Jacksonville
KOAF, how is the general manager search going? Have not heard of any interviews or such.
The Jaguars on Tuesday interviewed San Francisco 49ers Director/Scouting and Football Operations Josh Williams for their vacant general manager position. I would expect more interviews – perhaps many more – on this front in the coming days and for the process to accelerate next week.
Nick from Palm Coast, FL
Why have we not heard who they have interviewed for general manager?
Because the Jaguars didn't interview general manager candidates until Tuesday and likely will interview more soon.
Ryan from DUUUVaaaal
One fer Lamping! Honestly, he has nearly as much to do with the Jaguars successfully staying in Jacksonville as anyone else. It may be an odd pick, but at the end of his career, I honestly hope we go ahead and put him in the Ring of Honor next to the Weavers and Coughlin.
The Jaguars and President Mark Lamping on Tuesday agreed to a contract extension that will ensure Lamping heaeds the team's business operations through at least the 2030 NFL season. Honoring Lamping wouldn't be odd at all.
Josh from Atlanta, GA
I do not understand how so many people do not understand what has happened with our O-line over the past number of years. "When will they try to finally improve the line?!" THEY HAVE TRIED. MANY times. There has been no shortage of investment via draft and overpay in FA to try and make the O-line better. They just haven't been able to get it right. Here is to hoping this next iteration of trying gets it right. It's too important to miss.
This indeed is the reality. The Jaguars for much of the last decade have regularly addressed offensive line, selecting left tackle in Round 2 twice (Cam Robinson, 2017; Walker Little, 2021) and right tackle in Round 1 once (Anton Harrison, 2023). They have spent big in unrestricted free agency on guards such Brandon Scherff (2022) and Andrew Norwell (2018) – and center (Mitch Morse) in 2024. They traded for guard Ezra Cleveland in 2023 and re-signed him in 2024. And so on and so on. While many observers have wondered why they haven't simply selected the position in Round 1 every offseason until they "got it right," that approach essentially means abandoning all other positions to focus on the offensive line – and while that sounds good in theory, it's difficult to execute in practice. I do expect the Jaguars' new/current decision-makers to keep trying to get the offensive line right. The position indeed is too important to miss.
Steve At Work at the Beach from Jacksonville
2023: "The era of the running back is over!" 2024: "Long live the running back!" This being a "copycat" league, do you think we'll see a revaluation of the running back position in the upcoming draft? Having a great one has certainly shown, it's worth this year.
The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX Sunday, with running back Saquon Barkley and a dominant running game a major reason. A couple of thoughts here. One is that the Eagles were only the best example of a team succeeding with a strong running game this past season. Because, as you note, the NFL is a copycat league, that likely will cause more and more teams to lean that direction. The league tends to swing back and forth – and forth and back – between teams emphasizing the pass and run, with defenses adapting to current trends and forcing new ones. But I don't know that that will mean a huge revaluation of the position in the draft. The overall trend in the last two decades has been that special running backs tend to get selected early – as was the case when the New York Giants selected Barkley No. 2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Other backs are perceived as a bit more interchangeable and drafted in later rounds. I expect teams will still lean more toward that view than again pushing running backs up their draft boards.
Bruce from Saint Simons Island, GA
O, I admit, I'm a little nervous about the new coaching staff. They are young without extensive experience. I trust it's not a groups of "frats" playing a party. On the other hand, the Jags just had a former Super Bowl-winning coach. Us fans just hope for the best. How can we judge whether this team is on the uptick (other than wins), and even before the next season?
Age and experience of coaching staffs don't make me nervous. Not having players play at a high level makes me a little nervous. As for how to judge whether the team is on the uptick, we absolutely won't know until next season. Where else to gauge?
Marcus from Jax
Obviously the outcome of the Super Bowl was, in large part, determined by the lines of scrimmage. In particular, the Eagles' defensive line against the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line. But, after a season where the run game seemed to have a return to prominence, do you think that the Super Bowl put a stamp on the return of the run game as a necessity to win in the NFL? The Eagles were Top 5 in the league in all rushing categories, while the Chiefs are bottom third. The Chiefs ran the ball seven times in the big game, and it was obvious that their whole defensive game plan was geared toward stopping the run. Regardless, I am excited that Head Coach Liam Coen seems to be someone who can resurrect a dead running game!
People who run NFL teams have always known you must run and stop the run to win. The league will sometimes sway from that, but the NFL reality usually keeps that swaying to a minimum. The Eagles and the Super Bowl certainly reemphasized that. Once again.
Gabe from Washington, DC
A couple months ago, Jags went on the road and almost beat the eventual Super Bowl champs. Makes you think. Well, maybe not.
The Jaguars indeed had a chance to beat the Eagles, 28-23, in Philadelphia in early November. The Jaguars could have won the game. It's hard to argue they should have won the game. It's a little hard to argue that the score should have been that close.
Nick from Annapolis, MD
Dominant interior defensive lineman should be the most premium position outside of quarterback. Defensive tackle Chris Jones isn't discussed enough in why the Chiefs were able to ALMOST three-peat. Eagles interior defensive linemen clearly enabled good-but-not-great edge players to be productive. It's easier said than done, but the Jaguars must find a dominant force in there. Hopefully one exists at No. 5.
Hopefully.
Motler from C-Ville
In December, I wrote in about my son wearing his hoodie faithfully on Mondays and hoping he'd get to walk the halls of his middle school with his head held high soon. Well, this week was his birthday and he got a new Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. jersey. It happened faster than I thought it would, but he is already walking the halls with a little more pride and hope. We haven't won any games yet, but we are excited for the future. Happy Birthday to my boy and one fer all the fans out there who never wavered with their support and are pumped for the future! Go Jags!
There is a renewed energy around this organization. Many fans and observers are feeling it. Many are more skeptical with a wait-and-see attitude. Winning will sway the skeptical. For now, the Jaguars must work. Then, they must win. In the meantime, Happy Birthday and stay pumped.
John from Jax
Hi, KOAGF - With the Jags' commitment to London, do you see them being chosen for a game to Madrid or Berlin? Also, can you remind me what the plan is again for the stadium renovation with regards to when/where the Jags will play their home games until finished?
I would be surprised at this stage if the Jaguars played a game in Madrid or Berlin in a season in which they were playing in London. The Jaguars will play home games in Jacksonville in 2025 and 2026, then play home games away from Jacksonville – likely either Orlando or Gainesville – in 2027 before playing home games in the renovated stadium in downtown Jacksonville beginning in 2028.
Larry from Wattsburg(h), PA
Have the Jaguars released an official statement as to what the playing surface will be in the stadium of the future? Please vociferate to Jaguars Owner Shad Khan I would like grass. Grass can be expensive, but it's worth it in my bloodshot eyes! #stayawayfrommygrass.
The Jaguars have not made this official yet. The renovated Stadium of the Future is expected to be completed for the 2028 NFL season. I expect an announcement on this front sometime before then.
Scott from Aruba
What's a Bob Bullet?
It's a Bullet Bob. It's at Strings. It's heaven.
