JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Eric from JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL

I was firmly in the camp of being competitive and developing youth but losing as many games as possible. The more I think about it, I actually would love to see us win as much as possible. Momentum is a real thing and I really think last year's crash played a role in our confidence and struggles this year. Finishing off the year, even against bad competition, on a good run and riding high can definitely help to start next year off confident and charging. In the event of changes at the top of the house, I think it's also enticing for prospective candidates to show the potential for the team. Agreed or think it's overblown?

This continues to be a major issue – perhaps THE major issue – among fans as the Jaguars' disappointing 2024 season draws to a close, and it has remained a hot-button topic as Sunday's game against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium approaches. The tricky part about the discussion at this point is there's little more to discuss. Some fans are going to want the Jaguars to lose all remaining games – and this is a reasonable desire considering the Jaguars are out of the postseason and winning therefore only hurts draft position. Other fans are going to want to see the team win – and that's reasonable considering winning is fun. Winning also is good if the young players on the team are improving, learning to win and establishing something solid moving forward. I'm not a believer that momentum carries into the next season as much as I believe that young players can improve and benefit from winning. The trickiest part of the conversation is that the conversation doesn't matter. Players and coaches in the NFL are going to try to win. Jaguars players are going to try to win. If they win, enjoy it. You might as well.

Crash from Glen Saint Mary

OZ! Four games to go. Let's see who has pride. Who hates to lose? Those are the Cats we want back next year.

There's certainly an element of truth here. The Jaguars have shown in recent weeks they haven't quit on the season and this matters. They showed it in most games when they were all-but eliminated and they showed it this past week in a 10-6 loss to the Tennessee Titans a few days after elimination became official. I expect we will continue to see that for the most part. My experience – and I do have many, many years experience in this area – tells me that the Jaguars will play well in three of the four games and win at least one or two. They probably are also due for a "stinker" because 3-10 teams are usually bad enough that they have a stinker. But I expect for the most part to see a team playing with pride that wants to win. Stay tuned.

Rich from Dacula, GA

I play Fantasy Football. In effect, I am the coach and general manager. Looking at the Jaguars as my team I drafted, I would have a hard time re-drafting next year to think I would keep very many of the current team. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, in fantasy football, probably wouldn't even be drafted. Now you tell us that he is a building block for the future. In fantasy football, it's win now. Next year for the Jaguars, after this year's abomination, will have to win now to get the bad taste out of our month. Can you, if you were the general manager, still be convinced that the direction we're going is good even with TL? He is just a mid-round selection. The pressure of winning now next year will be very stressful for someone who will take the job and fail and then in three years move on. This organization is doomed to play catchup for years to come, unless we get real LUCKY, not smart. Look what the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, etc. have done and won't be in the winning ways next year. Who wants this job?

"I play fantasy football."

Matthew from Townsville, Tropical Australia

Hi, O. all the tanking talk makes me feel a little bit sick. It would seem the NFL needs a better system that doesn't feed this so much. How about a system where a team's season record lands them in one of four tiers of eight teams, with the order in each eight then decided by drawing lots? Has this sort of thing ever been tried or proposed?

It never has been tried nor particularly proposed. "Tanking" is far more often a "thing" among fans and observers than it is teams. The NFL does have a system for preventing this. The league fines teams and takes away draft selections. That deters more often than not. Also: It's rare that there is a prospect so can't-miss in the NFL Draft that tanking yields the desired results. You might think it's worth it to "tank," but the benefits don't often outweigh the risks.

Charles from Riverside

Hello, John. I have to weigh in on the side of trying to win out as many games as we can. Look what happened when you look at the last eight games last year leading up to this season. Coincidence? Multiple back half of the season losses don't set up a winning culture to springboard into next season do they? Let's win as many as we can, it's best for the players and the fans for sure. Go Jags!

One fer doing a little winnin'.

Rich from Dacula, GA

All this win-lose talk is frustrating. The way the league sees it, winning is the only thing we should be thinking about from a competitive standpoint. If we were in second place and needed, say, Indy to beat Houston, you don't want them to be thinking about their draft pick. It's still the only way to play the game. Win now and just do a better job of building the team in the offseason. We haven't done enough winning to suggest we've done our job. That's on the organization. The owner has to do what he has to do.

Another for doing a little winnin'.

GAJAGUAR from St. Marys, GA

You are the new general manager next year. You're on a one-year prove it or lose it deal. Fix it. GO.

STOP. I wouldn't want or take a general manager's job on a one-year, prove-it-or-lose-it deal and I darned sure wouldn't hire a general manager on one. That's the quickest way to disastrous results because signing and drafting players for one season is a way to acquire aging veterans who don't fit. (I actually obviously would take it – but only for the money.)

Colin from Sanford

Hey, John. For anyone upset about us falling in the draft order, we're currently slated to pick number 5, where we've previously selected Justin Blackmon and Jalen Ramsey. Off the field issues aside, two players who are undoubtedly among the most talented to ever play for the team.

Fair.

Jonathan from Formerly of my Mom's house

I expect corner will be a priority in the 2025 NFL Draft. But from this view, the Jaguars' biggest need is being more stout and more dominant on the interior of both sides of the line. I would have hard time passing on the most dominant defensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft. I also would have a hard time passing on early round interior offensive linemen if I thought they would make the offensive line nastier and more of a team identity. Finally we agree on something. The new rumor is that Baalke will be retained so he'll draft anyone but a lineman first.

I haven't the foggiest idea what we agree or disagree on. I do know Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke has selected two linemen – one on offense and one on defense – first in his four drafts. He also selected a quarterback No. 1 overall in one of the other drafts and a wide receiver with Pro Bowl potential in the other.

Roy from Ridgewood, Orange Park, FL

"Nothing Cheap, Nothing Deep." Motto is just stupid!! Just do your job and stop the offense!

OK.

James from Socorro, NM

Too early for draft talk, but I'd rather the Jaguars win some games so they can justify drafting a defensive tackle or offensive guard with their first-round pick, and not "have to" get a flashy Top 5 pick.

Let's hope whoever is selecting players for the Jaguars next offseason drafts more with the idea of selecting the right players than "justifying" decisions.

Matt from Jacksonville

We never draft good players! Except for Brian Thomas, Jarrian Jones, Cam Little, Anton Harrison, Brenton Strange, Tank Bigsby, Ventrell Miller, Antonio Johnson, Parker Washington, Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, Buster Brown, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Tyson Campbell and Walker Little.

Hit a bunch, missed a few.