JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL

My wife says I am excited about Boselli. I find this frustrating - not because he's a bad hire, but because I do not want to be excited about anything but wins. I'm tired of being excited about "winning" things like free agency and press conferences. I asked her why, and she started an answer about a unique perspective, but I quickly was reduced to hearing Charlie Brown's teacher. I do recall a couple instinctual "Yes, dear" responses where I sensed a pause, so apparently I have a more expansive opinion than I thought. When she repeats it for me a couple of times and it sinks in, I will let you know.

It's fair and correct for Jaguars fans to be excited about Tony Boselli as the Jaguars' executive vice president of football operations. It's just as fair and correct to not want to not be excited yet about anything but "wins," because offseason excitement in these parts has been followed by in-season disappointment far too often for nearly a decade and a half. What makes this offseason exciting? That's a fair question. One reason is that Head Coach Liam Coen appears to be a high-end play-caller, offensive mind and leader; those traits give him a chance to be a successful NFL head coach. Another reason is that General Manager James Gladstone appears to be a high-end communicator capable of building a roster; those traits give him a chance to be a successful NFL general manager. Yet another reason is that Boselli is a high-end manager of people with high-end common sense and a high-end passion for – and understanding of – this organization; that gives him a chance to be successful in his role as EVP of football operations. None of those things guarantee success. None of them mean you shouldn't be skeptical because this franchise has earned your skepticism. But all of it means this has a real chance to be successful and therefore should give you at least a measure of mature hope.

Fred from Naples, FL

I think it is inevitable that Christian Kirk will be cut this offseason as his salary is prohibitive. The Jags will ask him to re-do his contract and he will refuse (as they all do), so he will most likely be released.

The contract status of Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram figure to be prominent storylines as next Wednesday's start of the 2025 NFL League Year approaches. Though both have been very good players for this organization, both were limited by injuries last season – and both have salary-cap figures that could make roster moves necessary. I don't know the specifics of conversations between Engram/Kirk and the organization, so I don't know the accuracy of your prediction. It wouldn't be surprising if you're correct. Stay tuned.

Ed from Jax by Lionel Playworld

Is there tape of our practices? How will our new coaching staff and general manager evaluate the players that don't get much playing time?

There is tape of past practices. The new coaching staff and general manager will mostly evaluate little-used players based a little on that tape and a lot on their own evaluations in Jaguars practices and preseason games in the coming months.

Nick from Palm Coast, FL

Who is going to take Tony's spot with Pete and J.P.? Maybe fans can write in who they would like in that spot. Who would you like to take the spot?

Three questions/thoughts, three responses. One: I don't know if anyone will technically "take" Boselli's "spot" on Jaguars Happy Hour because the format and plan for the weekly Monday show remains to be seen. Two: Fans can do what they like, I suppose. Three: I don't care who takes the spot; I'm sure management will do the same "bang-up" job they always do in such situations.

Mario from West Kelowna, BC

John. I don't understand why people write to you to complain about your work and to insult you. If fans want Jaguars fake news or headlines that sell go somewhere else and get off our Senior Writer's lawn. For you are the King Of All Funk!

People write to me to complain about my work and insult me because they're frustrated with the team, or because they don't like what I write or say. That's fine. Not everyone has to like everyone or everything about me. There's plenty about me I don't like all that much, probably because I know myself better than anyone else and am forced to spend a lot of time with me. I am the king of all funk.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

My understanding is the Jags can keep Kirk for $24 million or release him and still pay $13 million? That's a tough call but I would be inclined to release him, but I think replacing Engram would be much more difficult as he is often a certified mismatch and I think he would really benefit is this new offense. What are the options with Etienne?

That's indeed the salary-cap breakdown for Kirk – and the decisions involving Kirk and Engram both qualify as "tough calls." The Jaguars exercised running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s fifth-year option for 2025 and he is scheduled to earn a salary of $6.1 million for the season.

Keith from Titusville, FL

Other than Kirk and Engram, are there any other players on the roster you see potentially as a "cap casualty" or a candidate for contract restructure?

There aren't necessarily any other obvious candidates to be "cap casualties" on the Jaguars' roster, and certainly none as prominent as Kirk and Engram. It's difficult to project candidates for contract restructures because contracts can be restructured in many fashions throughout the course of an offseason or season.

Charlie from Round Lake, IL

How long did it take you to write the Book Jags to Riches? I am reading it right now and it is very good.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports (then of the Florida Times-Union) and I wrote Jags to Riches in the 1997 offseason following the Jaguars' run to the AFC Championship Game following the 1996 NFL season. My memory is fuzzy on a lot of the specifics because it has been almost 30 years. We started the book shortly after the Super Bowl – say, mid-February – and I believe we finished the copy by mid-April. There was some back-and-forth with editing, which I believe at that time was done on floppy disk as opposed to email. The book came out early in training camp, if memory serves, so the project took … six months-ish?

Jordan from Mandarin, FL

We have to be relentless in our pursuit to build the trenches, but like you said on a show the other day, it's so easy to be all about building the trenches and then take a skill player with your first few picks. I don't care who is there at 5, take a big guy.

If you're going to build the lines at some point you must commit significant draft capital to the lines. If you keep taking skill players with that significant draft capital, then you're not committing it to the lines.

Scott from Jacksonville

Back when you worked for the Colts, who did you cheer for when the Jags played the Colts?

I didn't "cheer" for either team in that scenario. I wanted the Indianapolis Colts to win when they played the Jaguars when I worked for the Colts. This is because when you work for a team it's better for everyone who works for the team – including yourself – when the team that employs you wins.

Anita from Springfield

What's your read on how the coaches feel about the running back room? I love Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr., but personally have always appreciated the rugged style of someone like a Najee Harris. We've got guys who "pop," now we need a down-in grinder. Do you see it similarly? How do you think the new staff sees it? Do you project free agent or draft capital to be allocated to that group?

I have no problem with a "grinder" in the vein you suggest, but my approach always has been that a running game is far more about the offensive line and blocking than the running back. It's fine for a running back to be powerful in short-yardage situations, but even the most powerful running backs can only do so much if there are defenders taking out his feet two yards behind the line of scrimmage. My thought is that Bigsby is fine as a short-yardage back if the line is effective. I don't yet have a feel for the organization's thought on this. I'm working through the topics as we go.

Rog from STA

Much is said about Boselli's new position, who are the people reporting directly to Tony and their department?

Boselli in his new role oversees player engagement, football technology, football travel and logistics, equipment, sports performance, team security and football communications. All people in those departments report to Boselli whether they like it or not.