JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Has Trevor Lawrence signed or not? Officially.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence reportedly has agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension worth $275 million. The contract reportedly will run through his 10th season, 2030. He is expected to sign the contract soon – likely this week – which would therefore make it official. The fact that it is not signed officially is not an issue nor is it all that unusual. It's a logistical, timing thing more than anything and it should be official soon enough.
Sean from Jacksonville
Talk me away from the edge. I'm losing interest in following the team as closely as I have since 1995. Is it old age? Being in the hospital every other month? Being at the end of my hopeful optimism? Or is it the lack of Doug Marrone bologna sam'miches?
I can't speak to the details of every fan's passion and what motivates them to follow the team however he or she follows it. Different periods of life allow fans to devote different levels of time and passion to something such as professional sports – which is, after all, entertainment and not "real life." Maybe you're not following quiiite as passionately as a couple of seasons ago. Maybe life's difficulties take you away sometimes and perhaps it is something of an escape other times. Still, you're reading and writing the O-Zone – presumably daily or close. If you're willing to endure me every day, chances are decent you're still a pretty dedicated Jaguars follower. Wishing you the best.
Joe from Jacksonville
I know they don't grow on trees, but nobody would complain about having a Randy Moss on this team.
Joe's got jokes. I guess.
David from Orlando, FL
KOAF - What is the date of your first official O-Zone post? Did the O-Zone exist in Indy, maybe under another name? Also, what is the daily post streak total? This is not only your streak, but the streak of the entire Jaguars Nation. We are all streaking and proud of it!
The first O-Zone posted on jaguars.com February 14, 2011. The daily streak began that summer and as of this column stands at 4,700. The O-Zone – or any version of it – did not exist when I was with the Indianapolis Colts from 2001-2011.
Bob from Sumter, SC
Really good podcast by Bucky Brooks that explains Trevor's contract as a win-win. His contract averages roughly $18 million the next two years, so there's still salary cap room to build the team, then in Year 3, the $55 million kicks in which by that time will be less than some other quarterbacks.
Yep.
Bradley from Sparks, NV
Has Jaxson de Ville approached you about writing his induction speech?
What's a "Jaxson de Ville?"
Jim from Jagsonville
We always say you can't judge a draft for a few years. Can we use the Dead Zone to rehash the 2020 and 2021 drafts and get your wise and integral journalistic take on this?
The Jaguars' 2020 NFL Draft featured cornerback C.J. Henderson and outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson in Round 1. The Jaguars in retrospect tried to fill needs with those two players – and when you draft with too much emphasis on needs, you run real a risk of reaching. Two players – defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (Round 3) and safety Daniel Thomas (Round 5) – remain on the team from that draft but Rounds 1 and 2 (wide receiver Laviska Shenault) were rough. The '21 draft featured quarterback Trevor Lawrence (Round 1), running back Travis Etienne Jr. (Round 1), cornerback Tyson Campbell (Round 2), left tackle Walker Little (Round 2) and safety Andre Cisco (Round 3). At the very minimum, it's a really good draft.
Nick from Virginia Beach, VA
You're asking when enough is enough for Star Wars yet. I don't see you saying the same thing about the NFL, which is significantly older. There's always a new story to tell, O.
I recently asked when is enough enough for Star Wars because when I watch Star Wars I usually think, "Is this the one with Hans Solo?" And then I think, "When is enough enough?" This is because I'm not cool enough to understand Lando Kyoresean, a character I think I heard about once and didn't feel like spell-checking when I wrote this answer. I never asked when is enough for the NFL, because it didn't occur to me to ask.
Charles from River
Hello John. In the NFL, already a violent sport, what makes a defensive coordinator "aggressive?" A term that has been associated with Ryan Nielsen. What is different about his playbook from other defensive coordinators? More blitzing, four down, etc.?? Thanks.
This point hardly could be fairer. Nielsen, the Jaguars' new defensive coordinator, is known for an attacking, aggressing defense. They're words he uses constantly with players to define his style. There's nothing wrong with it and it makes complete sense to emphasize those traits constantly so that there is no misunderstanding about the style of play he covets. Taking over a team – or a side of the ball – largely is about establishing culture and identity. Emphasizing key elements in how a side of the ball should "look" is an effective way to accomplish that. At the same time, I've never been around a defensive coordinator who wanted to be passive or to sit back and let opponents do as they pleased. For this reason, saying you're going to attack and be aggressive doesn't tell you much about how the Jaguars will play. The Jaguars are going to emphasize pressuring the quarterback – ideally with a four-man rush – and playing aggressive, man-to-man coverage with safety help over the top. That's "attacking." Whether it will be welcomed by Jaguars fans will depend on its effectiveness – like pretty much any defensive style.
Kevin from Section 214 by way of St Johns
Not to beat the dead horse, I read a good article and to paraphrase it, "It's not like Pro Bowl or especially All-Pro quarterbacks grow on trees. Since 2016, 95 quarterbacks have been drafted. Sixty-five have appeared in at least one game. Just six – Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles have made at least one All-Pro team. Six out of 95, over an eight-year span. That's how difficult it is to find high-level quarterback play. That's why, when you find one who is good, and who you think has even a chance to be great, it's worth it to retain him and do your best to put him in position to succeed. If you don't, there's no telling how long you might have to wait to get another chance at that type of talent, and what you might have to give up in order to land him." We were going to have to pay Trevor Lawrence. If we waited, the price would only have gone up higher. Here's to believing this contract will be looked at as a bargain in three to four years!
Here's to it.
Don from Marshall, NC
If Christian Kirk did not get hurt last year the Jaguars would have been division champs. Go Jaguars!
When it comes to correctly figuring that if wide receiver Christian Kirk had been healthy in the last six games of the 2024 season the Jaguars probably would have won a second consecutive AFC South title, Don remans "all in."
Paul from Lake City, FL
"We live in an age of noise." Possibly the most accurate statement ever made on this website. Also, to Cliff from Orange Park, avoiding the cameras is easiest when the cameras also avoid the subject.
You're referencing me writing recently that we live in an age of noise when it comes to commentary and buzz on … well, on pretty much everything. This isn't as much a statement of insight as it is a common-sense observation of a social-media society that is so oversaturated by uninformed opinions that the line between informed and uninformed no longer seems to have meaning. You also referenced me wondering why in the world I would deprive others by avoiding cameras during a "streak." We didn't get too deep into this second issue and I'm not sure we need to discuss – or imagine – much more about said second issue.
Crash from Glen Saint Mary, FL
OZ! Dead Zone TV tip. Watch Peaky Blinders on Netflix. Thirty-six episodes. One a day will get you to training camp.
I've already watched Peaky Blinders start to finish. Good tip, though. It's brilliant. I'm not sure about my dead-zone streaming binge, though I need to finish the final seasons of Letterkenny and The Crown, so I'll probably start there. I'm also getting ready to re-watch Blossom and Charles in Charge, so I'm looking at a busy few weeks.
