JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Ike from Sunrise by way of Duval:
John, just one more perspective on this Josh Norman thing and you can let it go. What people are missing is he played on a winning team. Winning changes everything. Let's take Norman against the Jags' best cornerback, Davon House. Norman: 56 tackles, four interceptions, 18 passes defended, three forced fumbles; House: 60 tackles, four interceptions, 23 passes defended, one forced fumble. Even though statistics don't tell the whole story, that's what fans will lean towards. Based off that, is he really worth $50 million guaranteed??? I for one think not.
John: Oh, Ike … poor, poor – did I say, "poor?" – naïve, young Ike. Do you really think your email will put this issue to rest enough for people to "let it go?" Oh, if it were that easy … Still, I agree statistics rarely tell the whole story when it comes defensive backs. You also must take into account whether or not quarterbacks were unwilling to throw his way at times, which helps the rest of the defense and makes it harder to execute offensively. Overall, I can't honestly make an argument House is better than Norman because on the occasions I saw Norman last year he seemed to be playing at a high level. I can say I agree that when building a roster you can't let one player overwhelm the entire process if you don't believe the player is elite. I imagine that played far more into the Jaguars' decision in this case than any statistical comparison between House and Norman.
Charles from Orange Park, FL:
I just don't think Josh Norman playing behind our pass rush would merit a $15 million contract.
John: There's something to that.
Scott from Aurora, IL:
Count me as one that is OK with the Jags not pursuing Josh Norman more than they did. I wish him all the best in his career, but for the type of money he wanted, it just had the feeling of Fool's Gold.
John:
This.
Zack from Tally:
John, say that the Jags have Jalen Ramsey as the No. 1 guy on their board. At this point, with both of the blockbuster trades, would you make a trade with the Chargers to move in front of Dallas? If so, what do you think it would cost?
John: I would not make the trade because I think the Jaguars will get an elite player at No. 5 with very little to differentiate that player and the player they would get with the No. 3 overall selection. I am fairly sure after the draft luncheon Friday that Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell feels this way. If the Jaguars were to do this, remember: the trade doesn't involve quarterback. That usually brings the asking price down. That being said, I'd say it would probably mean swapping first-round selections and the Jaguars giving up their second-round selection and maybe a late-round selection.
Jeremy from Jacksonville:
John I think the Eagles traded to No. 2 because they want Laremy Tunsil and they believed that was San Diego's pick ... just saying I'm calling that now.
John: You serious Clark?
Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Hi John, I've heard Roy Miller called a nose tackle. I thought that position applied to a 3-4 defense or is it anytime a defensive tackle up directly over the center/zero-technique?
John: It's kind of both – and as is the case with a lot of terms and schemes in the NFL these days, it pretty much depends on the team. The nose-tackle position indeed is crucial to a 3-4 defense and refers to the lineman who lines up over the center. Four-three teams also use the position at times to line up over the center. In the Jaguars' defense, which is a 4-3/3-4 hybrid, Miller indeed is a nose tackle who plays over the center and whose job it is to occupy linemen and keep them off linebackers.
Arianna from Pooler, GA:
I feel the stars are aligned for the Jags to trade up to No. 3 for Ramsey. The Chargers can likely still get Laremy Tunsil (Joey Bosa as backup plan) with Dallas picking Bosa or Ezekiel Elliot. The cost to trade up: our third-rounder this year and a fourth next year. It took me a while, but I figured it out! It's a reason we didn't pursue Josh Norman.
John: I would be surprised if the Jaguars traded up to No. 3.
Jeremy from South Korea:
Do you see Poz coaching for the Jags soon? Teams need leaders of men. That's exactly what he is.
John: I absolutely could see Paul Posluszny coaching if that's a career path he wants to pursue. I don't see it in the immediate future because he's still an important part of the Jaguars' defense.
Jim from Middleburg, FL:
Thanks for keeping it real! With the talent that will be available at No. 3, I don't believe it's possible to make a really bad decision. Am I correct that it's the middle rounds where the biggest reward/risk picks happen?
John: You actually are incorrect. You can make a horrendous decision at No. 3– and teams make bad decisions every year in the Top 10. It's not always the teams' fault – and in fact, it usually isn't. The draft is a percentage business and players fail no matter where they are drafted. That includes players in the Top 10, and when they bust they're franchise-killers because there usually were potential franchise-defining players selected all around them. That's high-risk/high-reward at its highest.
Bill from Rochester, NY:
Let's say, hypothetically, Shad names you our general manager for draft day and next season only. And let's say hypothetically the first four picks are Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Laremy Tunsil, and Joey Bosa. Who would be your draft pick to give us the best shot at competing for the playoffs in 2016?
John: I'd pick Bosa, but I'd tell Shad I wouldn't expect any rookie – no matter how highly drafted – to be the major reason a team competes for the playoffs. I'd tell him the core offensively is the biggest reason the Jaguars have a chance to improve, and that the overall moves made on defense should make that side of the ball better enough to push us toward the playoffs. I'd also tell him he's awesome – like, really, really awesome (more awesome than normal) – and can I have a raise and a ride in the jet and maybe a room at the house … or is there at least a way you can arrange it so my security code works again?
Clarence from Section 409:
I was very saddened to hear of the passing of musical icon Prince. Do you have any Prince stories or memories to share with us?
John: Yeah, Prince's passing hit home here, too – and not just because another singer from my youth passed before his time. It wasn't that I was a mammoth Prince fan, though I'm sure I owned 1999 and Purple Rain in some capacity because … well, because everyone did. It hit home because Prince was someone whose individuality and talent shattered the mold. He was a force. How good was he? Usually, someone of his success level spawns imitators. Prince was so good and so unique you couldn't imitate him – though upon reflection I guess Lenny Kravitz and his disturbing number of layers of necklaces and silk may have given it a shot. But Prince was there because he forced himself to be. If you listened to music in the early 1980s – shoot, if you were alive and in your teens in the early '80s – you were aware of Prince. You started hearing about this artist that sang dirty, filthy, brilliant songs who wasn't disco and wasn't exactly rock and roll and wasn't precisely dance music the way Michael Jackson was dance music; you heard about him before you heard the songs in a lot of cases – at least I did. I remember girls talking about The Little Red Corvette video and I remember seeing the video and knowing it was different – and really good. I remember 1999 being on all of the time. I remember the first time I saw the video for When Doves Cry. It was weird – really weird – but I was with a guy named Jeff Sheffield me and my friend David Barksdale played basketball with sometimes. Jeff said it was great and you just had to hear it once or twice – and he was right. I told this final part of this story on Twitter the other day right after Prince died: When Purple Rain came out it, was the summer of '84. At the time, I was a punk music snob and never bought anything I heard on the radio. I was driving one day and heard Let's Go Crazy from the beginning. When Prince started out "Dearly Beloved …" over that organ, when the guitars came in and the song transitioned … the hairs on my neck stood up. I bought Purple Rain on cassette that day and wore it out. RIP, Prince.