JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Ross from Orange Park, FL

Are you familiar with Coach Coen's personality as it pertains to dealing with adversity? One of the things that was disappointing with Coach Pederson was his seeming lack of emotion during adverse situations. Especially after a loss. I know it shouldn't matter, but I prefer a little edge to a coach. Do you see that in Coen?

We don't yet know how Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen will handle adversity as a head coach. There's no way to know this because adversity faced as a head coach is different than any adversity a coach feels in any other position. Either way, we see this issue differently. If a coach shows emotion naturally – and on occasion – after a loss, that's fine. If it's manufactured or for show – or if it's a lack of control – then it's a lot less fine. There's nothing wrong with maintaining control after a loss. From this writer's view, it's preferable. A head coach's job isn't to yell or be "fiery" in press conferences so that fans see an edge. The job is to lead the franchise and it's tough to lead when you're not in control of your emotions.

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

Paychecks should reflect performance, results and future expectations. The Jags' Top 5 salaries for 2025 are wide receiver Christian Kirk, tight end Evan Engram, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, defensive end Josh Hines-Allen and right guard Brandon Scherff in that order. Every one of those players has missed games due to injury in recent seasons and really haven't come all that close to living up to expectations. At best, I'd say those five have been OK-ish. I don't think that's a good thing.

There's some truth here, though that truth perhaps leans at least a touch too much toward the negative. Kirk, Lawrence and Engram all had "incomplete" seasons because of injuries in 2024, though all played at a high level for at least parts of the 2023 season when healthy. Hines-Allen played at a high level throughout the 2023 season and was OK – and for the most part healthy – in 2024. Scherff never missed a game in three seasons with the Jaguars and I wouldn't expect him to return in 2025. But yes … the Jaguars overall need more elite performances from their elite contracts. There's little question about that.

Fred from Naples, FL

Why do I get the funny feeling the Jags are going to open the season with them hosting the LA Rams at The 'Bank?

It's as good a choice as any, I suppose.

Steve from Nashville, TN

Do believe it will be one of Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli's goals to improve the NFLPA survey scores from Jaguar players around "treatment of families?" This would seem like low-hanging fruit.

I expect Boselli will do everything he can to make the Jaguars a first-class organization on all fronts. I expect in this case he will ask questions, study the circumstances and do everything possible to ensure all families around the Jaguars – players' families included – are treated in first-class fashion.

Gator from Gainesville, FL

I'm sad that we stopped talking about uniforms and the best athlete from Duval.

Stay strong.

Ray from Vernon

O mighty Zone, when it comes to evaluating who to keep or not, what exactly do the new coaches and general manager do to get a good feel for evaluating players to keep or not? Game film, practice film, or do they get a real sense of this by talking to Tony the EVP? I just keep going back to the last coordinator's style of play and the feeling that our players were not adapting to it. Maybe a fresh start with the incoming staff can restart the careers of players such as safety Andre Cisco. Thanks for your daily read.

Coaches will lean on game tape in this area more than practice tape, and Boselli's thoughts on players certainly will be a factor. A fresh start should help many players. For other players, it might not matter or might not be a great thing. This is a relatively unique situation for the Jaguars, with comparatively few people in the building who know players beyond what they see on video. It makes for a restart in a very basic and important sense.

Cliff from Everywhere with helicopter

Day One of Jaguars 2025 Training Camp. Team meeting No. 1. Before Coen speaks. Before GMJG speaks. Before the owner speaks. Lights go down and video appears of Boselli manhandling Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins and then inviting him to the other end of the field for some more. That's how you start the new regime.

I'd click on that.

Brian from Round Rock, TX

What does everyone say that Khan is hands off? Because he's physically not in Jacksonville much. You don't have to be close by to have a bad opinion, do you? You don't have to have much interaction to just tell your employee what to do, do you?

People say Jaguars Owner Shad Khan is hands off and doesn't meddle with football operations because … wait for it … he is hands off and doesn't meddle with football operations. We know this because people who have worked for him repeatedly say this is so. Khan does want to know why things are done a certain way. He wants to understand the process. But he's not one to overrule or dictate on football matters.

Josh from Atlanta, GA

Why do I care where you keep your Super Bowl ring? In light of that question, where do you keep your Super Bowl ring? Around your neck like Ed Monix? After all, there quite possibly was not a more important person contributing to that championship run, even over Peyton Man Thing. That's how highly I think of Johnny Oeshy.

I believe the ring is in a drawer. I'm not sure, honestly. It's somewhere. Presumably. Some day I'll find it again. Presumably.

JK NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

John - Is Tony Boselli the left tackle of the Jags' football operations triumvirate?

It's a good analogy and one Boselli used upon his hiring as EVP. When Boselli played, his job was to help others succeed. That's how he's approaching his current role.

Marty from Jacksonville

John, you said, "The concerns are that Kirk hasn't finished either of the last two seasons healthy and his salary-cap figure is very close to prohibitive." I'd just like to point out, releasing him does not erase his salary cap figure. Most of that would remain. So, his "prohibitive salary cap figure" is irrelevant.

It's not irrelevant at all. Kirk has a $24.1 million cap hit for 2025, which turns into a $13.536 million cap hit if he is released. It's a $10 million cap savings. That's relevant.

GP from Savannah, GA

John, Why did the players give Pederson such a low grade? I thought he was a popular character coach.

When situations go wrong, people want to blame someone. That someone more often than not isn't one's self.

Rob from Jax

Hey O, could you explain a little about who your grandfather was or what he did for work. I feel as though I must have missed an explanation somewhere but I have seen a reference or two on him when it comes to grammar or journalism maybe? Thanks, Zone.

My grandfather, Paul Oehser, was an author, poet, scientific editor and humorist. He worked for the Smithsonian Institution and was the director of the Editorial and Publications division there from 1950-1966. He was an editor of scientific reports for the National Geographic Society from 1966-1975. He was a brilliant, learned man – and funny as hell. He knew his hometown, Washington D.C., had a football team but knew little about the NFL beyond that. He perhaps knew what "NFL" stood for. But probably not.

Nick from London, England

John. You say you like these hires, and it seems the majority are agreed on that. But it got me thinking (and I know answering this now can look like it's with the benefit of hindsight but I'm asking it anyway) were there any hires in the Jaguars past that you didn't like at the time? If so which and why?

I was really skeptical about the Jaguars hiring Urban Meyer as head coach in 2021. I worried about an uber-successful college coach not being willing – or able – to shift his approach and work with grown men in professional football. I worried that Meyer wouldn't be able to learn what is a dramatically different game than the one in which he excelled. I hoped I was wrong.

Sean from Oakleaf, FL

"It's fair to expect this team to – at minimum – be around .500 in 2025." Can't say I agree with your minimum expectations for this coming season with the AFC/NFC west on the schedule, doubling their win total from last year is a bridge too far for me.

OK.