JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Henry from New Port Richey, FL

Why am I not sure how I should feel about this game? Seems O-line depth is an issue. Run defense backups seems questionable. Just unsure how to feel about all this Mr. O-ZONE? Please help!

There's a legitimate reason for your uncertainty, and that's because the Jaguars' 20-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 2024 Preseason Week 2 game at EverBank Stadium Saturday was in a very legitimate sense nearly impossible to analyze. Few starters on either team played, with Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson and Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles essentially treating Saturday's "game" as an extension of the previous week's joint practices. This is becoming the norm in the NFL. Since the league shortened the preseason to three games in 2021, coaches are opting to use controlled joint practices as the "real work" for the starters with the ensuing game more about evaluating the rest of the roster. How to feel about this game? Be glad that Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones has the feel of a very capable backup, and like the fact that young players such as running back Tank Bigsby and wide receiver Parker Washington are starting to look like contributors. Be a little concerned about the backup offensive line, but not overly so. Beyond that and a few other storylines, get ready for Preseason Week 3 at Atlanta. The Jaguars will treat the week sort of like a regular-season game, so we'll get sort of a better idea about some issues Friday.

Stan from Jacksonville

QB10 Mac Jones is pretty good. May not happen this year but I would not be surprised to see a Rob Johnson-like trade while the Jags still control his contract. The Johnson trade with Buffalo got us the draft pick that brought future HOF running back Fred Taylor to Jacksonville. There is obviously good value in a good quarterback.

There absolutely is value in a good quarterback and it wouldn't be surprising if Jones moves on from the Jaguars after this season for a better opportunity to start. It will be difficult for the Jaguars to trade him, though. This is the final season of his contract, so unless the Jaguars trade him before the trade deadline late in the season, teams may opt to wait until he becomes a free agent.

Larry from Wattsburg(h), PA

Is getting an offense into the right play for the given situation kind of like a quarterback calling a play for the offense?

Yes.

Jason from Jacksonville

Is training camp officially over or is it still ongoing with just the practices no longer open to public?

The Jaguars are still in "training camp" through their Preseason Week 3 road game against the Falcons Friday, though the schedule this week is more like a regular-season week. The practices indeed are now closed to the public.

Kat from Augusta, GA

There has been a lot of discussion about the promise this offense has shown, except the offensive line. I know we have two relatively new pieces on our offensive line and it takes more time for them to mesh. With that said, is this squad performing better, worse, or as you expected so far?

I don't enter training camps with particular expectations. I would say the defense has been perhaps a bit better than I expected considering it's adapting to a new coordinator in Ryan Nielsen and a new scheme. The offense has been about as expected, looking as if it is growing increasingly smoother and more in sync as training camp progressed.

Fred from The Willie Browne Trail

There's an easy tweak to prevent coaches opting to kick deep to reduce risk. Just move the kicker back 10-15 yards. That would also take away the possibility of a position player kicking off.

OK.

Andrew from Tampa, FL

KOAF, we have heard a lot about the receiving corps and Tank Bigsby improving, but how has Etienne looked in camp? Unless I missed it he has not been a topic so far this year.

Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. has looked good in training camp. The reason it hasn't been a topic is it was expected he would look good. He's good.

JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL

Hey, John - I am missing No. 42. Two questions: Do you think we will really see Dewey back on the field this season? Will Dewey be a Captain this year? Whatever the circumstances, I am sure he will do whatever he can to fire up the boys on Game Day. Among many other memories, Dewey swiping the Terrible Towel from a Steelers fan was epic!

I expect Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard to miss the early part of the season with a knee injury and to return after that.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

I don't if you are familiar with Steven Patton of PattonAnalytics, but he has been evaluating offensive and defensive play-callers using a statistical analysis only a MIT graduate could understand since 2016. He has written two excellent articles explaining the system and results. Jaguar fans might be interested to know that Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor was No. 6 last year and was a slight upgrade over Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson, who is also rated highly and Nielsen was No. 4 with the Falcons last year. Together they enter the season as the top tandem in the NFL.

One fer Taylor and one fer Nielsen, I suppose.

Johnny from Westside does it matter side

Does it matter for a player, in terms of seasons accrued perhaps, whether they are injured for the season in the preseason, or in a regular-season game? I wonder because with how poor tackling can be early in the season why NFL teams never play starters for a whole game. As a result of not playing "football speed" we see poor tackling blamed often on lack of live tackling. What matter a blown ACL in preseason or week 5, except if it harms the player somehow. Does my question even make sense?

An NFL player accrues a season of experience if he is on injured reserve for six or more games. It does not matter if he is injured in the preseason or regular season. I agree that tackling can suffer because teams don't practice it enough and because starters don't play much in preseason games. You play starters in the regular season because the games count and it's therefore worth the risk. You limit them in preseason because they're meaningless and therefore not worth the risk.

Richard from Atlantic Beach, FL

So, the beauty of preseason is who's winning their one on one, not so much who's winning the play.

I suppose.

Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL

So, "not scheming" for a preseason game is like running pickup basketball, everybody just "mans up" and they center the ball. Then when the regular season starts, the ballet (chess) begins? I don't like preseason. It's boring. It's pretty much almost football, I'm so excited.

Preseason "scheming" is a little more complex than "everyone mans up," but your analogy isn't far off. Few fans, observers, coaches "like" preseason. It's a necessary ritual so players can prepare for the regular season and coaches/personnel officials can evaluate the roster. The good is people who hate preseason can choose not to watch. People other than me, anyway.

Brian from Round Rock, TX

When can we stop hearing about Trevor and BTJ's "slow start to camp." Will it be mentioned as a caveat when they are fitted with Super Bowl rings at the end of the year?

I guess it depends on who's doing the mentioning.

Chris UK from London

Hey, Zone. How many running backs are normally on the roster?? Given what we have seen and read in camp surely Jalen Jackson makes over Robinson? But that means a 5th round draft pick not making the roster would this be unusual?? Thoughts.

Teams typically keep three-to-five running backs on the roster depending on skill set and role. Rookie Keilan Robinson, a fifth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, has participated sparingly in Jaguars 2024 Training Camp because of a toe injury. Jackson, who signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent following the '24 draft, has played very well in camp. That doesn't automatically mean Jackson making the "final 53" over Robinson. When considering the roster these days, you must remember the practice squad. It's part of the roster.

Sascha from Cologne

Hey, John. So far it seems the offense is in a good rhythm and the defense is really good. Only the offensive line seems concerning. Do you think the Jaguars will trade for an offensive lineman or do you think they think the group will be better as all the observers say like the last years as well?

I don't expect the Jaguars to trade for a starting offensive lineman before the 2024 regular season.