Join *Jaguars Inside Report *Senior Editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.
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Joey Winterrowd from Memphis, TN:
Vic, I first wanted to commend you on the quality and the frequency of your reports on jaguars.com. This is my primary source on keeping up with the Jags and it's great to have committed journalists, such as yourself, who produce one of the best sites in the NFL. Being a Jaguars fan in Titans country is difficult enough without having to witness the lack of offensive production during the first two preseason games. The only thing that has been solidified thus far is the true value of Mike Hollis and the necessity to work a contract to keep him on the roster in the future. What options do coach Coughlin have to get our team ready for the regular season? I read your postgame report stating that the "kinder, gentler, more understanding" Coughlin may have to revert to his old ways. I'm beginning to agree.
Vic: There's nothing that can be done except to settle on a roster and begin developing young players at positions of need. The Jaguars have a lot of such positions, and that is clearly the definition of rebuilding. We all need to get our heads out of the sand and realize that this is not 1995 or '96; Mark Brunell is not going to carry this team on his back by scrambling all over the field and making wild plays. Those days are over. These days are about patience and perseverance, qualities that belong to all good teams and all good fans. Football teams aren't massaged; they're built.
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John Silliman from Orange Park, FL:
The move to put Mack at fullback wouldn't have anything to do with Tom Coughlin wanting to keep the young Elvis Joseph as a backup to Fred Taylor, possibly competing more with Stith for that position? I think everyone was impressed with Joseph's open-field running in the preseason opener, and the reports of him in training camp. What chance do you think he has of becoming the man for the second string job?
Vic: I think Elvis Joseph's role is that of a specialty back; something like what Tavian Banks did for the Jaguars in 1998-99. At this point in time, I don't see Joseph as the between-the-tackles runner Tom Coughlin wants as a backup to Fred Taylor. Stacey Mack has the size to be an inside runner, but he must prove it in this preseason. Coughlin is experimenting with Mack at fullback for the obvious reason: The Jaguars are desperate to find one. We'll keep our eye on the experiment, but though Mack is big enough to be a blocker, he hasn't done much of it in his career. It's a skill and not everyone has that ability.
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Andy Allen from Jacksonville: **
Who is responsible for the poor condition of "The Vet" in Philadelphia, and who is actually to blame for why it hasn't improved over the years?
Vic: Santa Claus.
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Jim Golder from Jacksonville:**
Vic, I love your column! Could you tell me a little more about the practice squad? How many players can the Jags keep on this squad? Is it limited to rookies? I thought I read that we acquired someone from another team's practice squad. How does that work?
Vic: Each NFL team may assemble a five-man developmental group, or practice squad, following final roster cuts. Any player who has not been on a team's 45-man active roster for nine or more games in a single season is eligible for the practice squad, provided they haven't already used their two-year practice squad eligibility. Three weeks on any practice squad in a season constitutes a year. Each practice squad member will make $68,000 a season, or $4,000 a week. That money, $340,000 for the whole squad, is counted against that team's salary cap. One team may sign a player from another team's practice squad, but that player must be moved immediately to the claiming team's active roster. The Jaguars claimed guard Aaron Koch from the Titans' practice squad last September. Here's a little trivia for you: Jonathan Quinn is technically eligible for the practice squad, since he has never spent nine games in any season on the Jaguars' 45-man active roster.
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Pete Sinorelli from Goshen, NY:
Do you think Tony Boselli is getting a break knowing Jevon Kearse is playing on the weak side, instead of Kevin Carter, for the Titans? Being that Kearse is smaller than Carter, will he be easier for Boselli to handle?
Vic: Jim, I don't know, but I can't wait to see those two go head-to-head.
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Jim Trice Jr. from Jacksonville:
When looking at the team roster I found there are seven safeties. Now, I know that the cuts haven't been made, yet, but that has to be outrageous. Couldn't the Jags spend more time and money else where. I didn't know we were hurting at safety.
Vic: Every team is looking for athletes; especially for their special teams. Safety is a high-yield position for athletes, and it didn't cost anything against the salary cap because most of those guys don't have significant signing bonuses. You count the top 51 salaries and all bonus money on your training camp salary cap, which means minimum-wage guys without signing bonuses don't count against the training camp cap.
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Vic Ketchman is the Senior Editor of Jaguars Inside Report, the official team newspaper of the Jacksonville Jaguars. One-year subscriptions may be purchased by calling 1-888-846-5247.
