Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.
Matt from Jacksonville
How will the Jaguars’ running game be impacted by the loss of Kyle Brady? Can you rate the run-blocking and pass-blocking skills of George Wrighster, Marcedes Lewis and newly-acquired Jermaine Wiggins? Can any of these tight ends replace the blocking skills of Brady?
Vic: The Jaguars lost one of the best blocking tight ends I have ever covered. If tight ends made it into the Hall of Fame for blocking, Kyle Brady would be a first-ballot inductee. Ironically, while Brady played for the Jaguars, all I ever got were questions about the Jaguars not throwing the ball to him and when were the Jaguars going to get a tight end who could catch? Now that he’s gone, I’m getting tons of questions about what it will mean to the team’s running game that they lost Brady in free agency. So what will it mean? It means one of their tight ends will have to become a go-to blocker. I know Jack Del Rio believes Marcedes Lewis is a better blocker than people think and I know Del Rio believes Lewis can further develop his skills. I know that George Wrighster has blocking skills. I don’t expect Jermaine Wiggins to be an answer to the loss of Brady. Wiggins is a pass-catcher. The return of Greg Jones at fullback may be the greatest new blocking resource in the running game. I also want to wait until I see what Dirk Koetter has planned for utilizing the tight ends, before I decide what losing Brady will mean.
John from Jacksonville
What is your take on the proposed rule change to move the overtime kickoff line from the 30 to the 35?
Vic: Del Rio told me last week that the percentage of wins for the team receiving the opening kickoff of overtime has increased significantly in recent years. For a long, long time, the team that won the OT coin toss won about 51 percent of the time. The recent increase has obviously caused some alarm. Moving the kickoff line from the 30 to the 35 for the start of OT will effectively move the starting scrimmage line back and will probably result in a lot of 20-yard line starts. It’s one of the few examples in all of the years I’ve been covering the NFL that the league has actually done something that favors defense.
Goran from Jacksonville
The difference is that Vick is the highest-paid player in the game and he does not make big plays at big times. If he did, the Falcons would be in the playoffs every year but they aren’t because Vick only throws for 100 yards a game. Another reason is he throws uncatchable balls. The receivers do drop a lot because Vick’s passes are always too high or too low to the ground, and the receivers probably don't expect Vick to throw to them because he always throws to Crumpler.
Vic: This just in: Michael Vick is not a sophisticated, pocket-passing quarterback. You figured that out, huh? Vick has passed for 11,505 yards, 71 touchdowns and 52 interceptions in his career. He’s also rushed for 3,870 yards and 21 touchdowns. When you put them together, that’s a lot of yards and touchdowns. The Falcons were 12th in the league last season in total yards of offense per game. Their defense was 22nd in the league in total yards allowed. As you can see, offense wasn’t the problem.
Patrick from Jacksonville
What are the demands for Byron this year, or is this, yet, another year for learning and teaching and teaching and learning and we are a young team and we need time and and, and? Entertain the fans and the fans will watch.
Vic: That’s not how it works. Strong franchises aren’t built on wait and see. Strong franchises are built on passionate fan bases whose support is unconditional.
Jason from Jacksonville
Hey, Vic, what is your opinion on recruiting wide receivers from the CFL, like Dallas just did. Maybe we could pick up a top receiver who’s experienced and hungry for the opportunity and is cheap.
Vic: You find football players where you find football players.
Chris from Tallahassee, FL
Every time an athlete, such as Sensabaugh, gets in trouble for having a firearm, an article seems to always point out that he had a gun without a permit or without a license. At least in Florida, the only time you need a permit for a firearm is to carry it on your person, which is a concealed weapon license. As long as a person is 18 and has no prior criminal record that might prohibit possession, a gun in the glove box of a car or in the house is perfectly legal without a license. I wanted to help dispel this myth that there is some license one needs to be near a gun.
Vic: I know nothing about guns; never owned one, never will. I thank you for the information. My concern is for something else. From what I understand, Gerald Sensabaugh had a gun in a locked compartment of his car. The gun was registered, whatever that means. I’m sure you know. All of that meant Sensabaugh was carrying the gun according to Florida law. The problem was that he wasn’t in Florida when he was pulled over for speeding. He was in Tennessee and that state’s laws meant he was in violation of something. My concern is that he apparently was asked if he had a firearm in the car. I’ve been pulled over for speeding a couple of times and I also know people who’ve been stopped for traffic violations. I’ve never been asked if I had a gun in the car and nobody I know has ever been asked if they had a gun in their car. Why was Sensabaugh asked if he did? That’s what concerns me.
Scott from Jacksonville
I read your response on Byron Leftwich never dodging the media and question why he now is dodging you and other media members? My concern is that he is unhappy in Jacksonville and as a huge fan I don't want that type of player guiding our team. Your thoughts?
Vic: You’re absolutely right. Unhappy doesn’t work. You can’t do anything well when you’re unhappy. That’s why I’m looking forward to talking with Byron when he returns for OTA’s (organized team activities). I want to know that he’s happy. Byron is a naturally happy person. It’s his greatest personality trait. He is a naturally happy and positive person who people like to be around. I have to see that he hasn’t changed.