Join *Jaguars Inside Report *Senior Editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.
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Robert Courage from Naples, FL:
With the way the contracts of first-round draft picks (especially top 10) are skyrocketing, wouldn't it be wise to trade down and get more low-round picks? You'd get more players and you wouldn't spend nearly as much money. Not only were Jimmy Johnson's drafts good, but the one thing he didn't have to worry about as much that comes into play now are the huge signing bonuses. Why risk spending so much money on a draftee who has never played a down in the NFL? Granted, the odds are better you would get a star in the first round, but there always seems to be so many good players in the lower rounds, and I'd rather spend big money on a young guy we are trying to keep on the team, since we already know what he can do, as opposed to spending it on a risk.
Vic: There are a lot of inconsistencies in the facts you're presenting. First of all, signing bonuses prior to the salary cap era, when Jimmy Johnson selected Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, for example, were huge. One of the intents of the salary cap was to provide for a rookie pool that would limit what any one rookie could get. What Johnson didn't have to deal with then was the salary cap. That didn't begin until 1993, which is when the Cowboys started losing players. You also state that there are "so many good players in the lower rounds." That is not true. The closer you get to the end of the draft, the slimmer the pickings. These are the facts: 1. The best players are drafted in the first round. 2. The draft is, by far, the least expensive avenue for player acquisition. 3. The key to drafting successfully is drafting early and keeping risks and mistakes to a minimum. Trading down has its place, but you won't build a championship team by passing on better players.
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Mike Weidner from Atlanta, GA:
It was my understanding the attendance of each game is based on tickets sold. According to a recent article in the local paper, the Jaguars have approximately 56,000 season ticket holders. Doesn't it stand to reason the attendance figures should never dip below 56,000?
Vic: Turnstile count is the official count used on game day. Years ago, three attendance stats were provided: tickets distributed, tickets used, and no-shows (the difference between tickets distributed and tickets used). I don't know why that procedure was abandoned.
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C.C. Brinson from Tallahassee, FL:
Now that the entire team has been sacrificed to keep Brunell, will coach finally do the chump dump if "Mighty Mark" doesn't pull it together? This is a tough question. I have been a die-hard fan of Brunell's since day one, but enough is enough. Even Boselli can't help him out.
Vic: If "chump dump" means "cut Brunell," I can assure you coach will not do the "chump dump." Brunell has $14.35 million of remaining bonus amortization that would accelerate onto the Jaguars' salary cap if coach did the "chump dump."
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Ralph Shook from Wise, VA:
This is not the Jaguar team I've been used to seeing. I'm not talking about what we lost due to the cap. Our players are just not playing hard. The 1995 team and every team since then played with heart, and I haven't seen this out of the present team, yet. Sure, our talent level is down, but there's no excuse for not playing hard. Is this just me or is there something else missing? Except for the Chiefs game, we seem to be lacking the all-out effort you expect from the Jaguars.
Vic: Let's evaluate their effort during the regular season. If it's not there, we'll all begin searching for reasons.
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Andy Cuppia from St. Louis, MO:
Reading this web site everyday and watching and listening to the games, I see that a lot of people are concerned about the salary cap and injuries, and justly so. But something not many have brought up is attitude. I feel the Jaguars are almost a team "hanging on" to being a good team, rather than trying to be a good team. It seems as if they are trying not to lose, rather than to win. While I don't question anyone's desire to win, do you think the Jaguars' attitude and frame of mind is in the right place?
Vic: Almost every penny of salary has been converted to bonus money that's been paid up front. It had to be that way for this team to get under the salary cap. That has me concerned. I don't like the idea of paying before the work is done. Again, we'll have to evaluate this team's attitude and performance based on what they do in the regular season.
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J. MacLachlan from Pensacola, FL:
Who decides which half of the team, offense or defense, is announced first in the stadium on game day?
Vic: Most teams do it on a rotating basis: Offense this week, defense next week. A coach might decide to change the order for a particular reason; a player returning to his hometown, or maybe to protect a struggling quarterback from boos.
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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.
