Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.
Dana from Lincoln, NE:
We should not change the logo due to the fact I have a tattoo of it on my arm. Change the unis, keep the logo.
Vic: What happens when you get a cut on a tattoo? Does the tattoo get a cut in it, too?
Joe from Leeds, England:
I just wanna say thanks, Vic, for all the knowledge you've passed down to me. I'm 19 and whenever any of my friends want to know something NFL related, they come to me to ask. Teach on, Vic, teach on.
Vic: Are there any haters in Leeds? I may need sanctuary some day.
Chris from Boston, MA:
There are just as many fans that would prefer the Jags go back to their original uniforms with the block numbers as there are those who would prefer something really new. The logo should be off-limits.
Vic: I wasn't crazy with the branding job NFL Properties did with the Jaguars and Panthers, but I thought Properties did a really cool job with the Jaguars logo. The teal tongue is genius.
Bill from St. Johns, FL:
The NFL draft provides a time of hope and excitement for fans in the middle of the offseason. As a sportswriter for the Jaguars, do you find yourself entertained by the event?
Vic: Yeah, I do. I've always liked the draft. It is truly an event and it's been that way for all the years I've covered it. I think we've gone overboard with our fascination for it, however, and I'm really looking forward to putting all the speculation behind us. Every day I get the same questions over and over. What do I think of this guy and that guy, and would I pick this guy over that guy or trade up or trade down? It's fun at first but I think we've beaten it to death and that's because we start on it way too early. By the time draft week rolls around, there's not much left to say. I used to discourage and avoid draft talk as long as I possibly could. This year I kind of gave in to it earlier than usual because the Jaguars weren't in the postseason and we didn't have to occupy our thoughts, and I think that was a mistake because I don't know about you but I'm worn out. Let's fast forward to Saturday.
Tony from Jacksonville:
Do you think the signing of Torry Holt will end up like Jerry Porter?
Vic: It can't. Whether Holt is a home run or a strikeout, signing him will never be compared to signing Porter because the guaranteed-money risk isn't nearly as great.
Bill from Lancaster, PA:
I read that the Jags have nine scouts that are dispersed throughout the year to evaluate talent. How in the world are these guys able to scout the innumerable players throughout the U.S.? Where/how do they get their leads on who to scout?
Vic: A data base of college seniors is created in the spring of those players' junior years, when the NFL and the colleges conduct "junior days." That's when the NFL scouts get their first crack at timing the next season's senior class. The underclassmen who would be eligible for the next year's draft have to apply for eligibility, therefore, they add themselves to the data base of draft-eligible players and tape of their performances is quickly gathered and broken down. The scouts to which you referred each have areas to cover. They're on the road in their specific areas all through the fall and, in addition to providing updates on the senior class of college players, they blaze the trail for the cross-checkers, such as General Manager Gene Smith, Director of Player Personnel Terry McDonough and scouting execs Tim Mingey and Andy Dengler. Let's not forget that the Jaguars belong to Blesto, which introduces a whole lot of scouts to the mix. With that kind of coverage, you're not going to miss anybody. The process is all very scientific.
Gabe from Jacksonville:
I disagree. I think the Jaguars are trying to sign and bring good players with good personalities, not only to the team, but to the city. I also think the personality of the player would affect the way they are choosing in the draft.
Vic: You're confusing personality with character. Yes, the Jaguars are being extra-conscious about the character of their draft candidates this year. I had a scout say to me the other day, "We're going to draft good guys." Gene Smith is obsessed with picking young men of high character. If the Jaguars pass on somebody you think is much better than the guy they pick, it might be for reasons you didn't know existed.
Wallace from Jacksonville:
I think your answer to the question about the advantages and disadvantages of the 4-3 and 3-4 defenses is especially insightful, given the direction the rules changes are taking the NFL game. It's going to be a more entertaining, wide-open kind of game. Wouldn't the 3-4 defense be better-suited for that type of game?
Vic: Should the game evolve into something more wide open, which I think it will, 4-3 teams would be able to adapt seamlessly. In fact, I think we've seen 4-3 teams adapt to a more pass-happy game in recent years by playing substitution defenses much more often. Two years ago, the Jaguars played "nickel," "dime" or some sort of substitution-package defense 60 percent of all defensive snaps. Don't take the 4-3, 3-4 thing too far. It's still players, not plays.
Kevin from Floral Park, NY:
It does not seem as though you think Raji is a top 10 pick. I completely respect your opinion and I know you watch a lot of college football, so I was wondering what you think his weaknesses are?
Vic: He's a very good player, but there are concerns.
Rob from Jacksonville:
Dollar for dollar, what is the negative to trading the eighth pick to acquire Anquan Boldin?
Vic: Rob and anybody else who wants the Jaguars to trade for Boldin, please read this because this will be the last Boldin question I answer: It ain't gonna happen. The Jaguars aren't gonna trade for him. It's time to move on.
Mark from Regina, Canada:
It's crazy how we spend the ninth pick on Williams in the 2004 draft and Wes Welker goes undrafted.
Vic: Somethin', ain't it? Falls in a well, eyes go crossed. Gets kicked by a mule, they go back to normal.
Chris from Jacksonville:
A friend of mine works at UPS, saw a package with the Jaguars address on it, opened it and saw the new uniforms. I hear they look a little like the Arizona Cardinals'. I know you know what they look like. Don't give me any of that "I don't remember garbage." The truth is out there. Everybody, the new uniforms look like the Cardinals'.
Vic: This is an outrage. Your friend is guilty of a federal offense. I've reported this to Jaguars security. He's in big trouble.
Daniel from FOB Kalsu, Iraq:
Two questions for you, Mr. Ketchman. First, after the new uniforms are introduced, how soon will they be available for purchase? Second, do you know who Kalsu was? Heard he played in the NFL.
Vic: Bob Kalsu was a standout starting guard for the Buffalo Bills as a rookie in 1968. It would be his only season of professional football. Kalsu was killed in battle in Vietnam in 1970. His name appears on the Buffalo Bills' Wall of Fame and your base of operation was named for him. As for the jerseys, jaguars.com will offer them for sale shortly after the new design is presented to the media on Wednesday. Stay safe, Daniel.
Jared from Auburn, AL:
If the Jags were to draft a WR, even after they sign Holt, would MJD be barely used in the pass game?
Vic: The point I was trying to get across in my column on Monday is that fans worry way too much about the particulars. That's for down the road. Don't worry about that now. Just collect talent. Collect as much talent as possible. The coaches will know what to do with it. Talking about writing Maurice Jones-Drew out of the script before a wide receiver is even drafted is ridiculous. This team desperately needs wide receivers. If they don't find some, Jones-Drew is gonna have to catch a lot of passes because he's not gonna have any room to run.
Kurt from Jacksonville:
I'm guessing you don't visit the message boards too often, Vic. They are filled with as much hate, if not more, as you get in your e-mails.
Vic: Hate is only a problem for the people doing it. "Or being hated, don't give way to hating." It's not your problem until you stoop to it.
Ron from Jacksonville:
The Jaguars can't really be considered in rebuilding mode if they are signing a 32-year-old, big-name receiver, can they? I mean, while they may get him at the right price, they are also getting a guy who will keep younger receivers from getting playing time and in-game development. This tells me the Jags have to believe they will be making a playoff run sometime soon. Your thoughts?
Vic: You've over-dramatized the situation. The intent in signing Torry Holt is that he will allow young receivers to develop at a natural pace and, at the same time, help make the team competitive. It's a patch. You know that.
Chadwin from Oak Ridge, TN:
The Lions organization just changed its helmet logo to a fiercer-looking lion. Maybe that's why Rodney was thinking the Jags should change their helmet logo.
Vic: The Lions' whole problem started when they began wearing those horrible-looking throwback uniforms that made them appear to be a Pop Warner team that got a uniform donation from the local sporting goods company. All of a sudden, black started to creep into the Lions' regular uniforms. What's that all about? They took a uniform that looked really, really sharp when Joe Schmidt, "Night Train" Lane, Alex Karas, Greg Landry and Billy Sims wore it, and gave it the look of a loser. There was nothing wrong with that Honolulu blue and silver uniform or the lion. It had a great tradition to it and I don't understand why the Lions want to abandon their tradition. Right now, it's all they have.
Brandon from Jacksonville:
I feel like an "Ask Vic" graduate today. While celebrating our signing of Torry Holt, I paused to reflect on why this made me so happy. I realized that it was because we have addressed a serious need prior to the draft, which puts us one step closer to truly focusing on a BAP draft strategy. If we end up taking Crabtree or Maclin, it's because they're the BAP, not because we need wide receivers. Thanks for your tutelage, Vic.
Vic: You've made me so proud. I am filled with love.
Jami from Arlington, VA:
Do you have the details of the Holt contract?
Vic: It's a three-year deal worth $13 million that could go as high as $20 million, should all the incentives be reached. That's not what's important. What's important is that Holt's base salary for 2009, $3 million, is the only money guaranteed in the contract. There is no signing bonus. What it all means is the Jaguars are getting a high-character guy who they believe still has some life left in his legs, but the way the contract is structured limits the risk to a one-year salary.