Logan says, 'thanks'

Mar 29, 2001 at 07:00 PM

Join jaguars.com Senior Writer Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Mike Logan from Pittsburgh, PA:
First off, I would like to say thanks to everyone in the Jaguars organization for giving me an opportunity to start my career here in Jacksonville. I really enjoyed the city and, more importantly, the fans. My question is: How do you think the free agents (myself, Leon Searcy, Brant Boyer, Reggie Barlow and Brenden Stai) that signed with other teams will fare?

Vic: Congratulations, Mike, on your contract with the Steelers. We will miss you here. As for your question: Mike, I think you're going to be doing some blitzing. I think the Steelers saw that talent in you. Stay healthy and you'll do fine. The same can be said for Leon. If he's able to overcome his leg injury, he'll be blocking for another great, young running back. Reggie was never the same after he injured his knee in 1999. If he can get his knee back to health, he can become the punt-returner he was before the knee surgery. Brenden rejuvenated his career in Jacksonville last season and appears to be on the way up, again. You're all good guys and I wish you all the best.

Mike Brown from St. Augustine, FL:
There seems to be a lot of problems with the cap situation, not only in Jacksonville but all over the league. Teams are forced to cut star players, which creates havoc among fans. You have said in the past the cap is our friend. Why?

Vic: Without an effective means of control, pro football salaries would quickly eclipse those of major league baseball, simply because pro football is an abundantly more popular and successful sport. How long do you think it would take before someone in the NFL would get an Alex Rodriguez-like contract? However, football doesn't have 81 home dates. Consider the Atlanta Braves, baseball's most successful franchise over the last 10 years. It was recently disclosed that the Braves are losing millions each year, and the team's new owners have begun sweeping cost-cutting measures. The salary cap protects the game and the fans and, in the process, the players understand that it protects them, too. If teams abide by the spirit of the cap, draft well and develop the players they draft, they'll never drift far from being playoff contenders.

Tom Connor from Jacksonville:
How much attention has Todd Fordham received in free agency? I feel like if we lose him, it would be a huge blow, with Searcy already gone.

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Vic: As of this week, Todd Fordham had yet to make a free agency visit or receive an offer from another club. That's good news for the Jaguars, if they can begin clearing some cap room.

Greg Kencitzski from Jacksonville:
I have been very busy over the past few months and my addiction to sports talk radio has waned. I heard the end of your show the other night, at a different time on AM 600. Will you, Brian and Matt continue to be on the air? Also, I'm an avid draft fan. Come April, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Who do you think the Jags will pick at 13? Although I love to see the team draft "play-makers," sometimes they don't turn out as well as the best player available. I think Steve Hutchinson, Dan Morgan or Kenyatta Walker would all be solid choices. What are your thoughts?

Vic: Jaguars This Week can be heard on Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. on AM 600 and here at jaguars.com. As far as the draft: I haven't yet started focusing on any one player the Jaguars might draft with the 13th overall choice, but it's clear the Jaguars will focus on the offensive line and their front-seven on defense in the early rounds and, probably, beyond. Walker is expected to be gone when the Jags pick. Hutchinson is more of a guard than a tackle. Morgan would seem to fit. You might want to focus on some defensive linemen, such as Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud of Georgia, and Damione Lewis of Miami.

Robert Kirk from Jacksonville:
Do you think the Jaguars have handled the Mark Brunell situation properly? I don't like how they are waiting until the last minute to decide what to do. Pay the man his money!

Vic: Paying too many men the money is why the Jaguars have such a massive salary cap problem, which has cost them the negotiating room a team needs to sign a franchise-type quarterback. At some point in time, the Jaguars had to become tougher negotiators. Unfortunately, that time is now, when they are having to re-sign their quarterback.

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