JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Kevin from Jacksonville:
With all the building the Jags have done with the draft and getting key free agents, how soon do you expect to see the results that Gus and Dave have been talking about, especially if they can gel in the offseason?
John: That's indeed the $64,000 Question this offseason. When will the fans and team see results? I think the expectation from the team and fans is you'll see improvement in terms of winning and losing next season, and I believe that will happen. I think David Caldwell and Gus Bradley absolutely expect that, and they certainly expect to win more games than they have won the last two seasons. What will the record be? Will that be enough to satisfy fans? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I do believe there will be improvement and I think you'll see the Jaguars win more games this season.
Jimmy from London, England:
Personally, I really like Dante Fowler Jr. as the pick at No. 3. He seems the most complete of the potential Leos, and also dynamic enough to be moved around. Who do you think would be a more impactful fit if both he and Williams are available at No. 3? Is there really a significant difference in quality between both players? It also was good to hear Fowler being so positive about potentially coming here at his Pro Day.
John: It was interesting to hear NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock say there wasn't much of a difference between Fowler and Williams. I personally like Williams if he's there at No. 3 because he seems to be the safest pick, but I don't have a problem with Fowler. If you think he can be an impact, long-term pass rusher, take him.
Patrick from Jacksonville:
How do the Jaguars feel about Stephen Morris as a backup? Do they draft/sign a rookie this offseason to develop?
John: The Jaguars like Stephen Morris. Who they like better is Chad Henne, which is why Henne is the Jaguars' backup quarterback. They could sign a rookie, but that wouldn't mean Henne's role changing.
Patrick from Jacksonville:
Any chance someone drafted outside of the first round will have a chance to start for the Jags this season?
John: Yes.
Tony from Lancaster, PA:
Why did the Jags choose not to re-sign Geno Hayes? He put in pretty good work last year and is only 27 years old. I feel as though he'll add great depth to the position seeing how he already knows our system.
John: While Hayes indeed was a good, reliable player for two seasons, the Jaguars wanted to upgrade the linebacker position. They signed Dan Skuta to play the Otto and I would be surprised if you don't see them draft at least one player at outside linebacker later this month.
Ron from Orlando, FL:
What's the deal with Wisniewski? Heard the Jags brought him in and then nothing ... he'd be an immediate upgrade at the position, wouldn't he?
John: If signed, Wisniewski certainly would provide depth and competition on the interior of the line. But would he be an upgrade over what the Jaguars have at center or guard? That would have to play out.
Mike from Section 110:
RE: Brian from Gainesville's claim of college ties running deeper than pro ties, I had the opportunity to attend the 2013 title game to support my alma mater FSU out in Cali. Underneath my FSU jersey, I wore a Jags shirt, something I do for every sporting event I attend. There was a large contingent of former players sitting in the section to my left, and a certain former fullback caught my eye. As the final seconds ticked down, I saw Mr. Jones celebrating like the rest of us. Partly due to the celebratory mosh pit in the stands between us, mostly due to the fact a man his size jumping around being overwhelmingly intimidating, I decided not to venture over, and tried to catch his eye by revealing the Jag's logo under my Jersey. When he saw me, he just smiled and pointed, and I returned the gesture. A simple moment shared with my favorite Jaguar was the standout memory from one of the best moments of my life; I only regret I didn't yell "Duval." No matter where I am, no matter the situation, I'm #DTWD
John: I have friends who love the Gators and Jaguars. I have other friends who love the Seminoles and Jaguars. When I lived in Indiana, I had friends who loved the Colts and the Boilermakers or Hoosiers. I obviously didn't like these friends as much as I like my Florida friends, but my point is that I've never figured why college and professional loyalty had to be mutually exclusive. Can't we all get along?
Wallace from Jacksonville:
Fred Taylor certainly deserves strong consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but alas he's got two strikes against his chances already - 1) Except for his first two seasons he played on either bad or run-of-the-mill teams and 2) He played for the Jaguars, a small market team in a small market division. Many don't appreciate how good he was for so long because they rarely got to see him play.
John: Those two factors hurt. I've always maintained that the fact that Taylor often had the third-or fourth-best statistical year in his conference hurts just as much. I covered Taylor from 1998-2000. He had stretches in each of those seasons when he was as good as any running back in the NFL, but he didn't quite get Rookie of the Year or Pro Bowl honors in 1998 and he didn't quite make the Pro Bowl in 2000. That kept him off the national stage, too, but yeah – being on average teams in a small market makes it tough. No doubt.
David from Oviedo, FL:
O-man, remember when Tony Boselli manhandled Bruce Smith and after a big gain, him motioning for Smith to "catch up"? That was cool.
John: It was actually Jason Taylor. But yes, it was cool.
Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Caldwell could remember Joeckel and Beadles' play last year. It was not worth the second pick or the contract. The right side got a pass for youth. His "remembering" got over seventy sacks.
John: We've probably pretty much reached the end of this topic – for the coming few days anyway. The Jaguars' line has struggled in recent seasons, and it struggled last season. The belief within the organization is that players such as Luke Joeckel, Luke Bowanko and Brandon Linder will improve with continuity and experience, and that Zane Beadles can improve with a second year in the system. There also is a belief that Jermey Pernell will be an upgrade at right tackle. There is a belief among some observers, fans and readers that the way to solve the offensive line issues is to overhaul the entire group for a second time in as many years. The Jaguars did not believe an overhaul was necessary and therefore did not and are not going to do it. Stay tuned.
Holger from London, England:
John, you like giving an answer to a reader by posting a question, then answering yourself. Do I have a question for you? Maybe, I bet I have. I'm sure you don't need one to post this. Do I think this will get posted? Definitely not. I would love to see us pick Leonard Williams but I get the feeling Dave will go with a receiver to help Blake. Go Jags.
John: Holger, I answer questions seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Do I use various techniques to answer certain types of questions? Yes, I do. Will I continue to do so? Yeah, probably. Do I feel fortunate to have an astute, thoughtful, loyal readership courteous enough to note my shortcomings with such constructive criticism? Boy, do I!!!!
Gabe from Washington, DC:
Who should be bigger, the LEO or the OTTO? Usually defensive linemen are bigger than linebackers, but I feel like that's not the case with those two roles.
John: There's no hard, fast rule that says a Leo must be bigger than the Otto or vice versa, but generally speaking you're correct that an Otto likely will be bigger and more physical than a Leo. The Otto ideally would have size to be stout against the run and set the edge, and though he should be able to cover and rush, stopping the run is key. The Leo needs primarily to disrupt in the backfield and in particular he needs to be able to rush the passer.
Bryan from Jacksonville:
John, Tony Boselli = the one and ONLY T. Bo' !
John: Yeah, Boselli's awesome. He doesn't get enough credit. Maybe we should honor him with a ceremony to tell him how great he is. We could put his name on a wall. People could clap. I'll talk to someone and see if we can get this done.