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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

O-Zone: Abstract art

JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Ryan from Miami, FL

Zone, this is a two-part question and each question is kind of related to the other. No. 1: Is the current plan for the NFL to play games without any fans in the stadium? No. 2: I know that Major League Baseball teams share their revenue with one another. For example, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are one of the most profitable MLB teams, put money in a pot (along with all the other MLB teams) and they all split revenues. This gives teams like the Miami Marlins, a very small-market/less-profitable franchise, a chance to sign players or make business moves. Do you see something like this happening with the NFL, especially now with COVID-19 going on?

This is a two-part answer. No. 1: The NFL officially currently plans to play a full season with full stadiums in 2020, but reports this past week were that the league plans to allow each team to dictate its own attendance capacity based on COVID-19 conditions and policies in the team's state and city. I expect the league to provide more clarity on this in the coming days/weeks, and anticipate a wide range of fluid approaches to attendance this season. No. 2: The NFL's revenue-sharing policy is different than baseball. where baseball has teams such as the Dodgers and New York Yankees pay the less-profitable teams in essentially the way you cite, the NFL shares television and other "shared" revenue equally among 32 teams. This has long been a core policy of the NFL and it's a major reason smaller-market teams historically have been able to stay on at least somewhat equal footing with bigger-market teams – at least more so than is the case in, say, Major League Baseball.

Adam from Cocoa, FL

I disagree with your Top Five Jaguars of all-time. Running back Fred Taylor has to be No. 1 followed by left tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Jimmy Smith and running back Maurice Jones Drew – and defensive end Tony Brackens No. 5. That's the list.

And it's a good list. I rank Boselli No. 1 because he was the best player at his position in the NFL during the Golden Age of left tackle. Had he remained healthy for a few more seasons, he would have been a dead-solid, no-questions-asked, first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Jaguars never have had another player about whom that is true. And I'm fine with Brackens at No. 5. I put wide receiver Keenan McCardell there, but Brackens is a good choice.

Ryan from Detroit, MI

Fun dead-zone question for you: Who do you think will be the first Defensive Player named to the Pride of the Jaguars? So far, it's all Offense.

I would go with Brackens first, followed cornerback Rashean Mathis and possibly defensive end Calais Campbell. I don't get a vote. It's above my pay grade. Then again, what isn't?

Gary from Palatka, FL

Remember when the Jaguars were awesome? Remember Sacksonville? Remember 2017? I remember that. That was cool. I liked it.

It sure didn't suck.

Henry from Old Town

Mr. O. The debate over kneeling has been beaten to death without any resolution. The one thing being overlooked is that the action is divisive. At a time when the only way forward is with the support of as many people as possible, to intentionally divide that support seems counterproductive. Getting attention merely gets you attention, but it does not usually increase the chances of success for your cause. Perhaps a better display would be to stand for the anthem and then assemble the team at mid-field for a moment of silence and asking the crowd to join with them. They will have shown respect for those who disagree with their kneeling and would then ask for respect for their concerns. I think something like that would engender a great deal more support than their current course of action will ever provide. Has anyone suggested something like that to the players in your knowledge?

There are hundreds of players in the NFL. I don't pretend to know what has been suggested to all of them regarding this issue. I don't get the idea that suggesting alternatives to kneeling is going to result in players not kneeling this season. My impression is that the idea is to continue to publicly make the point about police brutality, and that the feeling among people kneeling is that doing so is the only way to make a bold enough statement to get people to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Mike from BillMurrayHill

John: Have you noticed that the same three malcontents make up 98 percent of the comment section below your O-Zone feature? Could you ask them to "Get Off Your Lawn?"

What's a "comment section?"

Tim from St. John's, FL

You've said that the grind of the previous college football season combined with pro days, combine and other offseason workouts often tests the stamina and health of rookies. How do you think the lack of offseason activities will affect this year's class? Will they be better off because of the reduced calendar or will they be more disadvantaged because of the lost time with teams and trainers.

Rookies may prove to benefit from the 2020 offseason in the physical sense. While most trained for the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Days during January, February and March, the Pro Day season was cut short – and players didn't endure the on-field portion of the offseason. That figures to reduce the fatigue that often occurs late in rookie seasons. Still, rookies figure to be at somewhat of a disadvantage because they won't have been at team facilities until training camp. Organized team activities and the rest of the offseason program are critical to rookies because that's when rookies learn how the team does things. They learn the offense and defense. They learn meeting schedules. They learn how their coaches conduct meetings. They learn the routine and get comfortable with it. Rookies this season instead will have to do that during training camp. That figures to be more of a disadvantage than whatever advantages the physical break brings.

KC from Orlando, FL

KOAF: I just don't get it that there are so many folks clamoring for the Jaguars to trade defensive end Yannick Ngakoue for New York Jets safety Jamal Adams. Adams is pulling a Jalen Ramsey (save for the pulling up lame for the Jags during the season then being healthy with the Los Angeles Rams). Both wanted big money sooner than what was agreed to by the NFL and NFLPA. Just because some teams decide to lock in players for the long haul early does not mean that everybody will get this or should demand this. It just boggles my mind that signing a contract doesn't mean anything. Players sign a contract and then they do not want to uphold what they signed. Teams are held hostages to the whims of these self-obsessed prima donnas. Although many debate over former Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin and his handling of players, getting rid of Ramsey and his selfish ego was the right thing to do and got us a nice collection of picks. Rant done. Go Jags!

OK.

Tim from Fleming Island, FL

Why are you so sure Mike Glennon will be the backup? What has he done to deserve this?

I'm not sure what "deserve" means in this context. The Jaguars signed Glennon as an unrestricted free agent this offseason from the Raiders. They signed him to add experience to an otherwise young quarterback position. They also signed him because he has knowledge of new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's West Coast-based system having played for Gruden's bother, Jon, in Oakland. Those factors indicate Glennon will backup Minshew.

Peter from St. Augustine, FL

It's quiet, zone. Too quiet. I'm telling ya … something's up.

It's the Dead Zone, Peter. Tread lightly.

Phil from Orange Park, FL

You tell me the Jaguars aren't Tanking for Trevor? Really? No improvements to the offensive line? No move for a quarterback when Cam Newton was available for how long? If it looks like a tank and smells like a tank, you know what it is? A tank.

Tanking is in the eye of the beholder – or the accuser, if you will. The Jaguars like their offensive line and think the return to full health of left tackle Cam Robinson will help. They believe in Minshew and want to see him over a full season – and they didn't think signing a big-money veteran quarterback for a second consecutive offseason was the correct option. Either way: The Jaguars aren't tanking for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence or anyone else.

Sean from Jacksonville

If I were losing my religion, would I feel fine if it was the end of the world as we know it?

Only if you believe in coyotes. Oh – and time as an abstract.

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