JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Timothy from Neptune Beach, FL

At the risk of being repetitive, how many days again?

My Scooby Sense – and not my Scobee Sense – tells me you're jumping in on the (admittedly tired and very repetitive) O-Zone thread of asking how many days until 2025 Training Camp begins at the Miller Electric Center. Because the start of camp coincides with the end of the "dead zone," it's understandably a day for which many of us wait eagerly here in the O-Zone. Because Wednesday is the first practice of '25 camp, the answer is that of this Sunday morning O-Zone, it's three days until camp begins. Rookies and quarterbacks reported Saturday. Other veterans are scheduled to report Tuesday. The beginning is at hand. If we haven't "made it," we are damned close. Whee.

Woody from Dunlap

KOAF: Cooper Hodges has had two knee injuries since joining the Jaguars. He is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Were both injuries to the same knee? Is there a timetable as to whether he might be able to play in 2025? The previous administration seemed high on him. Hope he can recover and play again.

Hodges, a seventh-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2023 NFL Draft who played locally at Macclenny Baker County High School, indeed is on the Reserve/PUP list. He was placed there this offseason after being waived with a failed physical designation after sustaining very serious knee injuries in each of his first two NFL seasons. Both injuries were to his right knee. I wouldn't expect Hodges to play in 2025. This administration likes Hodges very much. Health is the storyline here. If he's healthy, the Jaguars would love to see him play and compete his way into a contributing starting role. Stay tuned.

Peter from Jacksonville

Has anyone asked about T-Law?

Not in a few hours.

Kenneth from Jacksonville

I remain confused. Why are we supposed to be excited about this team again? The offensive line hasn't improved. The secondary hasn't, either. I thought these were the team weaknesses last season.

I'm sorry you're confused. Confusion can be, well … confusing. You're correct that the offensive line and secondary needed to improve compared to last season. But I'm not sure you're nearly as correct when you say those areas haven't improved. The Jaguars didn't invest in high-dollar free-agency in either area this offseason, and they didn't invest first-round draft capital on the offensive line. But they absolutely addressed the areas in free agency, signing four offensive linemen – Chuma Egoda, Fred Johnson, Robert Hainsey and Patrick Mekari – and also signing safety Eric Murray and cornerback Jourdan Lewis. They then selected wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL draft while also selecting safeties Caleb Ransaw (Round 3) and Rayjuan Lane IIII (Round 6). They also selected guard Wyatt Milum (Round 3) and center Jonah Monheim (Round 7) in the draft. That's significant equity and effort on these two areas. While it may be your opinion that the Jaguars didn't do enough, the decision-makers do not share that opinion. They believe the secondary and offensive lineman have improved. Stay tuned.

William from Orange Park, FL

What in the world is wrong with you? What are you thinking?

You're going to need to be waaaaaaay more specific.

Adam from Jacksonville

What do you think the Jaguars will finish?

The Scooby Sense – not the Scobee Sense – is active here again, telling me you are wondering what the Jaguars' record will be in 2025 and where they will finish in the standings. While I'm not overly big on such preseason prognostications, I'll bow to the dead zone and people's affinity for such things by taking a swing and saying I expect the Jaguars to at least push for .500 with eight or nine victories this season. I believe they will be more disciplined this season than last season, and I believe they will improve as a short-yardage running team. Such improvements can make enough of a difference in close games to get the Jaguars around .500. If quarterback Trevor Lawrence takes a jump, that can get you another victory or two – and a record over .500 should mean contending in the AFC South. Such improvement isn't easy and doesn't always happen in Year One of a new regime. But it's possible.

Bill from Middleburg

What are you looking forward to the most in training camp?

All the cool people.

Robert from Jacksonville

I don't see much about players not reporting to camp. What players aren't signed?

I believe you're asking what Jaguars players are expected to hold out at the beginning of training camp. Training camp holdouts for rookies are largely a thing of the past since the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement established a rookie wage scale. Because drafted players' salaries are "slotted," there's little incentive for rookies to hold out. This year was a bit different around the league because multiple second-round selections remained unsigned until this past week, with the issue that the players were seeking guaranteed contracts. But many of those players signed in recent days and holdouts again are expected to be minimal. Either way, all 2025 Jaguars draft selections are signed. All Jaguars veterans are also expected to report to camp Tuesday.

Steve from Nashville, TN

Are we at the point now where Travon Walker "getting one percent better every day" is starting to accumulate to a significantly high number?

My view on Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker is he has been very good since his 2022 rookie season and he has improved steadily throughout his career. I don't know how to quantify "significantly high number." I do know I consider Walker one of the two or three best position players on the Jaguars along with wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen.

Patrick from Murray Hill

What do you think has been Trevor's best play as a pro? Best game?

I don't know that one play or game stand out from a lot of others in Lawrence's career. I know he made a lot of big plays with a lot of really good games from the last five games of the 2022 season through the first 11 games of the 2023 season. If pressed, I might choose the game at Tennessee in 2022 as the best game. There were a lot of good plays during the aforementioned stretch. Probably too many to select just one.

Bob from Coosawatchie, SC

In the recent Hunt episode the players seem loose, confident, having fun while working hard at what they've been asked to do. Is this a different vibe from previous years?

The vibe around the Jaguars is very good right now. It has been very good in some past offseasons because the truth is vibes are usually good in the offseason and it's really rare for vibes not to be good in first offseasons of regime changes. But yes … this vibe feels very good – better than a lot of offseason vibes. I expect good things.

Larry from Wattsburg(h), PA

We talkin' about practice? Not the game. We talkin' about practice man!? September 7 is the true end to the Dead Zone! Keep summer reading you "Fooseball" fans everywhere!

We talk a lot here in the O-Zone about the importance of being nice. For that reason, I will be nice and not remind you here that this is my column and that I decide the date for the end of the dead zone. Because of that, I won't remind you that the end of the dead zone absolutely is the start of training camp because that's when football news and the questions about that news really accelerates. It seems from rereading this answer that I actually did remind you of those things and that means I wasn't being nice. Oh well.

Billy from Orange Park, FL

Not sure if this has been discussed. Assuming that we are playing at Camping World Stadium, will we be able to buy tickets through the Jaguars?

Yes.

Homer from Springfield

I know I ask this every year, because every year it bugs me, but why is it every time the Jags look like they have depth at a position, people start in with the "they need to trade this player" talk? Dead Zone click bate?

This phenomenon irritates me, too. Far too many observers and fans indeed play what I call the "depth chart game" in the offseason, wanting teams to trade players if they're not starting. Many teams, including some I've been around, also too often have leaned into this way of thinking. This is a league of attrition. Position groups rarely make it through entire seasons without needing a backup to play a significant stretch. Too many teams want to trade away good players simply because they're not starting. It's silliness.

Fred from Naples, FL

I have a bet with a friend that Gary from St. Augustine is going to tell you that you suck at least one more time before the players report on Tuesday.

I bet you win that bet.