JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Thomas from Jacksonville

Before we stray too far from on-field football stuff, what position group do you feel good about right now? What position worries you?

This is as good a time as any for this topic, with the Jaguars' 2025 offseason program now a few days in the rearview and with about five weeks remaining until 2025 Training Camp begins at the Miller Electric Center. The position group that could be the strongest appears to be wide receiver, with second-year Brian Thomas Jr. looking ready for a serious jump to elite level and rookie Travis Hunter – the No. 2 overall selection in the '25 NFL Draft – a potential star. Free agent wide receiver Dyami Brown also appears likely to be very, very productive in this offense. Depth could be an issue here, but the front-line players could be a team strength. As for your second question … I wouldn't call myself "worried" about anything involving the Jaguars. I observe and do my best to analyze, leaving the worrying to coaches and personnel types. But if there is a position group that is most uncertain entering training camp, let's go with offensive line. The Jaguars addressed this group in a major way in the offseason, signing four veteran unrestricted free agents – Fred Johnson, Patrick Mekari, Robert Hainsey and Chuma Edoga. They also selected Wyatt Milum (Round 3) and Jonah Monheim (Round 7) in the NFL Draft. Three starters from last season – right tackle Anton Harrison, left tackle Walker Little and left guard Ezra Cleveland – also return. This group could look sort of similar to last season in terms of starting personnel when the season begins. It also could look dramatically different. It will be a major camp storyline. Competition will be the watchword. It doesn't "worry" me, but it will be worth watching next month.

Kevin from Jacksonville

Enough already. We know it's the dead zone. The question is what are you going to do about it?

I'm not sure I can exactly do anything about this being the dead zone. The dead zone, after all, happens annually between the end of the offseason program and beginning of NFL training camp whether we like it or not. Annual happenings tend to work that way – sort of like death. What am I going to do about it? What I usually do, I suppose. I'll answer questions, comparatively scarce and non-football-related though they sometimes may be, to the best of my admittedly limited ability. When the mood strikes me, I may effort a little comedy – however limited my ability to do so may be. We'll get through this together. Or we won't. We'll see what today brings.

Gator from Gainesville, FL

I didnt come to this site to reed or reed bout reedin. Talk bout football wuldya?

Struggling with the Graham Greene reference, are we?

Larry from Wattsburg(h), PA

Can you believe I carry this? "And this I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: The freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: Any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely, I can understand this, and I hate it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from uncreative beasts. If glory can be killed, we are lost." -John Steinbeck East of Eden Chapter 13. Best darn quote ever? #togetherforeverbank

We as a social media/television society seemingly read increasingly less as one year turns into the next. We as a social media/television society give ourselves fewer chances to consume literature such as this. This statement is not meant to judge, but to observe. Maybe social media/television will someday match literature as a means of ideas and thought. Maybe not.

David from Jacksonville

What's the greatest athletic feat you've ever seen, regardless of sport?

The Triple Lindy. It's not close.

Deane from Hill AFB via Daytona Beach, FL

Yo O-Zone!!! Being that it's the Dead Zone do you ever feel compelled to read the S. King's The Dead Zone. The Army just had their 250th Birthday it begs me to ask the question...Who would you rather see, the USAF Thunderbirds or Navy's Blue Angels? Just remember where you live and Lane III just might be reading. What says you O-Zone???

I don't feel particularly compelled to reed Stephen King. This not a knock on King – and he has more than enough readers that I'm sure my knocking or not knocking concerns him not a whit. As for the USAF Thunderbirds of Blue Angels … let's go both. Because why choose between greatness, power and beauty?

Chris from Fleming Island

OZONE, Saturday night the D.C. Defenders won the UFL championship. Their former head coach was ex-Jag Reggie Barlow, and the team featured ex-Jag Jaydon Mickens. Did you watch any UFL? The on-field product is a little sloppy, kinda like the last preseason games. But they have some innovative ideas like interviewing players after big plays, hearing the O.C. call plays, sometimes having the backup quarterback explained the play to the sideline reporters so the viewer knows what's coming. My favorites are the head of officiating overruling obvious bad calls in real time and electronic spotting of the ball (no more chain gang).

Though I don't watch the UFL, I find it cool that people do – and it's cool that it provides a means for players and coaches who love the game to play it outside the parameters of the Mighty NFL. It's unsurprising that the UFL has innovative ideas – and it wouldn't be at all surprising if the NFL someday adapted some of those ideas as it has previously done with others "competitive leagues." The NFL is often slow to innovate. But it's damned quick to take an idea as its own once it has seen it work somewhere else.

Josh from Atlanta, GA

Dr. Coen basically said to come into training camp in shape, or else. That was awesome to hear. Did anything really jump out at you in minicamp? I know you can't really be surprised in this phase, but what would be two things that got you most intrigued to cover during padded camp?

Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen last week as '25 minicamp certainly made it clear players needed to be in shape when training camp begins. That's pretty standard stuff around the NFL these days, but Coen left no question he was serious. As I've stated multiple times throughout minicamp … the Jaguars' speed stood out – as did the talent and explosiveness at the receiver position. The two areas that will most intrigue this writer as camp begins are the offensive line and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. And the run game. And the secondary. And the pass rush. And …

Mark from Jacksonville

Happy Father's Day John! Thanks for all you do.

Happy (belated) Father's Day to all fathers. Thanks for all they do.

Marty from Jacksonville

"It's unlikely he won't..." You like double negatives, don't you? You use them a lot. Which brings me to my question. If it's unlikely he won't, is it likely he will?

I don't not like double negatives. I particularly don't not like them when they are the best way to answer a question. It can be unlikely someone won't and not necessarily likely he will. Or something like that.

Joel from Mandarin

O, I have a serious question for you. I'm glad to see that you in fact are a Goonie like me as "Goonies never say die," especially when Negative Nancys are attacking us and telling us we suck! How many people on this year's Jaguars Team, including staff and coaches, do you believe are Goonies and will "never say die" when the rest of the NFL community is saying the team sucks and they need just one score to win a game with just seconds left on the clock? Will the team be Goonies this year or just men who play or manage football?

I'm not sure what led you to believe I'm a Goonies fan – though perhaps I'm a Goonies fan without knowing I'm a Goonies fan. Is that a thing? It's probably not a thing. That said, I don't have a Goonies count on the Jaguars because I'm almost positive that's not a thing. And if it is, it shouldn't be a thing. I think they will play with a lot of heart and want to, though. And I doubt they will say die. I certainly don't think they won't say die, which isn't the same thing as never saying die but is almost certainly close enough.