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O-Zone: Different days

JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Dave from Jacksonville

KOAF, I sure hope the Jags can kickstart wide receiver Laquon Treadwell's rise to meet his potential. Just curious, is inviting tryout players to camps how teams circumvent addition to the 90-man rosters during these camps? What would happen if a tryout player injured a roster player?

You're referencing wide receiver Laquon Treadwell being signed to the Jaguars' 90-man offseason roster this past week after participating in 2021 Jaguars Minicamp presented by Baptist Health as one of four tryout players. A first-round selection by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2016 NFL Draft, Treadwell now will get a chance in 2021 Jaguars Training Camp to make the regular-season roster. As for having the tryout players in minicamp, I don't know that's necessarily circumventing anything. Teams are allowed to invite tryout players to minicamps; they just can't keep more than 90 players on the offseason roster outside of the minicamp period. It's a way of giving players currently out of the league a chance – and it's therefore good for teams and players. I don't know that there's much of a negative – even when it comes to potential injuries. The chances of tryout players doing something to directly injure a roster player are comparatively minimal because of the non-padded nature of minicamps; if a player gets injured during minicamp, it's handled the same way as if a player gets injured any other time. The risk of such injuries is part of the NFL – tryout players or otherwise.

Unhipcat from Carlbad, CA

Johnny-O, I enjoyed the Coach Warhop presser and his "You got me here and ask only six questions?" comment. For years, many (including some media, I presume) have questioned, even denigrated, the offensive-line play. Then they have the main man – who seems pretty open, honest and engaging – at the mic. I think they missed a real opportunity to get into the weeds with him. I doubt we'll get to see and hear Coach Warhop often. That's too bad.

Offensive line coach George Warhop was one of multiple Jaguars coaches and players available to the media early last week, and Warhop's availability was among the more entertaining of that group – and that's absolutely because he's candid and open when speaking to the media. I was a little surprised the media on the teleconference didn't ask Warhop a few more questions, but he did discuss extensively discuss the team's offensive tackles – which is where most of the offseason criticism has been directed. It's difficult to say how much we'll hear from Warhop moving forward. Probably not a whole lot, but that's not incredibly unusual for an NFL offensive line coach.

Justin from Jacksonville

You can sign either Bobby Boucher or Forrest Gump. Who ya got?

This is tricky, because it's a great-versus-great debate. But I'll go with Boucher by a nose. He could take over a game by himself. Gump was a weapon, but you needed to get him the ball in the right situation.

Justin from NYC

In practices that are open to the media, how has Gardner Minshew II to Trevor Lawrence?

I guess I haven't thought about the Jaguars' quarterbacks quite that way, mainly because I – like most others – assume Lawrence is the franchise quarterback and that he will start sooner rather than later. Lawrence in that vein absolutely looks the part and there's nothing to indicate he won't be an elite NFL quarterback. He had some inconsistent days and rookie moments during the on-field, open part of the offseason program, but he also clearly showed the arm talent and physical traits that made him the No. 1 selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He also closed the offseason with an impressive practice on the second day of 2021 Minicamp presented by Baptist Health, making great decisions and some memorable throws with impressive accuracy. The performance was easily the highlight of the offseason's five open practices. Minshew, entering his third NFL season, had some very good days during the offseason mixed in with a few rough moments. He seemed to outperform the two quarterbacks other than Lawrence in camp – Jake Luton and C.J. Beathard. He looked a lot like he has looked in 20 starts for the Jaguars the past two seasons – very capable of some good really moments and at other times looking more like a very capable backup quarterback.

Ed from St. Augustine, FL

With the elevated nutritional offerings in the building, has Shadrick weaned himself off the soft serve machine yet?

I am not at liberty to say.

Rob from Pittsburgh, PA

Hey zone when are you, Bucky and Ash bringing Tony on the show lol. The jaguars drafted five offense line man since 2017. It seems like we are having bad luck with some, or is it coaching?

I'm pretty sure you're asking when former Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli might appear more on Jaguars Media. Boselli appears pretty much weekly on Jaguars Happy Hour on Mondays and Thursdays during the regular season, and I assure you he has no difficulty finding a forum on Jaguars Media for his humble opinions. As for the Jaguars having bad luck with the offensive line, that seems to be a commonly held opinion among observers. It's not as commonly held by those running and coaching the Jaguars. The Jaguars are bringing back all five starters from the last two seasons – left tackle Cam Robinson, left guard Andrew Norwell, center Brandon Linder, right guard A.J. Cann and right tackle Jawaan Taylor. The belief is that the group as a whole is a team strength, and that the unit has run-blocked very well. Warhop this week discussed the tackles needing to be more consistent pass blocking; that has been a focus and that focus will continue. But overall, the Jaguars like the offensive line. That may not jibe with observers' opinion, but that's the belief.

John from Jacksonville

Hi, KOAGF: I'll nominate this as today's stupid question/idea: Are there any rules against having two punters or two field-goal kickers on the field for either play? If not, could this be a method to throw off the defense not knowing which the ball will be snapped to – creating enough hesitation – and also the ability for a trick play? I wouldn't have thought of this other than we have two really good ones on the roster now. (Insert audio of KOAGF laughter) Wait! On second thought, this is genius. Don't post this on O-Zone. Just pass along to the special teams coach.

Nomination accepted. Mission accomplished.

Steve from Random Locations

If you are beyond help, and I am following behind you, how close are we to the edge of the O-Zone? Should I be worried or just keep looking forward?

Keep your eyes straight ahead and don't ask any questions.

Royce from Jacksonville

Mr. O how are players paid during the training camp phase?

Players are paid during training camp according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, with players receiving room and board between the start of training camp and the first regular-season games. Players also receive a per diem for training camp, with rookies this season receiving $1,700 per week and veterans receiving $2,900 per week.

Rob from San Antonio, TX

I guess I'll be the one with the guts to ask the hardest question. Who was the better athlete: Johnny Utah on the waves OR Shane Falco on the gridiron … truly the question of our time. Just as pros, though, I think we all could agree their respective college careers are too close to call.

Give me Utah. He did the people's work.

Jared from O-Town

Hey, John-O! I noticed in the 2021 Personnel Staff list that Denard Robinson is now a college scouting assistant. Is this the same Denard Robinson, aka "Shoelace" that was an offensive assistant on the 2020 Jaguars coaching staff? And if so, why the move to scouting? I would think if coaching was something he wanted to do there would have been somewhere else he could have landed on a staff. I can't recall in recent history seeing anyone move from coaching to scouting and was curious if you had any background on why.

Former Jaguars running back Denard Robinson indeed is a Jaguars college scouting assistant after serving an offensive assistant on the '20 coaching staff. I haven't spoken to Robinson about the reason for the change, but it's not particularly uncommon for young coaches/scouts to switch "sides" of the football operations early in their careers. Some people are more suited to one aspect of the business to the others; there's no magic side and no side is inherently preferable to the other.

Daniel from Jersey City, NJ

O-man, how do you prepare for the season? I'm guessing a slice or two of Sbarros, and cold brew (or seven), with Jason Isbell playing in the background. You aren't the only one.

That's not the entire process. It's all part of it. It's just not the entire process.

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