JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it . . . Michael from Jacksonville Beach:
OK ... I'll bite ... Regarding your comment: "Been prototypes floated around for more sweeping stadium upgrades" ... What are the sweeping changes?
John: This answer wasn't an attempt at mystery. The Jaguars at the Super Bowl in February presented to some local business leaders some prototypes for upgrades for EverBank Field. They were ideas for the future and involved a state-of-the-art covering to alleviate the heat and sun issues early in the season. My point was that if those changes came to be, a Super Bowl would be more of a possibility than it seems now.
Jeff from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Jumping off a bridge is a surefire way to end up with a soggy hood.
John: 'Tis indeed, providing of course the bridge is over water – troubled or otherwise.
Jarret from Crosby, ND:
John, so while looking on NFL.comI found a video with the Jaguars and their meeting with Clowney. Now not trying to read too much into this, but do you think that this NFL 24/7 video might make the NFL pick Jacksonville for Hard Knocks this season? I only ask because it seemed that the Top 3 – Shad, Dave, Gus –all felt comfortable to have cameras follow them forawhile.
John: You probably are indeed reading too much into this. The NFL will pick the team for Hard Knocks that it believes will draw the best ratings. Who knows? Maybe that will be Jacksonville. But I doubt it would be because of that single video.
Rob from Pittsburgh, PA:
Gabbert's trade got me thinking about rules... I know when a team gets a new coaching staff they are allowed extra time and contact with their teams to prepare for the upcoming season; does this work the same way with traded players? Such as, would Gabbert be allowed extra contact/work with the coaching staff since he is a new player to that team?
John: No. It only works that way for new head coaches and staffs.
Rob from Middleburg, FL:
Hearing that the Raiders have agreed to trade a late-round draft pick to the Texans for Matt Schaub just makes it that much more impressive that Dave Caldwell was able to pull the Gabbert trade off. Schaub had a difficult season, but the guy is a two-time Pro Bowler and has led his team to multiple division titles. He's not exactly old, either. The fact that Caldwell got equal trade value for a guy like Gabbert is quite a testimony in my eyes.
John: One really has little to do with the other. Look, I think Dave Caldwell is a really good football guy and so far, he has done a lot of good things as a general manager. But he didn't snow anyone on the Gabbert trade. The 49ers liked what they saw from Gabbert and wanted him enough to give the Jaguars a sixth-round selection. It was far more about Gabbert and the 49ers than Caldwell. That's not a knock on Caldwell, but he wasn't trying to "get away" with anything.
Greg from Jacksonville:
First of all, thank you so much for ALL of your work. I think the Jags will have to trade up to round one if they want a QB like Derek Carr or AJ McCarron with their second pick. I also think that the 3rd overall pick is too high for a linebacker.
John: Noted.
Spence O Matic:
I'll grant you one of the following two wishes, Mr. John: Henne as your quarterback with Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Kelvin Benjamin … OR … Andrew Luck and only the wide receivers we have on the current roster, plus Justin Blackmon and his uncertain future. Your move, O-Man.
John: This isn't a hard move. I take Luck because he's a young quarterback who appears to have the ability to be an elite quarterback for a long time. That's no knock on anyone else involved in your question. It's just about age and an elite quarterback.
Cory from Elm Creek, MN:
With an improved Front Seven can you see the secondary improving simply because quarterback won't have all day to throw?
John: Yes. That's the hope. There is nothing like a dominant pass rush to make a secondary very, very effective.
Allen from Muscatine, IA:
Do you feel confident in our receiving corps even without Blackmon?
John: I feel confident they can be OK without him. I also feel confident that the Jaguars believe they need to upgrade the position whether or not Blackmon returns. For that reason, I feel pretty confident the Jaguars will address the position fairly early in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Travis from Chesapeake, VA:
I just finally found the Culligan commercial online. I mean it seems like a nice water cooler and all.... and I may get one but why is cheerleader dancing in his way as he is trying to work? I just don't get it...
John: I have no idea what you're talking about.
Levi from Bloomington, IN:
So, I just watched some Blake Bortles highlights along with his Pro Day video, and I have to say, I'm impressed. Something I saw from the highlights that I like a lot, the guy stands in the pocket and makes the throw. I was hoping the Jags would wait till the second round to grab a quarterback, but after watching all the video on him, wow … I'd have a hard time passing on him if he's there at No. 3. What would keep you from picking this guy, John? What's not to like? Thanks!
John: Hey! One fer Pro Days and highlights! On a serious note, there are many things to like very much about Blake Bortles. He looks the part and looked terrific at his Pro Day and looked terrific at times at Central Florida. He truly is starting to have the look of a Top 5 quarterback. At the same time, there were times he was inaccurate at Central Florida and there are questions about him as a deep passer. I haven't watched enough digging-deep video of Bortles at Central Florida to know if that should drop out of the Top 10. But there are reasons he's not considered an "Andrew Luck"-type prospect.
Sage from Orlando, FL:
If the Jaguars end up drafting Bridgewater (Toilet Bowl,TuBerculosis initials), I'll....I'll set the building on fire.
John: I'll forward this on to security just in case.
James from Columbus, GA:
A few weeks ago I sent you a semi-facetious email about Bortles' prospects and how his name didn't "sound" like a superstar. Here's a serious question about him: I've noticed several photos of him with his tongue sticking out while throwing. Does that raise any concerns? Couldn't he get hit and accidentally bite off his tongue during a game? It's a weird question, I know, but I'd like your thoughts on it.
John: It is a weird question, but no, it's not an issue. Many athletes throughout the course of history have stuck their tongues out while playing. So far, if there have been reports of tongues bitten off, I have missed the reports.
Ryan from Fleming Island, FL:
Why does it seem that Dave Caldwell never has any Jags gear on, but newly signed players are decked out within seconds of putting ink to paper? Can we get the general manager a Jags hat or something?
John: I'll work on it.