JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Anita from Springfield
I get it's the modern NFL, but I heard they spend less than two hours on the grass a day. Is this true? Feels like not enough...
Breathe, Anita. Breathe. You OK? Good. While the Jaguars may not be practicing as much as you want early in 2025 Training Camp, and while they certainly aren't practicing as much as would have been the case "back in the day," they are doing what is currently allowed under NFL rules. Days 2-5 of NFL Training Camps these days are mandated by the NFL as "ramp-up" days, with Day 1 mandated as "Reporting Day." The four days after Reporting Day are therefore the first four practice days. Teams may not practice in pads on those days and the one full-speed practice allowed on each of those days can not last more than two hours per day. Those are the rules.
Kathy from Sleepy PALM COAST
Do two wrongs make a right? First was stating you won't publish this and second was the word "comments" instead of "posts." I should have said many posts and questions are based on the poor performance by Pederson as a coach and I was wondering why you defend him.
Two wrongs make two wrongs. Whether they somehow make a right or not depends on circumstance and fate, I suppose. Many questions to the O-Zone indeed still question and criticize former Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson, which makes sense because fans love to blame coaching – particularly head coaching – for everything that goes wrong in an organization. And that's fine, because head coaches know entering a job they are ultimately held responsible for losing as much or more as they are lauded for winning. My objective in this forum is neither to go out of my way to "defend" or "laud" players or coaches, past or present. Rather, my objective is to answer questions in as entertaining and informative a manner as possible. The Jaguars lost far too often last season and some decisions Pederson made played into the losing, with the result being his dismissal at the end of the season. Pederson also had two winning seasons here and I saw him for the most part as a capable NFL head coach. Perhaps my answers reflect the latter sentence at times. Perhaps this bothers some O-Zone readers. Oh, well. I've bothered readers before. I expect it will happen again. It's kinda sorta part of the deal in a forum such as this.
Gary from St. Augustine, FL
Even with camp going on, you still suck.
Good stuff.
Justin from Orange Park, FL
John. You have referenced LeQuint Allen Jr. a couple times recently and I would guess a guy would have to be a true core special teamer to be a fourth running back dressed on game day. Per Terrell Davis, his Hall of Fame running back career probably would have never happened absent a crushing tackle on kickoff coverage in a preseason game that allowed him to make the Broncos team. Thus, while I could see Allen either returning kicks or as an up man, along with possibly serving as punt protector, I'm wondering if he has ever actually tackled anyone at a high level? It sounds like offensive coordinator Grant Udinski would love to have his versatility on game day, but it would seem there could be an impending arm-wrestling match between him and special teams coordinator Heath Farwell, as I'm guessing Heath might prefer the surer tackling of an active fifth safety to round out his group. Thoughts, sir?
I expect Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen will play special teams if he's going to be active in 2025. The Jaguars like how Allen has practiced thus far on special teams. He can return and he also can play in punt and kick coverage. We'll see how he performs in padded work and preseason games.
Nicholas from Fort Hood, TX
KOAF: Sorry to hear no big celebration at work for your birthday. How did the lack of recognition compare to Jaguars Owner Shad Khan's birthday last Friday? Also, can we start a new "are we there yet" when it comes to draft talk?
Weep not for me, my friend. I need not a celebration when I am around my esteemed coworkers. They are a fine lot, good and true. No, we cannot yet start talking in any form nor fashion about the draft. It's July. We can talk about the draft in February. Or January. Or around then. Just not now.
Sean from Oakleaf, FL
The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals are in the news recently for some of their players being unhappy with their contracts. I know we have a few players still on their rookie deals that are expiring at the end of this year; while household names (linebacker Chad Muma, linebacker Devin Lloyd, running back Travis Etienne Jr.), they have not displayed a consistent level of play that would generate a lot of fan consternation if they were not with the team next year. The only high-profile player in the on-deck circle for a large payday is defensive end Travon Walker. Do you believe there will be a deal done soon or after this season is over?
Walker, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, is entering the final year of his '22 rookie contract and the Jaguars have exercised a one-year option. That means they have Walker under contract through the end of the 2026 season. That makes the deadline a little looser here than otherwise might be the case. The Jaguars like Walker very much and consider him one of the team's most important players entering the 2025 regular season. I expect the Jaguars and Walker will both want to reach a long-term extension soon enough. I expect that will be soon after the season, but that's my expectation and nothing I know for sure.
MrMakersMark from E 3rd
And they arrrrreee back, Excited to see the new Jaguars this Friday like I was excited to see Jack Del Rio when he wore the suit on the sidelines. I'd like to see the "suit throwback" this year! Go Jaguars!
To each their own, I suppose.
Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA
O, Your reference to Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence being 100 percent healthy got me thinking (I do that occasionally). It's a LONG season. With that in mind, and past history, do you think Nick Mullens would be able to win games for the Jags if (heaven forbid), Lawrence gets injured again this season? Mullins does seem to be familiar with the coaches' system. Here's hoping!
Nick Mullens – a.k.a., Nick "Mullins" – signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason to back up Lawrence. He is a nine-year NFL veteran who has played with the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. While with the Vikings, he played for Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinksi. Also while with the Vikings, he played in a system very similar to the one run by Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen. The job of an NFL backup from this view is to keep a team afloat and in range in the event of an injury to a starter. If the starter would have gone 5-0 or 4-1, a backup should go 3-2(ish). Mullens has looked confident and efficient so far in two training camp practices. Can he keep the Jaguars afloat for a few weeks if Lawrence is injured during the regular season? Sure, if the team is playing well around him. If not, perhaps not. That's true of many NFL backup quarterbacks.
Don from Marshall, NC
NFL football is the game that requires patience, but you don't have any time. So when you come to a fork in the road, take it! Go Jaguars! Great job keeping everyone safe during the dead zone! Fans are going to enjoy this team!
When it comes to forks in the road and patience and all things in between, Don remains "all in." Thankfully.
Jesse from Texas
Do you believe the Jaguars' roster is improved from last season? If so, wouldn't that necessarily mean that this is now the best team assembled by the Jaguars in team history?
I would say there's a decent chance the roster is better this season than last season. It may not be better than observers believed entering last season, but it certainly can be better than it played considering injuries and age and circumstance. Would that make this roster the best in franchise history? Not necessarily.
Josh from Atlanta, GA
Who was the fastest player on the field Day 1?
The Jaguars appear much faster this season than last season, particularly on offense. Rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten's speed has stood out from the rest early in camp and I would be surprised if that's not the case most days moving forward.
