JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Jim from The Villages:
I'm predicting Blake Bortles will come in between Commercials 17 and 19 in Game 6 due to a Chad Henne hangnail and not relinquish the role for 11 years. Got the under or over?
John: I don't think Blake Bortles will start before midseason unless Chad Henne is injured. Bortles has looked better than I anticipated he would during training camp. His field vision and pocket presence are encouraging, and were evident again in the mock game Saturday. He also has been a lot more consistent over the past week or so than he was during the offseason on-field work. He doesn't look like he quite has the fundamentals and footwork down to the point that he is the best player to start at quarterback for this team right now, but that time's coming.
Jeffrey from Jacksonville Beach, FL:
John, Friday night .. epic!!!
John: #DTWD
Tom from Jacksonville:
Thanks for answering my question about delicate professional players. But, as the week has gone on we've lost how many more? And, they don't even tackle. They practiced four days and cut one of those short. I'm not sure any of these guys could play in the 70s or survive Coughlin's first training camp. Players of this era need to learn to suck it up, and play.
John: (Sigh).
Dave from Section 410 and Jacksonville:
I was dating this girl a little while back who had this great Clash on Broadway box set. I don't think she was a Clash fan. We're not dating anymore but she gave me the box set for my birthday. I think I wooed her by taking her to Applebee's because she said it was the nicest place she'd ever been taken to. I'm burned out on the CD now. Do you want it?
John: I have it. I've actually had it for a long time. Before we moved to Indianapolis, my niece, Kristen, borrowed it and kept one of the discs for the 10 years we were away from Jacksonville. When we moved back we had a family garage sale and I found it in the loose discs she was trying to sell. I'm more careful now when I lend Kristen things, though I did lend her a suitcase a few weeks back and we got it back fine.
Tom from Charlston:
I have seen a pass play Bortles-Taylor in the right flat several places on the web over the past couple of days. Even though it is a completion, it appears Blake is throwing off of his back foot. Isn't that one of the issues he is supposed to be overcoming in camp? It seems that he is defaulting to his "comfort zone" when he plays at full speed.
John: I'm sure you saw what you saw. I would caution against what seems to be a very conclusive analysis off one play in one training camp practice.
Mike from Jagsonville:
Somebody took the posted date info off the listing of features. Makes it tough for us old guys to figure out what they have and haven't read.
John: We are currently working through some adjustments to the site, something that is more of a "process" than initially might seem necessary because much of what we do must go through the folks at the league level.
Justin from Jacksonville:
If Gus Bradley worked at Flex-N-Gate what job would Khan give him?
John: He'd be the guy who did that thing with the guy in that office over there.
Mike from Jagsonville:
O'Dewd - Haven't heard anything from the league on Ace's suspension. Has a ruling been made yet?
John: Yes, Ace Sanders has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 regular season.
Steve from Nashville, TN:
Who will be the starting wideouts for Friday's game against the Bucs?
John: As it stands now it likely will be Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns and Mike Brown.
Nate from Visalia, CA:
Do you feel Mike Brown has a shot at cracking the starting lineup in light of the current injury/suspension/rookie learning curve? Obviously he'll be there for the first preseason game. So, do you feel he's capable of carving out a larger-than-expected workload?
John: The reality for Mike Brown is that his playing time/workload probably will depend mostly on who's healthy and not healthy around him. I think he has a chance to make the team as a fifth or sixth receiver, but he's not a lock. The big factor in his favor is he is very reliable and knows the offense very, very well. The quarterbacks and coaches trust him, and when you're dealing with injuries everywhere else at the position, that trust is important.
Rick from Annandale:
JO (not OJ), If we assume Dwayne Gratz, Alan Ball, Will Blackmon and Demetrius McCray are locks at cornerback and Johnathan Cyprien, Winston Guy and Josh Evans make the team as safeties, who do you see after seven camp practices as the eighth, ninth and 10th defensive backs, assuming they keep that many?
John: I think Joe Young makes the team as the fourth safety, and after that, let's say for the sake of argument they keep nine defensive backs. Let's go with Rashaad Reynolds with the caveat that that's a position that's going to get decided over the next few weeks.
Shannon from Jacksonville:
Hey John, I like the "Jags of the Round Table" but my goodness can you change the music theme? It sounds like something from JP's iPod.
John: It's actually from my iPod. It's from the folder, "Awesome!!!"
Danny from San Diego, CA and Jacksonville:
How many wins do you see the JAGS winning this year (realistically)?
John: I think seven victories would be an accomplishment.
Tom from St. Augustine, FL:
Make light of a possible Sweet Home Alabama Curse. Some in Chicago made light of the dang Billy Goat ... but what have they won since they made the GOAT and his Owner leave the World Series game? A 100 years is a LONG time. Go Cubbies.
John: #DTWD
Strnbiker from Dothan, AL:
Jaguars of the Round Table is absolutely masterful. From the clever name, itinerary on left side highlighted, bugle trumpet at change of topic to Brian Sexton getting busted out by O-man over "Our" round table. Creative, innovative and expertly done. Major props to all.
John: Brian, JP and I work very hard music and graphics. It's humbling to have our efforts recognized. Appreciated.
Rick from Rio Rancho, NM:
Lamaar Thomas did pretty well toward the end of last season. He was targeted twice and produced first downs on both plays. Beside his early OTA knee problems, why are we not seeing more of him in the daily workouts?
John: For the simplest of reasons, really – that so far other receivers have merited more repetitions higher on the depth chart.
Jorel from Houston, TX:
Hey, John … yes, I'm a Jags fan. I know it's not 100 percent-Jags related, but do you think Jack Del Rio could get another shot at a head coaching job? I always liked him. He dealt with what he was given. He wasn't the reason we failed; Gene and Shack were.
John: When teams struggle or succeed it's never one thing – or one person – to praise or blame. Yes, I think at some point Jack Del Rio will get another chance to be a head coach. He's the defensive coordinator of a good, high-profile team and he is a dynamic personality. That's a very good combination for getting a second chance.
Brian from Atlanta, GA:
Could Telvin Smith being a nickel-package player when the regular-season begins? And with how the NFL works these days, wouldn't that mean he plays pretty much even snaps with Hayes?
John: Yes, he could. And yes, it would.
Allo from J-Ville:
Do you know of any words in the CBA that state anything about how a player can miss practices, or what happens when a player is injured? It seems a lot of Jaguar players have leg injuries other teams aren't experiencing. To me, it looks as if they have found a loophole. I was born and raised in Jacksonville and I spent plenty of days in the heat doing two-a-days that these players aren't doing anymore. What gives? Do you mean to tell me the pros are no better than the Pop Warner, high schoolers and collegians here in the Great State of Florida? Again, my coaches always said and I've added a little something to it. "If you can't run with the Big Dogs stay on the porch. It's Jacksonville baby, not vacation-ville."
John: Your email, if I interpret it correctly, is implying that players are faking leg injuries to avoid practice because of heat. It's hard to put into words how silly this is, so I think I'm just going to save some time and leave it at that.
Greg from Saint Johns, FL:
According a .26 sec search of the interwebs, KC has us beat w/ 4 WR hamstring casualties.
John: It must be in Kansas City, too.