JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Michael from Orange Park, FL
We can talk all we want about the receivers, running backs, defense, blah, blah, blah. But isn't the most important thing still T-Law? I know he was in the running for MVP, but there were too many inconsistences. I say he must keep getting better. What say you?
I say quarterback Trevor Lawrence absolutely remains a critical story for the Jaguars moving forward – as will be the case as long as Lawrence is the Jaguars' quarterback. Lawrence, who finished fifth in the AP NFL MVP voting in 2025, threw for 4,007 yards and 29 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He improved dramatically in the second half of the season and a strong argument can be made that he was the NFL's best player during that stretch. An argument also could be made that he at minimum should have been second to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the MVP voting – but perhaps that's an argument for another day. Lawrence's improvement was a major reason the Jaguars won their last eight regular-season games and won their first AFC South Championship since 2022. He improved as a decision-maker, improved in the pocket and overall looked like a much more confident quarterback than at any point in his career. That includes the 2022 season, when he was seventh in the AP NFL MVP voting. Lawrence, though, does still need to improve. The thought here is those improvements likely will be more incremental than the dramatic improvement we saw this past season. That still absolutely can happen. Great quarterbacks improve field vision, awareness and decision-making throughout their careers. The fact that Lawrence will be entering his second season in Head Coach Liam Coen's offensive system should only help this improvement. Could the best in this vein still be to come? Absolutely.
Kenneth from Jacksonville
Will the Jaguars use the franchise tag on ETN and Lloyd?
The NFL's franchise/transition tag window opens Tuesday and runs through March 3, with teams able to apply one of those tags on one player each offseason. A tag can be applied to a pending unrestricted free agent to restrict his ability to sign elsewhere. I don't expect the Jaguars will use either tag on any pending UFA this offseason – including running back Travis Etienne Jr. or linebacker Devin Lloyd.
Fred from Naples, FL
Bradley Chubb would be a great addition to our pass rush!
OK.
Jake from Cary, NC
I'm a little surprised by your insistence that that the Jags won't miss Lloyd's on-field contributions next year. Last I checked All-Pro level players don't grow on trees (especially in Jacksonville!). What am I missing?
Teams lose players. Good teams lose good players and continue winning. I expect there will be times the Jaguars miss Lloyd if he doesn't return to the team next season. I expect they will continue to win because I expect they will be a good team that can withstand the loss of certain good players.
David from The Island
Jordan Stolz is great skater. Do you think getting some extra laps in while training with Jutta Leerdam pushed him to the next level of greatness?
I'm not sure I have any idea what you're talking about.
Travis from Chattanooga, TN via Ormond Beach, FL
Hi, O! I know uniforms are one of your favorite topics to discuss, and while I'm all in on going to a modified Prowler (new logo with original uniforms), I wanted to ask about something else: It looks like the AFC South is up in the NFL Rivalry Uniforms program this year (last season was the first iteration with the AFC East and NFC West - which also were where the Super Bowl teams came from; hmm). Any idea on when we'll find out Jacksonville's look?
In due time – probably summer-ish.
Big Jags Fan from Jacksonville
Does the re-signing of DeeJay Dallas make it more likely that the Jaguar brass is willing not to overspend on a running back? It appears Dallas will replace Bhayshul Tuten as a kick returner with Tuten starting at running back.
The Jaguars on Monday re-signed running back DeeJay Dallas and defensive tackle Matt Dickerson, preventing the duo from becoming unrestricted free agents when the NFL League Year opens on March 11. I wouldn't interpret either signing as being the end-all on how the depth chart will look at a particularly position next season – or as any sort of a statement on how they will approach a position financially. Specific to running back, I don't expect the Jaguars to re-sign Etienne. I do expect the Jaguars will explore the free-agent market and the draft-eligible running backs heavily for a back who could compete to start and/or be a part of the running back rotation. Remember: Coen's system isn't as big on starters at running back as on multiple backs who can play productive roles.
William from Neptune Beach, FL
You keep saying the Jaguars can improve from within. This is great – in theory – but how much better can they really get without a first-round pick and with no free agents? Seriously. On another note, what young player do you think can improve the most?
The Jaguars absolutely can improve from within – not just because players such as cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter and safety Caleb Ransaw will return from injuries, but because offensive linemen such as Wyatt Milum and Jonah Monheim figure to be better in Year 2 than they were as rookies. The biggest thing about the NFL that fans, observers and even some coaches and personnel people overlook is that rookies often improve dramatically from Year 1 to Year 2. I would far rather see the Jaguars lean into allowing players such as ends Danny Striggow and B.J. Greene – and Hunter, Ransaw and Tuten – room to develop than signing expensive free agents to those positions. Drafting and developing remains the best way to build a consistent team. You can't develop players without giving them time to … well … develop.
Travis Stenner from High Springs
If the Jaguars are not able to resign Travis ETN, do you believe that Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. will be the top two running backs next season? Or do they bring in a veteran running back in free agency to fill the top spot?
Stay tuned.
Ray from Newport News, VA
Ozone, first thank you again for your daily posts, I enjoy reading daily. As we start to shift to the offseason fun and our Jags must make moves to improve this team and get under the cap, I have seen a few trade suggestions with a few select players between the Jags and the Cleveland Browns. This always gets me thinking about the movie "Draft Day," I actually enjoy the movie aside from the moment it seems to make fun of the Jags organization in the unrealistic trade. Assuming you have seen the movie? It's one of the movies I enjoy watching around draft time. On to the serious question: What trades would you make if you were the general manager?
I watched "Draft Day" a long, looooong time ago – and while it didn't seem to do an awful job of portraying an NFL front office, I do recall the Cleveland Browns-Jaguars trade seeming a bit far-fetched. But Hollywood is about fantasy more than reality. As for your serious question, I probably would explore trading to improve draft position a touch or to improve defensive tackle.
Woody from Dunlap
KOAF: Have there been any recent updates on whether Cooper Hodges may be fully recovered and able to compete for a roster spot in 2026? Am really rooting for this young man given the bad luck he has had since joining the team several years ago.
I confess I haven't checked in detail on this in some time. Guard Cooper Hodges, a seventh-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2023 NFL Draft, has sustained two major knee injuries since joining the Jaguars and spent the 2025 season on the physically unable to perform list. The Jaguars like Hodges and would love him to be healthy enough to contribute. Here's hoping, and I'll update when I know more.
Matt from St. Augustine, FL
John, you put Jordan Stolz's last name as "Stoltz" a couple times in Monday's O-Zone and it got me randomly wondering: how interested would you be to see the footage of Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly?
Not as interested as I am in getting Stolz's name right. There. Finally.
David from Jacksonville
This may not be the dead zone, but it feels dead. Considering that … give me your five best sports movies.
1, Remember the Titans. 2, A League of Their Own. 3, Hoosiers. 4, North Dallas Forty. 5, Moneyball. I can handle just about any such list except one that has Rudy on it. A story in which they didn't let him play that final game … now, that I would watch on repeat.
