JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it…
Richard from Jacksonville
My leg hurts. Does your leg ever hurt?
Rarely. My lower back hurts a lot, but that's because I'm old. My heart hurts, too, but that's because of broken dreams and bad decisions. Or broken decisions and bad dreams. Or something like that.
Gabe from Washington, DC
I thought training camp was the only time when the starting offense practiced against the starting defense. Is that still the case? Does it come later?
Training camp isn't necessarily the only time starters practice against starters, but it's the time of the NFL calendar when it usually happens most extensively.
Scott from Gilbert, AZ
Zone, When the local pundits predicted that a deal would get done with Parker Washington before camp, I'm not sure they considered both his desire for near top of market WR money — but maybe equally important to Washington -- the possibility of getting significantly more targets elsewhere. Jag fans love Parker and want to see him stay in Jax if both sides can make a contract work, but when the team already has the monies and draft capital invested in pass catchers Jakobi Meyers, BTJ, Travis Hunter and Brenton Strange all under contract for another three-years along with two promising rookie tight-ends in a system that might include more 12 & 13 personnel moving forward, in conjunction with possibly having to spend upwards of $50-plus Million to retain or attain two D-Tackles in the offseason while managing the cap, a coach who will seemingly continue to put a greater emphasis on the run game, along with a General Manager confident in what he could do with the third round compensatory pick if they somehow can't get a deal done; the team has its number and probably isn't moving off of it. And Washington is a guy who will continue to bet on himself until he gets his number and/or the opportunity to be someone's undisputed WR1. I get the sense that if negotiations stall into the regular season, the more likely he will play out his rookie contract in '26 and opt for testing 2027 free agency.
I don't know when the Jaguars and wide receiver Parker Washington will agree to a contract extension. I expect they will agree to a contract extension.
Bill from Ponte Vedra, FL
It sounds like Travis Hunter is making great catches in practice, but last year there was criticism of his route running. Is he improved in that department or is it too early to tell?
It looks better from this view, though this view isn't scientific or perfect. I don't know that route-running will ever be his superpower. It certainly can be good enough to allow him to take advantage of his superpowers.
Fred from Naples, FL
2026 Jaguars = 1972 Dolphins?
This is an unfair comparison, if only because the members of the 1970s Dolphins are mostly in their 70s and early 80s.
Tim from Fort Wayne, IN
Based on what you've seen so far, which four lineman would you put on the field to rush the passer on a third and long? Seems like Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Ruke Orhorhoro, and B.J. Green would be mighty tough to stop, but I might be overlooking a better combination.
Arik Armstead might need to be in the rotation, too.
Chadguar from Saint Augustine, FL
How is Regis looking out there, O? Something tells me we may be rotating the big fellas on the D line more this year?
Rookie defensive tackle Albert Regis figures to be in the rotation at some point fairly quickly. Monday was the first day in pads and it will be difficult to assess Regis before we get deeper into the preseason.
Richard from Jacksonville
KOAG (King of All Goats) Once I made arrangements to be inside the locker room before player intros instead of on the sideline. It was later in the '02 season and whispers could be heard. I wanted to see TC give a pre-game. This was something I had previously only seen on the road. What I did not expect to see was see Shehan smack the daylights out of Big John right across his face. I think I pretend to remember what TC said that day. I will never forget watching Mr. Henderson get slapped and his subsequent reaction. It made a lifelong impression. The man was a brick wall on the field and a gentle giant off. I never heard anything on how the "slap" came to be. Can you imagine that conversation? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
This was an interesting email, at least on some level, at least to someone. At the very least, it took thought and effort and was pretty close to grammatically perfect – a relative rarity among O-Zone emails. I had little to add because I never covered former Jaguars defensive tackle John Henderson. But I didn't want to just ignore a well-thought email that took effort. And that was pretty close to grammatically perfect.
