JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
John from Jax
Hi, KOAGF. Are the roster cuts during the preseason and the active rosters on game days based on players or positions? In other words, does Hunter cost one roster spot or two? If one roster spot, I'm surprised more players don't play multiple roles.
NFL teams may keep 53 players on the active regular-season roster with 48 players active on game days. How many positions a player plays do not factor into these numbers. This means the Jaguars can have 52 players on the regular-season roster and 47 active players on game day in addition to rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. This is true no matter how many positions he plays. Why don't more NFL players do what Hunter is trying to do and play multiple roles? Many in fact do this in more subtle fashion, with offensive linemen often playing multiple positions across the line and other players to playing hybrid-ish roles on both offense and defense. Why don't more players do what Hunter is trying to do and play dramatically different roles? Because few players have the skillset to do it. Remember: Hunter wasn't just an OK prospect at corner and wide receiver. He was elite at both. This is a unique situation.
Kevin from Jacksonville
Re-signing Smoot … I like it.
The Jaguars indeed re-signed longtime defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot Wednesday – the same day they signed wide receiver Trenton Irwin. These moves made sense at this stage of the offseason. Both players are affordable veterans who probably won't start unless there are injuries at their positions, and both have experience and can contribute when needed. These are the sort of reasonable depth signings that you make during the offseason program as you get a feel for your roster.
Tom from Orange Park, FL
Glad for Smoot. I'm glad to see him back. I wish he never had left.
I'm glad for Smoot, too. A third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, he spent 2017-2023 with the Jaguars before signing with the Buffalo Bills for the 2024 season as a free agent. Smoot was a productive, reliable player for a long time for this franchise. He sustained an Achilles injury late in the 2022 season, the sort of injury that can end a career at that stage of a career. Good for Smoot that it didn't and good for him that he can return to Jacksonville. He spoke often of what this city and franchise meant to him, and it's cool that he can play here again.
Dave from Jax
Mighty-O, When can we expect Camp Funk to commence? Are the practices going to be open to the public? Is it true "Mean Gene" will attend as a motivational speaker? I'm dying in suspense!
Perhaps you're referencing Jaguars 2025 Training Camp. If so, it will be held at the Miller Electric Center in late(ish) July – around July 23-24(ish). Multiple practices are expected to be open to the public. I do not expect longtime former Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette to be a motivational speaker. He's retired, for goodness' sake. Give him time to rest.
Bill from Jacksonville, FL
John, this is absolutely not a question about the previous regime. We've all moved on. So, what do you think the chances are this season that the Jaguars' best defensive player is standing on the sidelines on first down of a critical game? And do you think they'll throw a swing pass to the third-string running back coming out of the backfield on third down when it's crucial the team pick up the first down?
Though NFL defensive linemen typically rotate to some degree, I expect players such as defensive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen to usually be on the field in big situations for the Jaguars next season. I expect the Jaguars to rotate running backs – and to go deep in the backfield pretty regularly – so I don't have a real feel for which back, exactly, will be used in crucial situations.
Josh from Atlanta, GA
So, the mighty O appreciates some NBA to a degree. We learn more every day! From your glassy-eyed view, what do you think about this NBA Finals? I have casually rooted for the Oklahoma City Thunder for over a decade, and am happy to see that group of fairly nondescript studs (minus superstar SGA) have such an incredible season. On paper, the Thunder should take care of the Indiana Pacers. I just keep coming back to a fear of seeming destiny. The nature of the Pacers' almost logic-defying comeback wins seem to point to a magical finish for them. Hopefully Oklahoma City can handle their business as they have all season, but this one could be as interesting as Finals come. Thunder in 6.
My degree of NBA appreciation is minimal, at best. While I was a huge Seattle SuperSonics fan back in the long-ago time that I call "the day," their move to Oklahoma City began a general waning of interest in the league on my part. This has continued to the point that I have trouble watching it now. I have tried in recent postseasons to watch it. I just don't love the style of play in today's game – and don't find the three-point-shot-or-bust, no-touching style all that compelling. I understand I am probably in the minority here. From what I understand, the Thunder are very good. I expect they will win it. Enjoy.
Charles from Riverside
Hello, John. Regarding a succession plan for longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette, in all seriousness, doesn't seem that can really happen anytime soon? Short of bringing in some other well-respected columnist from another metro, what can the T-U really do? That certainly wouldn't work right away. You don't become a local Icon overnight, the man had 30 plus years here. I agree with Tony, Gene was one of the biggest reasons I subscribe to the TU.
As noted previously in this space, I don't work for the Times-Union anymore and don't know the succession plan to replace longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette. Bringing in an established columnist is one option. Promoting from within is another option. And no … you don't succeed or replace Gene overnight. But give someone 44 years, maybe he or she can come close.
Pedal Bin from Farnborough, Hampshire, UK
Oh Mighty 'O' / King Of All Funk, to answer Tony from Johns Creek, GA I would have thought the succession plan for former longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette involved a suitable period of reflection and contemplation, Gene's chair and desk being permanently left as they were on his last day and a some form of shine / monument / statue erected in his honor?
How about a turkey statue? I'd click on that.
Mike from Atlanta, GA
To put a button on the previous defensive coordinator I'll pass on what the Atlanta Falcons fans said at the time he was hired. On a certain online platform where NFL fans come together and share memes and talk trash, Falcons fans came to make fun of us when it was announced we were hiring their former defensive coordinator. We asked them why it was so funny and a bad thing they didn't explain just ominously said "you'll see." Guys playing out of their natural position, gratuitous substitutions, so many blown assignments, I suppose they were right and it was a "you'll see" kind of thing. Fun times.
Relying on interweb fans of a team for input into former head coaches or coordinators for that team is historically pretty unreliable. Remember: Cleveland Browns fans likely had little good to say about Bill Belichick when he was hired as New England Patriots head coach. The Jaguars' hiring of former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen for the 2024 season didn't come close to working out. Were those Falcons fans in retrospect correct? Perhaps. But here's guessing a lot of successful coaches are criticized on that interweb site, too. Because it's always coaching in the NFL.
David from Jacksonville
Smmooooooooot!
Smooooooooot!
