JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL
It seems the remaining "must sign" is Devin Lloyd, but salary cap is tight. There are tough decisions ahead. Some will be surprising or even unpopular. But the culture change is real. There is a forward-looking hope that has been missing for some time. That alone makes this wild ride a success.
Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, the No. 27 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft and a second-team Associated Press All-Pro selection this past season, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the March 11 start of the 2026 NFL League Year. The Jaguars certainly would like Lloyd to return next season. Lloyd's market value and the salary cap will make it very difficult – if not impossible – for that to happen. I will be very surprised at this point if it happens. That's part of NFL reality in the salary-cap era. But the culture change around the Jaguars this past season was real. So was the dramatic turnaround from 4-13 to 13-4. The equally real hope around the organization won't change – whatever happens with Lloyd this offseason.
Josh from Atlanta, GA
I'm with you in the camp of surprised if we retain Lloyd. While it hurts incredibly bad simply because this season was so much fun to watch with his play. it's just the perfect storm of awesome for him. He turned a relatively average first-contract performance into a more-than-likely colossal payday with a full season of stellar highlight plays. Teams overpay. It's what free agency is. I'll miss him, but I have faith in the ability to evolve schematically, as they stated. This brings me to Parker Washington. How do you value the player, contractually? Does a guy with 522 yards the previous two seasons combined get Jakobi Meyers-type money simply because he had one year of solid production, with the best coming at the end of the season? I very much want him as part of the core, so genuinely asking how General Manager James Gladstone and Co. will come together with the Washington camp and agree what true "market value" is for his play up to this point? Where is the baseline?
I expect the Jaguars to work very hard to sign wide receiver Parker Washington to a long-term extension this offseason. He not only has earned such an extension, his work ethic and professionalism make him a comparatively safe signing because it would be very surprising if he doesn't continue to work to improve. I don't know, exactly, the starting point for negotiations with Washington. I know re-signing him won't be cheap or easy. Re-signing really good players isn't supposed to be cheap or easy.
James from Socorro, NM
The Jaguars haven't gone to the playoffs in consecutive years since 1998-1999. Will next year be different?
That's the idea.
Brian from Round Rock, TX
Not extending the fifth-year option to Lloyd has to be recognized as a major blunder. Outside of Lloyd and our long snapper, who are the other All Pro's in Jags history?
The Jaguars declined to exercise the option for Lloyd for the 2026 season in the 2025 offseason. Whether it was a major blunder remains to be seen, I suppose. I don't know that any other team in the NFL would have made a different decision at the time. The Jaguars have had eight first-team Associated Press All-Pro selections in franchise history: Left tackle Tony Boselli (1997-1999), long snapper Ross Matiscik (2023, 2025), defensive end Calais Campbell (2017), running back Maurice Jones-Drew (2011), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (2017), linebacker Kevin Hardy (1999), cornerback Rashean Mathis (2006) and punter Bryan Barker (1997). Lloyd was a second-team AP All-Pro selection in 2025.
John from Jax
Hi, KOAGF. I think a head coach needs to admit fault on occasion and adjust his approach, just like he expects players to do the same. Being aggressive for the religion of analytics is a fool's game. Instinct and knowing your team, momentum, situation and other variables are what defines a coach. As much as he was successful with what he did this past season exceeding expectations, he needs to evaluate his game day decisions, time management and other small things that affect the flow and the outcome of a game. Yes, I know it sounds insane to give advice after the season we had but there are many examples on where this is a legitimate observation.
Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen and the Jaguars' analytics department absolutely will study, assess, reassess and otherwise evaluate game-day decision-making this offseason. This is a year-round process and there are weekly meetings during the week on the matter. It's part of the very DNA of an organization these days. The entire league studies this in this way and the league is increasingly aggressive in situations traditional thinkers question or find foolish. I expect the league will continue to be increasingly aggressive in these situations and I expect the Jaguars will continue to be in lockstep with the league on this. I expect teams to be criticized when this doesn't work and for observers to largely ignore instances when it works. This is the nature of things.
Anita from Springfield
I know it's not going to happen with our ultra-modern head coach, but do you foresee a reality where a more conservative approach to things like kicking field goals, punting on fourth down, etc. gains an extra value in a league where aggressive coaching decisions failing gives you more opportunities to "take free points/momentum/etc.?"
No.
Luke from Brisbane, Australia
Howdy O, have we reached "best plays of the season" time yet? For mine, it has to be Lloyd's Pick Six off Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes for several reasons - the stage, the moment, the skill, the primal roar of the crowd. Thanks for all you do, cheers.
I will be compiling best offensive, defensive and special teams plays for stories on this free website in the coming days. I expect Lloyd's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in a Week 5 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football to be "up there." Way "up there."
Stuart from Cottonwood AZ
It was a great run. It only lasted one more week than last year, but the progress is there and will be lasting. Our "Cerberus" (the three-headed dog in Greek mythology) of Coen, Gladstone and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli can and will make a champion. The process is well underway and will create the results we are looking for. Duuuuuval!
Duval.
Chevin from Riverside, Jacksonville
I don't believe any reasonable sports fan could easily argue against your assessment that the quartet of former players most worthy of being added to the current roster should be Boselli, wide receiver Jimmy Smith, running back Fred Taylor and defensive end Tony Brackens. Yet, would you agree there could at least be a conversation about Brackens being interchangeable with Marcus Stroud or John Henderson?
Sure. I didn't cover the Jaguars during the period when Stroud and Henderson played in the 2000s. But they were dominant forces who made the Jaguars one of the best defense's in the NFL for an extended stretch. They absolutely should be in the conversation for best defensive players in franchise history.
Jeremy for Brookfield, WI
If the Jaguars win the Super Bowl in their current uniform iteration, do you think they would keep the kits for another couple decades or so? I would like to see the Prowlers come back, but I anticipate that will coincide with the newly renovated stadium opening in 2028. Maybe start the dynasty then and lock in the Prowlers forever.
I expect the Jaguars to change uniform design in 2028 when they open the Stadium of the Future. A lot of people around here like the Prowlers.
Wes Brown from Ponte Vedra, FL
When questioned about an aggressive fourth-down decision, Liam always defers to "metrics" (which I assume means hard data). What input data goes into these new-age analytics, and how specific is the output data for any given scenario? When you're in range of an essentially-guaranteed field goal, you should only go for it on fourth down if your expected result is greater than the three points you would get from the field goal. That is, the analytics would have to say that you have a greater than 42.8% chance of converting the fourth down AND continuing the drive for a touchdown (0.428 x seven = three). Factoring in the opponent that we were facing, and the way that points were at a premium, this math nerd still thinks (objectively) that taking the three points would have been the better decision.
Um, we were told there would be no math.
Mario from West Kelowna, BC
So, John! What are your plans this year to get away from all this fan-ing? Any vacations planned? You deserve some time off.
What's a "vacation?"
