JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Sean from Jacksonville
Pretty sure you covered this already … what do the Jaguars gain by not making it official and selecting Trevor Lawrence now? Sure, he had that surgery on his non-throwing shoulder and I've not read a peep about any concern with that issue. I have never seen such a landslide pick in the all-important drafts. I don't see an advantage. I don't feel this is a "Well, why not wait? What does it hurt?" That's just an avoidance at answering the question. Let's get this done and not have the chance to screw up turning in that virtual card in April.
Saying "Why not wait? What does it hurt" is not avoiding answering; it's just stating the reality that there is NO reason to announce the No. 1 selection on February 19. The 2021 NFL Draft is not February 19. Or February 29. Or March 29. It's … April 29. The Super Bowl was played 12 days ago. The Jaguars announced their coaching staff last week and have announced new additions to the personnel department on the first two days of this week. The NFL offseason and the accompanying pre-draft process is just getting started. There's time for due diligence – and due diligence is exactly what the Jaguars should do. If Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence indeed is the no-brainer No. 1 selection in this draft, that due diligence will reveal that to be the case. And then the Jaguars can make the selection with time to spare.
Abuela from Barranquilla, Colombia
JO - Would you trade the 25th pick in the first round for the Ravens tackle who wants to move to left tackle?
Probably not, because your scenario has the Jaguars not only trading the No. 21 overall selection in the 2021 NFL draft for Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. – but also getting him as he enters his fourth NFL season. That means he soon will seek elite left-tackle money. There's also the concern that he only has played part of one season at left tackle in a scheme that's more run-centric than most NFL schemes. I would like to see him at left tackle in a pass-centric scheme – one that forced him to block for more deep drops than is required by the Ravens – before giving up draft capital AND salary-cap-eating money. Those concerns would give me pause. Saying that, it's possible the Jaguars feel differently. I don't have a good feel for how they see Brown versus left tackle Cam Robinson, who is scheduled to an unrestricted free agent when the NFL League Year opens March 17. Robinson is pretty much the only unknown on the Jaguars' offensive line, and I expect the other four starters to return next season. This is a big storyline in the coming month.
Chris from San Diego, CA
I see that Tim Tebow retired from the MLB for new opportunities. Did Urban send the bat signal?
We'll see.
Sam from Nottingham, UK
LT seems the most "up-in-the-air" part of the jigsaw this offseason. Hypothetically, would you trade (pick 33) for Orlando Brown, give him a big extension and release Cam; tag Cam and let him earn a long-term deal; or sign Cam and still have a second-rounder up our sleeve to strengthen safety? Which option are you going for?
I would place the franchise tag on Robinson. That would give the Jaguars continuity for a year at the position and give Jaguars' new decision-makers – specifically, Head Coach Urban Meyer – a season with Robinson before committing to a long-term deal or parting ways.
Daniel
O-man, why is everyone so excited about the uniforms? I've been wearing pajamas for almost an entire year now and my wife has yet to get excited about my uniform.
It's not the uniform.
Sean from Jacksonville
Let the "Let's get_ in free agency" begin! For backup quarterback (even though a reader chose Alex Smith already), I would go for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Not for his play, but for his beard, even though mine is much longer. Seriously though? Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick makes sense as the backup. Much of this conversation will depend on how the Jaguars' approach the backup quarterback position philosophically. Will they want a veteran to back up a rookie quarterback and provide leadership in the meeting room? Or will they take the approach of having youth at the spot with the idea of developing the player? I lean toward veteran. We'll see.
KC from South Florida
I think I can speak for most fans when I say we are really glad teal is the team's primary color again. I think I can also agree with one of your recent responses that most fans would like to see more of an old-school jersey again with more gold included. Do you get the sense that we might be getting another uniform change in a couple years with the return of the gold? It would seem to go along with this new era with Meyer and our next franchise quarterback *cough* Trevor Lawrence *cough*
The Jaguars uniform can't change until at least 2023. I have no sense that there is a change planned for that year. I also have no sense that there isn't a change planned. It's February. I'm trying to get some paint ordered for the front porch and trying to figure out the best way to get a bunch of pea gravel hauled away so I can replace it with some regular gravel that my wife probably won't end up liking any more than the pea gravel. I'll focus on fall '23 when I figure out the gravel thing. And get that cough looked at. It sounds serious.
Ed from Ponte Vedra, FL
I immediately liked T.L. when he told the media that he wanted help a team win, no matter where. Very unlike Eli Manning when expressed to the San Diego Chargers he did not want to play for them. What a disgrace he was to the system. Always disrespected him and I enjoyed kicking his butt in 2018.
OK.
Unhipcat from b-bar-h, ca
Hi, John … it is now unquestionable Trevor's hair is an issue of ceaseless and considerable conversation among loyal Jaguars fans. The rest of the nation will soon follow. Since you've demonstrated admirably your bona fides in the cutthroat world of culinary influence, I anxiously await your recommendations of chain barber shops he should consider.
Long-flowing hair indeed is my "jam," enough so that longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette texts constantly wanting to know my "secret." Seriously, though: I have no recommendation on this front. I am still pining for the days of Fantastic Sams. He indeed was the Wizard of Hair, spreading his magic … everywhere.
Aqeel from Toronto, Canada
Mr. O, if Trevor Lawrence turns out to be as good as projected or [gasp] even better ... how long before Adam Gase is inducted into the Pride along with a statue of him feeding the Jaguar statue a slice of NY pizza while petting it?
Not long.
Keith from Palatka, FL
Please do not pretend to speak for me. I never said or thought that last year's regime nor this year's regime were idiots. What I did say was they were delusional in their opinion of the offensive line. Outside observers give credence to my opinion that our tackles are substandard. According to PFF in 2020, Robinson graded out as a 61.8 and Jawaan Taylor graded out as a 56.5. The Jaguars' offensive line is 22ndin a recent Pro Football Focus ranking. The analytics site says, "Their interior offensive line is solid but the play by their offensive tackles was less than stellar. They point out right tackle Jawaan Taylor regressed in his second year after having a solid rookie season while left tackle Cam Robinson struggled for the third consecutive year." According to David Dorey (The Huddle), "The Jaguars offensive line was a liability the last few years and the Jaguars did nothing to upgrade it." According to Walter Football.com-Cam Robinson, OT, Jaguars. Age: 25. (two out of five) "Cam Robinson has mostly been a bust as a former second-round pick, but he played a bit better in 2020. Still, the Jaguars would be better off upgrading him." It is my sincere hope that instead of standing pat on our offensive tackles, the Jaguars would attempt to upgrade them in free agency and the draft.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Jaguars changed left tackle this offseason. That's solely because Robinson is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. I get no sense that they would actively seek to change that position if Robinson were under contract. I would be very surprised if there were other changes along the offensive line because the group as a whole is not a weakness. David Dorey evidently sees things differently. If ever google him and find out who he is, perhaps I'll learn if that's true.
