JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Nicholas from Fort Hood, TX:
Just doing some quick calculations. With eight offensive linemen on the roster and five positions to fill, there are 6,720 combinations assuming all players can fill in at all positions. By my calculations, there are still 6,700 more times fans can ask who the starting lineup will be. By the way, if we have nine linemen, then the risk combination is 23,490. That should be enough to keep you busy the rest of the dead zone.
John: I have no idea of your calculations are correct, and I don't care if I ever do know. Assuming you are correct – and I have learned it's safe to assume all readers are always correct – that is a lot of combinations and I imagine I will get a question about one of them most days between now and late August. That's when I figure the starting offensive line will be determined. I continue to believe this is the most likely combination of the 6,720: Branden Albert at left tackle, Cam Robinson at one guard, Brandon Linder at center, A.J. Cann at the other guard and Jermey Parnell at right tackle. Multiply it however you like, but that's the projection that makes the most sense as of late June.
Chris from Los Angeles, CA:
Johnny … I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bored. Favorite 80s movie? Go!
John: "Sixteen Candles."
Lost Soul from Jacksonville:
Mr. O: "J.P. Shadrick is a fine, upstanding member of the jaguars.com staff and he deserves – nay, commands – our respect. I'd appreciate it in the future if our readers remember this?" So, the incriminating pictures Shadrick has of you are showing what?
John: J.P. Shadrick is a fine, upstanding member of the jaguars.com staff and he deserves – nay, commands – our respect. I'd appreciate it in the future if our readers remember this.
Matt from Still the Matt Cave:
We're still feuding, but I do have a question after seeing a question Ryan asked recently. Do Bortles' pick-sixes count against our scoring defense even though they didn't even have a chance to stop the opposing offense?
John: It depends on who's doing the adding because anyone can put together whatever statistic they like. But points scored by a defense do count when the NFL totals points scored and points allowed. And when people talk about fewest points allowed or scored, they typically don't differentiate which units did the scoring.
Strnbiker from Dothan, AL:
O-Man, you have an eclectic sense of humor. I like it.
John: I don't.
Josh from Pensacola, FL:
What's the latest on Dede Westbrook? I saw that he was working on the side for most of the organized team activities because of injury. Is it a minor injury?
John: Westbrook indeed worked on the side for a lot of OTAs, though he appeared to be working closer to full as minicamp came to a close. The extent of the injury has not been reported, but him returning late in the offseason indicates he has a good chance to be back full for training camp. The "latest" on Westbrook? How about that the Jaguars still like him – and that how much he is used next season likely will be determined in early August? Westbrook is one of the more intriguing stories on the roster. The Jaguars have a couple of players who can break a game open on one play. One is Marquise Lee. Another appears to be Leonard Fournette. I don't know how consistently Westbrook will provide big plays as a rookie, but if he provides a few and establishes himself as a big-play threat … that's an element this offense dearly needs.
Rob from Brunswick, GA:
Derek Carr got paid. I do feel he's worth it by market standards. But there is something to be said for keeping a medium-level quarterback for a lot less money and having money to spend on other positions. A lot of teams recently winning Super Bowls and title games have had average/above average quarterbacks or quarterbacks who were on cheap contracts. Where are you on this? Worth hamstringing yourself with salary cap issues for a great quarterback or better off having money to burn and a quarterback that's a tier lower?
John: Given a choice between a second-tier quarterback and a great quarterback, it's always, always, always, always, always better to have a great quarterback. Always. (Always).
Mark from Archer, FL:
John, I am confused. Everyone is saying what a huge learning curve Myles Jack has learning middle linebacker. Correct me if I am wrong, but did he not play middle linebacker in college? I get that the NFL game is harder than college. But it is not like he has never played the position before and has no experience at it.
John: I'm sorry you're confused. Confusion can be … well, confusing. Jack indeed does have a learning curve, but I have no doubt he physically will be able to play middle linebacker in the NFL – probably at a pretty high level. The learning curve will be mental because – as you noted – he has not played middle linebacker in the NFL, nor has he called the Jaguars' defense. He will probably learn quickly and the Jaguars believe he will do quite well. But he still must learn and negotiate the curve.
Adam from Jacksonville:
Are you as cool as I think you are?
John: Yes, unfortunately.
Jason from Jacksonville:
No, Doug Marrone talking is pretty tough to hear. It's like Bill Belichick with a few rationalizations and clichés thrown in. All the tough-talk posturing is annoying. He seems humorless and uninteresting. Let's hope the on-field product is better. Though I fear it will be a dusty run-fest if Marrone has his way.
John: I've spent more time than I care to remember standing in press conferences of head coaches. I have been around head coaches who are humorless and uninteresting. Everyone can have whatever opinion they like, but I can honestly say I find Marrone's press conferences plenty interesting – and I anticipate them staying that way. As for humor, I'm not anticipating Marrone threatening Bill Burr's niche any time soon, but I think he may provide a smile or two every now and then. And if he doesn't leave 'em laughing? Who cares?
Adam from Jacksonville:
Thoughts?
John: Nah.
Wendy from Jacksonville:
Zone, have you embraced the team's attitude? How many lunches have you won recently?
John: If winning lunch is eating too much meat and not enough vegetables, being unable to force down a salad and getting irritated when the Gatorade's locked and I have to settle for water … then you're looking at a winner, baby. #championship
Ryk from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Shadrick … really. The same guy not worthy to loosen Tinker's sandals? That guy. Come on Man, how much did he pay you?
John: Shadrick is perfectly worthy to loosen Tink's sandals.
Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Hello Mr. O! (I changed it up) "The coaching staff certainly has a Plan B, which is to play the backup quarterback." That was your perfect response to a question regarding a plan B should Blake play badly. I'm pretty sure that's every teams Plan B should they have to pull they're starting QB. I'm hoping for no more "plan B" questions.
John: Yeah, Plan B at most NFL positions is to play the backup. Sometimes the simple things in life are the sweetest.
Cliff from Takeawildguess:
Post this Oehser or it PROVES you're a jerk!
John: What?
Pedal Bin from Farnborough, NH:
Mighty O I have to agree with you that anyone who wrote "I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand, walking through the streets of Soho in the rain" is indeed a genius. I always thought that if London ever got a NFL franchise they should be called the London Werewolves and the fans could yell the "Aahhhoooooo!" chorus as the players run out. So then, if your house caught fire what's the one album you grab as you head out the door? Mine would be Motorhead - "1916" signed by Lemmy and Wurzel (sadly both no longer with us) and Phil Campbell. That one is irreplaceable.
John: I'm not a Motorhead guy, but that sounds like a good one. My only signed album is 39 Special's "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys," which the members of 38 signed for me at The Record Bar at Regency in 1981 with the message, "To John, Keep Rockin …'' While this is obviously a "keeper," I don't know that it's my first thought in the event of fire. "London Calling" by the Clash would be up there, as would "Learning to Flinch" by Warren Zevon – who, by the way, was a genius many times over for reasons far beyond "Werewolves." I suppose if "Blonde on Blonde" was laying there I probably would grab that, too. It probably won't be an issue, though. I imagine I probably would just grab the IPhone and fire up the Apple Music account. It is 2017, after all.