JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it…

Bob from Neptune Beach, FL

Was Parker Washington more a contract issue than an injury issue?

Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington, entering his fourth NFL season, is eligible for a contract extension. His representation and the Jaguars have discussed that. I can say with confidence that Washington not practicing late last week absolutely was all injury and not a contract issue. Period. While Washington – who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next March – certainly wants a new contract and as much money in that contract as possible, I will be stunned if his approach is ever anything but "all in" and professional. Some players might let such a situation affect his approach. That is not Washington's way.

Richard from Jacksonville

The reality is preseason games are less significant. Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen favors joint practices over a few series and he is right to do so. Scripted situational football addresses anything that needs attention. It is live action and less injury risk. How long will it take before it is only joint practices with a single preseason game?

I expect the NFL will move to two preseason games from the current format of three when the league moves to 18 regular-season games. I expect moving to 18 regular-season games is inevitable whether I like it or not, though I have no feel for when that will occur. I expect the league will continue playing 18 regular-season games and two preseason games for a while after that. Will there be a time when there are one – or zero – preseason games? Perhaps, though my sense is it may be far enough in the future that it's not my concern – less, even, than it is now.

JK from Ocala, FL

El O, I am ready for the season to start. Any way you can talk to the league and get the show on the road?

In due time, JK. In due time.

Scott from St. Johns

John, I have noticed that the word "physicality" has become increasingly common among football players, coaches and broadcasters over the last decade. Interestingly, I do not recall seeing you use the term in the O-Zone. Do you consider "physicality" a valid and useful word for describing a player's attributes, toughness or style of play – or do you think it has become an overused piece of sports jargon? I am curious whether you view it as a meaningful football term or simply a trendy substitute for more traditional descriptions such as strength, toughness or aggressiveness.

I try when possible to avoid cliches and jargon, though it's true that I have varying degrees of success in this effort. I never consciously avoided saying or writing "physicality" in the O-Zone or in other forums. I expect I have not used it mostly because there are better, more specific ways to describe physical players.

Paul from St. Augustine, FL

I quit stressing about preseason games after the 2017 preseason. Those preseason games gave little-to-no indication what we would get to see once the regular season started. I remember thinking the offensive line would be terrible that year. I remember having doubts about the defense and I also remember that same defense racking up 10 sacks in the first regular season game.

Ah yes … I remember it well.

Yetidaddy from Nowhere and Yet Somewhere

It is still preseason, time to analyze, evaluate, test, experiment etc. It is also time to calm down. What say you, Ol mighty Wizard of "O?"

I have come to realize in three decades covering the NFL that fans and observers overreacting to preseason is one of the league's great truths that always will be a great truth. I don't know how the Jaguars will fare in their 2026 regular-season opener. I don't know how they will do the following week. I don't know if they will make the postseason. I do know that however they fare in Week 1 and the following week will have nothing to do with the scores of their preseason games.

Mark from Jacksonville

Hey, John. I want to preface this with three thoughts: I am very thankful for the O-Zone, I am not super panicked about the backup quarterback position, and this isn't meant to be nitpicky. That said, I think your response to "Mike from Jax" about Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens was a little short-sighted. Sure, if TL16 goes down for the season, the Jags aren't winning the Super Bowl. Obviously. However, I have heard it said many, many times that sometimes the value of a backup quarterback is to keep a team afloat if the starting quarterback has a "shortish-term" injury, e.g. 2-6 games. In a league where just a one game difference in record, 9-8, 10-7, 11-6 etc., can literally determine if a team makes the playoffs (say TL16 is back and healthy by that time), what a shame it would be to have the team go 10-4 with TL16, but 0-3 with a backup and miss the playoffs because they couldn't go 1-2 with the backup quarterback. This email is verbose, but my point is simply that backup quarterback matters. Sometimes a lot.

Who ya got?

Keith from Saint Augustine, FL

I do not think that Jabbar Muhammad nor Christian Braswell are adequate replacements if one of our top four cornerbacks (Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, Jourdan Lewis or Jarrian Jones) gets injured. I think we need to look long and hard at the waiver wire when cuts are made for better backup cornerbacks. Why are you so opposed to bettering our roster in this area?

I don't know that the Jaguars agree with you on this front, though I can't imagine a scenario in which I would care to any great degree whether the Jaguars look for a backup cornerback on the waiver wire.

Brittany from Duuval

Will Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence play this Friday against Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

No.

Woody from Dunlap

KOAF: Having a dull day-to-day existence, as we rapidly approach the date of mandatory personnel reductions from 90 to 53 (not including the international player rule). I have been studying the rules pertaining to the moving of players from practice squad to active roster and back. I think I understand most of it. One part I do not understand the rationale for is the rule that only 48 players out of 53 are eligible on any given game day. Using your Obi-wan level of understanding, can you explain why not all 53 players are eligible?

I usually don't do a great job explaining this. But the idea behind this rule is to make "playing field" as level as possible as often as possible. Knowing that teams deal with injuries throughout the season, the NFL mandates that there be a certain number of inactive players so that there is an increased chance of both teams entering the game with 48 healthy players. That's not the clearest way to explain it, but the answer is there somewhere. Maybe.

Reese from Loyal Jaguar Fan in VA

I am trying to refrain from asking a question until the regular season starts, do you think I can succeed? Go Jags!!!

Yes.

Josh from Atlanta, GA

We know rankings are clickbait, from pundits who see very little of every team. They do their best to cover 32 teams, so they can say a name or two that show up on Twitter and makes them sound well versed. It is impossible to know each team, like you, for example, know the Jaguars. With that said, a positional group ranking profile came up on the mothership. Our highest being EDGE at No. 5, lowest the interior defensive line at No. 32. Whatever. The one that I truly questioned. Wide receiver. Apparently, there are 15 teams with a better wide receiver group than Jax. They might not be the best, but from what we are seeing in camp thus far I think we have a wide receiver room that is going to win a lot more games than 15 other teams. That's what matters. Oh, and there are 15 other quarterbacks better than ours. I am sure you would agree with that one, right?

Your first few sentences show you grasp the methodology and importance of rankings. The Jaguars went 13-4 last season and won the AFC South. I can maybe, maybe accept an argument that they aren't as good at running back as they were last season. I would not agree with the argument, but I can accept the premise. There is no other position where I would agree with the argument or accept the premise. I wouldn't get into fisticuffs over this, but that's because fisticuffs never went all that well for me – even when I was a young man. I don't know where the Jaguars' position groups were ranked last season, but I know their players were good enough for the team to be good. I believe they will be good again this season.