JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Matt from Jacksonville
While Parker Washington is an important part of the offense and is highly regarded by both the organization and by fans, he seems to be in a tough spot regarding contract negotiations. He is negotiating from a small sample size of past performance, the receiver room is talented and deep, and the offense is transitioning to more multiple tight-end sets. While the team probably would very much like to keep him, there is not a huge incentive to pay what his agent would likely want. To make it worse, he probably will not put up huge numbers this year simply because there are so many skill players and only one ball. That could impact how much other teams are willing to pay if/when he hits free agency. All of this seems to put the team in a very strong negotiating position and puts Parker's camp a little bit behind the eight ball. Do you think that there is a possibility that the Jags may just let him walk if he is not willing to take a team-friendly deal?
It's impossible to speak intelligently about contract negotiations without knowing what both sides want. With the sides not yet agreeing to a deal, it is a safe assumption that Washington wants more – perhaps a lot more, perhaps not – than what the Jaguars want to pay. But in this case, both sides could have incentive to wait. Washington at times has looked like an elite receiver. At the same time, he never has had a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown season so it's hard at this point to say he's elite. If he wants "elite receiver money," then this may be a case where the Jaguars want him to have an "elite receiver season" before paying. And it may be a case where Washington is reasonable to wait. My guess this is something both sides would understand. I would not necessarily say one side or the other has a strong negotiating position, and I do not know who is or is not behind the "eight ball." There is no reason to believe we are close to a "let-him-walk" stage. Much can happen in an NFL regular season to change dynamics in these things, and I think this may be a season-long topic. Remember: Just because sides have not agreed to something doesn't mean there is animosity. And it does not mean they won't agree. It just means they have not agreed yet.
Michael from Fruit Cove, FL
Do teams game plan at all for joint practices? Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen mentioned that rookie guard Emmanuel Pregnon specifically will be facing a more complex defense this week than the first two joint practices. I assume this applies to the rest of the offense and team. Do they watch film, so they know at least a little bit what to expect?
Teams usually don't "game plan" or scheme significantly for joint practices and they do not watch much film. As Allen Iverson once said, we're talking about "practice." But teams know other teams' strengths and weaknesses. Remember, too: Coen was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator in 2024, so he knows that team's strengths and weaknesses with less research than might otherwise be the case.
Pedal Bin IFOTY from Farnborough, Hampshire, UK
Oh Mighty 'O'/King Of All Funk, I would suggest Dag from Norway follows the Jaguars Fan Club UK and The Blighty Jags on social media and also keep checking the Jaguars UK section on this mighty fine web site. There will be an "official" Jaguars UK / Union Jax Fan Pub on the Saturday before the game usually with a few of The ROAR there and one or two Jaguars Alumni. If he has any questions, ask away on the Jaguars Fan Club UK and Blighty Jags social media pages and he will get a reply. On the Sunday before the game at Wembley there are no official Tailgate events anymore, but a lot of us Jags fans will be at Box Park, located just before the main steps up to the Stadium. Failing that, just yell "Duuuval!" and you'll meet Jags fans.
Well said.
HD from Jax Jacksonville
The last preseason game is August 28, then roster work, but then what happens between September 1 and 1 p.m. September 13? That's a long time. Are there restrictions on how much they can proactive and what they can do?
Teams can practice the week of August 31-September 4, then most teams playing on the first Sunday of the regular season will practice Monday, September 7. Those teams will then conduct their "normal" game week with practices Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and a Saturday walkthrough. Then: Game on.
James from Titusville, NJ
I'm on off-and-on again O-Zoner, but so often I find myself laughing out loud at some of the things you write. I was totally expecting you to say that fisticuffs never served anyone well over silly things such as rankings. I guess you opened the door to fighting so long as you aren't involved. We hear ya, Zone.
I am the king of all funk. I am not, nor was I ever, the king of all fisticuffs.
Ahbunga boof from East Palatka, FL
What are your thoughts on coordinators aspiring to be head coaches? Consistency is key, so is innovation. But how can you ensure consistency moving forward when offensive and defensive coordinators often leave after a year or two of success? We are in the team-building business, not the coaching building business. I look at the Chiefs and Steve Spagnuolo. We have two coordinators that could be gone next year with another season of success. Why aren't there more five-year contracts for coordinators, so we can ensure consistency for more than one to two years?
My thoughts on coordinators aspiring to be head coaches is that coaches – like normal people – should be allowed to aspire to be whatever they want. While "we" may not be in the coach-building business, most defensive and offensive coordinators understandably are in the career-building business. Why wouldn't they be? And the NFL never, ever, ever will put rules into place limiting the ability of assistants to interview and accept head coaching jobs. Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs have a nice situation with a defensive coordinator who perhaps is past the point in his career arch where he is likely to be a head coach. Other teams have this situation, too. Good on them. Either way, it doesn't matter how long a coordinator's contract lasts when it comes to this conversation. A coordinator is always free to interview with another team for a head-coaching position. As should be the case.
Joe from Jacksonville
Regarding Armand's locker room leader opinion: I saw a clip posted on socials the other day of one of the quarterbacks from an opposing team huddle the Jaguars had just scrimmaged with. It was compared to Drew Brees, full of "Heart, Brotherhood, Unity, Each Others," "Play for the little boy you once weres" and I felt nauseous watching it. Have I reached Oehser's level of "Get off my lawn" yet?
No. But you are getting close. Don't fight this feeling. Embrace it. It means you are growing up and growing wiser.
Dave from Los Angeles, CA
Are we to believe there are two B. Thomas Jr.'s on this team?
I don't know if you are to believe it or not, but it's true. One is Brian Thomas Jr., a wide receiver and a first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The other is Bryan Thomas Jr., a defensive end who signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft. The difference is in the "Y" and the "I." And in the positions. And the fact that one was selected in Round 1 and the other was not drafted at all.
Kaydie from Riverside, Jacksonville
It seems to me as though we have not seen much of the oft-discussed "12" and "13" personnel groupings this team was anticipated to employ after re-signing Brenton Strange and drafting Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol. Are Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski simply not tipping their hands in the exhibition games?
Strange hasn't played in the preseason, and Boerkircher didn't play in Preseason Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers. There is certainly an element of the Jaguars not wanting to show a lot of real "regular-season stuff" in the preseason. But there is the reality that Strange, Boerkircher and Koziol are a huge part of the tight-end equation. If they are not playing, packages involving tight ends are going to look different than if they are in the lineup.
Aaron from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
I was on the Oregon coast last week with my daughter and I was wearing my Jaguars hat. We walked past someone who (in a friendly way) said "Duuuvaaaal." We both smiled and laughed. Go Jaguars!
Go Jaguars.
