JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Art from Drexel Hill, PA
You've said multiple times that when Todd Wash had great players, he had a great defense. But isn't the measuring bar for a good coach what they can do with inferior talent? It's unreasonable to think anyone could have made this year's defense good, but wouldn't a great defensive coordinator at least make them decent? It was a hard ask this year, but even when they were great, they had flaws that players and analysts pointed out repeatedly.
I've written and said often that Wash is fine as the Jaguars' coordinator. I haven't written that he was great because I'm frankly at a loss for what "great coordinator" means – and I'm not convinced anyone in the NFL knows what it means anymore. Wade Phillips was fired this offseason by the Los Angeles Rams. Romeo Crennel was fired this offseason by the Houston Texans. They're acknowledged as two of the best defensive minds of the last two decades, but suddenly they weren't good enough for their organizations? Robert Saleh of the San Francisco 49ers is currently seen as an elite defensive coordinator; 49ers fans and observers roundly criticized him last season before he suddenly became a genius. The fact is in the modern NFL teams change coordinators based largely on the direction the wind is blowing at the end of a particular season, and changing coordinators far more often than not is change for the sake of change. There's no rhyme. There's no reason. There's just randomness based on the immediate noise around the organization in question. Jaguars fans have convinced themselves Wash is a problem. That's fine. Believe that if you want. But the Jaguars' defense has been good in recent seasons when the players were good and the unit has been bad when there have been clear deficiencies in talent. If you want to believe otherwise, that's up to you. But I'm not going to write that Wash is bad just because it's always coaching in the NFL.
Gary from Wesley Chapel, FL
Zone, Will Gruden be at the Senior Bowl with the rest of the staff?
No. Entire coaching staffs don't often go to the Senior Bowl anymore, and only Head Coach Doug Marrone attended from the Jaguars' coaching staff this year. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden did not attend, which isn't unusual because he was hired on Wednesday. He will join the staff in Jacksonville as soon as possible.
JCKRoye from Jacksonville
Did Gruden take the offensive coordinator job with the understanding that he would be the head coach in waiting?
Of course not.
Colton from St. Augustine, FL
I've been hearing rumors about the Jaguars being interested in Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson at the Senior Bowl. Any word?
Jefferson has been among the more impressive receivers at the Senior Bowl this week, and he appears to have helped his draft stock. I expect the Jaguars to be interested in receiver early in the draft, so I expect the Jaguars to have interest in Jefferson. Remember: Every team is interested in pretty much every draftable player at this point in the process and every player at an event such as the Senior Bowl will speak to "a scout" from pretty much every team, which means breathless reports and charts of teams being interested or talking to players mean absolutely nothing. I once saw a "draft analyst" see J.P. Shadrick interviewing a player – I believe it was at the Senior Bowl – and I later saw that draft analyst report that the Jaguars were talking to the player. So, was this true? I suppose. Did Shadrick's interest indicate the team planned to draft the player? Ah, perhaps not.
Sean from Jacksonville
Is Yannick aiming, thru social media, to become Ramsey 2.0? Seems premature and immature on his part. Key word "mature." I would think actions like he's recently taken wouldn't exactly enamor him to a megadeal. Then again, it's way above my paygrade. I hope he gets a new deal, but not a market setting deal.
I'm not going to remotely try to explain what Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is trying do when he tweets. Ngakoue wants to get paid. He evidently didn't like how negotiations went last offseason. He appears to be assuming on some level that they won't go well moving forward. We'll see if he's correct, but I wouldn't assume much on this front yet.
Sam from Winter Park, FL
Did drafting Fournette really work out in the short-term or did we ride an elite defense that was riding an unsustainable turnover ratio whilst playing a last-place schedule and a slew of back up quarterback?
Remember the 2017 season however you wish, but while doing that don't forget that without Fournette the Jaguars probably don't win in Pittsburgh in the divisional round of the playoffs. Winning in the NFL never is one thing, but Fournette mattered in 2017. And he made the Jaguars better that season.
Enrique from Bargersville, IN
Hey, O. According to spotrac, cutting wide receiver Marqise Lee, guard Andrew Norwell, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, linebacker Jake Ryan and tight end Geoff Swaim would give us $40 million in cap room. Do you think that's enough to get defensive end Yannick Ngakoue done, sign the draft class, and sign a tight in their prime (Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers or Austin Hooper from Atlanta) and perhaps overpay for a short term left tackle like a Jason Peters who is still playing at a high level and move Cam Robinson inside?
If you're moving Robinson inside, I would rather draft a left tackle, but for the most … yes, the Jaguars can get something like what you suggest done this offseason.
Garrett from Jesup, GA
Hunter Henry, the Los Angeles Chargers tight end, is supposedly a free agent this offseason. With the Jags constantly in need of a reliable tight end, how likely do you think it is that he will be available? If he is, do you think the Jags should sign him? If he's not the answer, where else can the Jaguars look for a starter-level tight end?
I like the idea of the Jaguars pursuing Henry. I don't know that the Jaguars will be able or willing to set the market for him, so that might make pursuing Henry unrealistic. Where else to look? Second round of the draft? Second-tier free agency? They have tried such routes before to address tight end recently, albeit with minimal success.
Daniel from Jersey City, NJ
O-man, so who is your pick for this year's Super Bowl and why?
San Francisco, because when defense and the running game are dominant a team can control the game to an extent that a team that's dependent on the passing game can't.
Robert from Oneonta
John, I think Khan made a mistake buying the Jaguars; he did not do his due diligence. A competent investor does not place value in a business plan that indicates even when the business is turning out its best product that there are not enough potential clients/$$ in the community to enable the organization to succeed. This is the basis of what Jaguars President Mark Lamping said; that even with a winning Jags team and a full stadium, there would not be sufficient income. The people of Duval County will pay for Khan's mistake: fewer home football games, a half-billion dollars in tax money dedicated to whatever the river front project becomes, loss of roads, loss of a popular city park, a hotel where season ticket holders should be parking. Initially people will show up for the river front project, if for no other reason than curiosity. My heart goes out to the people of this community. I get it: They wanted an NFL football team and now they are going to pay for that decision over and over, again and again.
I laughed when I read your first sentence – that Khan made a mistake buying the Jaguars. I also laughed at the notion that Khan is not a "competent investor." Khan is nothing if not competent, and I wouldn't feel sorry for the people of Duval County as it relates to Khan owning the Jaguars. Where you see potential for failure with Lot J, Khan and the Jaguars see potential for success. He has been right a lot when it comes to business. I wouldn't bet against his vision.
Jerry from Riverview, FL
Do you anticipate Khan having more of a hands-on approach with the team, compared to previous years?
Yes, though I'm not sure to what extent.
Daniel from Urbandale, IL
Wow, who would have imagined that potentially Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Philip Rivers of the Los Angeles Chargers and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints could all be on the market? Considering our cap situation, I'm assuming there's no chance we could try to get Rivers?
The Jaguars have spent big on two quarterbacks in free agency the last two offseasons. I don't anticipate them doing so again this offseason.
