JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Brendan from Yulee, FL
KOAF! Did the Jags keep three tackles on the roster last year? I'm just wondering how we keep our guy Javon Foster around without losing him to some other team's practice squad.
The Jaguars indeed kept three offensive tackles on the regular-season roster last season – right tackle Anton Harrison, left tackle Cam Robinson and swing tackle Walker Little. I expect all three players to be on the 53-man roster when the 2024 regular season opens. How do they keep a player such as rookie tackle Javon Foster? By choosing to do so and doing it. Teams usually keep eight-to-nine offensive linemen on regular-season rosters. Sometimes, that means keeping more backups at some positions than others. Remember, too: Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher is big on cross training reserve offensive linemen, so you can't really say the Jaguars have X number of tackles and X number of guards and centers. Most reserves can play multiple positions if needed. I expect the Jaguars to retain Foster without much problem.
Sean from Oakleaf, FL
I have been unable to locate on the internet the penalties for the new kickoff rules and how they are enforced. For instance, if a member of the kicking team "moves" prior to the ball hitting the landing zone what is the penalty in yardage? Is it added to the end of the return or does the kicking team have to re-kick?
I asked Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell about this. His reply: "If the kicking team moves early (not two feet on the ground and stationary), it most likely will be an illegal formation penalty – though it could be offsides as well if he is beyond the restraining line). Both are the same penalty, five yards. Barring any other penalties on the play, the receiving team has two options: Have the opponent re-kick from the 30-yard line OR tack the five yards on to the dead-ball spot. These rules are still a work in progress, so some small details may change them but as of now this is how the league will officiate it."
Steve from Nashville, TN
Jaguars Offensive Line Coach Phil Rauscher said that undrafted free agent Steven Jones – aka, "Grizzly Bear" – needed to lose some weight. In your experience, with organized team activities and training camp held in a Florida summer, do typically weight issues take care of themselves?
Yes, with the frustratingly consistent exception of senior writers.
Woody from Dunlap
KOAF: I have never understood the "injuries are no excuse" argument. Injuries, especially multiple injuries to starting players, are a real and legitimate cause of poorer team performance. Last year, the Jags had no less than seven starters injured (wide receiver Christian Kirk, wide receiver Zay Jones, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, left tackle Cam Newton, right guard Brandon Scherff, right tackle Anton Harrison and left guard Ezra Cleveland). Christian missed much of the season. Zay hobbled around on one leg for much of the season. Trevor had ankle, knee, shoulder injuries and was concussed to boot! In such a competitive league as the NFL, when over half your starting offense is injured, how can anyone realistically expect there not to be a significant drop-off in performance?
NFL coaches rarely emphasize injuries – at least not publicly. They don't want to be seen "making excuses" and they understandably don't want players to think there's an excuse for not winning. Not discussing injuries therefore over time has seeped into the Culture of ToughGuyness that is the NFL. ToughGuyness aside, the NFL is a players' league. It's a league of attrition, matchups and quarterbacks. Teams should be able to withstand some level of injuries and win. There is a level most teams can't withstand. Because of course there is.
Mike from Cartersville (AKA Trevortown), GA
Is Gator from Gainesville Tony Boselli?
Shhh.
Ray from Jax
John: A good example of a good team not being able to overcome injuries was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl. With the offensive line a walking-wounded unit, the Chiefs had no chance.
Fair. And the closer you are to a team, the more you can see such cases. Sometimes it might involve losing a quarterback. Or a key receiver. Sometimes a team loses a key pass rusher and can't get pressure in big third-down situations – and it affects that team in the wrong situation against a capable opponent. Attrition, matchups and quarterbacks.
Steve from Nashville, TN
Marcedes Lewis!
Lewis, a first-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2006 NFL Draft who played 12 seasons with the Jaguars, indeed re-signed with the Chicago Bears Sunday. It will mark Lewis' 19th NFL season, extending the NFL record he set last season for seasons played by a tight end. The work required to stay in the shape required to play 19 seasons at the tight end position is staggering. It's a truly remarkable accomplishment and well-deserved. Congratulations to a good guy.
Sean from Oakleaf, FL
In Jaguars quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy's press conference last week, he emphasized quarterback Trevor Lawrence's increased ownership and familiarity in Year 3 of the same offensive system. While I think fans can look forward to and buy into this theory for this year, it might be a harder narrative to sell us in Year 4 - assuming no playoffs and Lawrence is in the same system.
I don't know that McCoy was establishing a "narrative" when discussing this last week as much as he was just talking about Lawrence's progress. McCoy has discussed this this offseason, as have offensive coordinator Press Taylor and Head Coach Doug Pederson. Are fans buying this? I have no idea. Sometimes, coaches are just answering questions. Not everything's planned or untoward.
Darren from Fort Worth, TX
Where do I send my money for Pipe Dream tickets?
You know where you can send it.
Sam from Orlando, FL
So if center Mitch Morse gets hurt … which happens with 31 year-old players … we are just going to be running back the same offensive line that got Trevor injured 10 different ways and caused our running game to be non-existent? Or is there some sort of contingency? Hinging offensive line play on one 31-year old center seems almost too "jaguars" to be real.
Morse's age is a concern, one I have voiced on multiple occasions. But it's not as if the Jaguars have ignored center this offseason. They re-signed guard/center Tyler Shatley, retained Luke Fortner and acquired Jack Alexander off waivers this past Friday. They also signed Morse as a restricted free agent. I understand concern over the center position and everyone would love starter-level depth at every position. That sort of depth all around the roster is unrealistic and I don't know that most teams would have addressed the position much differently.
Jerry C from Riverview
You said. "There's no question that in specific instances a worry over drawing penalties contributes to some very glaring missed tackles." You're probably right but that's a strong statement. Seems like you would have to read the player's mind to say there's no question. Am I missing something?
"Little question." /Fixed.
Nicholas from Fort Cavazos, Texas
KOAF: What order will these events occur: Your O-Zone streak ending, you retiring all together or the Jaguars going above 0.500 in their franchise record?
The streak will end before I retire. Of that, you can probably be sure. The Jaguars are 71 games under .500, which means they must go 13-4 in eight consecutive seasons to be above .500. By my calculations, I therefore expect the streak to end before either of the other happenings.
Roger from Houston
"Eliminate unnecessary words!" Strunk & White, in "The Elements of Style"
Yep.
Don from Marshall, NC
How is it the Dolphins' general manager feels he needs to weigh in on Trevor Lawrence's contract? He better worry about the game they have to play against the Jaguars. We Jaguar fans think Mueller doesn't deserve a new contract because he hasn't won anything. Go Jaguars! Let's see him play QB.
When it comes to having strong opinions and not realizing that Randy Mueller is not employed by the Miami Dolphins – or any other NFL team – Don remains "all in."
Albert from Dowling Park, FL
All this talk about tackling. I guess I'm old enough to remember the NFL before "touch while down" was enough for a tackle. I remember when you had to get a runner on the ground and he couldn't get up. I think I saw many plays where a runner was hit, fell down, and got back up to keep running. Is my memory failing or was that the case many, many years ago?
A ballcarrier in the NFL must be touched while down to be down. That was the case many years ago. It's still the case now.
Dwayne from Jacksonville
Were you assuming you would be in the booth with Boselli?
Not if I see him first.
