JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Al from Orange Park, FL
Re: The Smith/Orhorhoro trade … is that a straight up trade? Why would the Falcons do that?
The Jaguars on Friday announced they had agreed to terms to trade defensive tackle Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro – and yes, the trade was "straight up." It also involved remarkably similar players. Smith, a second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, has three sacks and four passes defensed while playing 24 career games. Orhorhoro, also a second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, has 3.5 sacks while playing 25 career games. Why would the Falcons do it? Perhaps they saw the potential the Jaguars saw when they selected Smith and believe they can get more from him – and there indeed is a lot of potential in Smith. Why would the Jaguars do it? Because they need some interior pressure and Orhorhoro at times in two seasons has generated that pressure, with all his sacks coming this past season. Sometimes, teams want to move on from a player. This seems like a trade where both teams were ready to do so and perhaps a change benefits all involved. Stay tuned.
Rob from the duuuuuuuuuuuuu
Kind of a strange trade, no? I know why it makes sense from our side, but why would the Falcons want to trade such a similar player? They seem almost identical with draft position, age and stats. One would think you would stick with the homegrown option. Which begs the question: what's wrong with Orhorhoro? Also, big ONE FER Hodges who seemed like a great kid and had tons of potential. Really sad he won't be with us moving forward I was hoping to see him get healthy and be great. It's crazy how any NFL career can end any second and it happens more than we realize.
A couple of thoughts on your thoughts. Regarding trading Smith for Orhorhoro … this seems very much a case of two players who both need a change – and just as much two teams that wanted that change. Regarding Cooper Hodges … Friday indeed was a tough day on that front, with the Jaguars releasing the 2023 seventh-round selection. Hodges showed promise and was once seen as a potential starter. He sustained significant knee injuries in 2023 and 2024. The Jaguars liked him very much and hoped he could recover to contribute. That didn't happen. One fer Hodges, who absolutely seemed like a great kid? No doubt.
Dwayne
Am I the first to nickname our new defensive lineman Ruke as "Your Boat"? Earworm! Orhorhoro Your Boat.
Are you the first? Perhaps. Who knows? I don't know.
Trevor from Jacksonville
The in-depth look at the Jaguars' scouting process in Episode One of The Hunt was wildly impressive. My favorite part was how they keep (General Manager) James Gladstone's opinion of draft prospects a secret between himself and (Head Coach) Liam Coen so as not to influence the scouting department. I never before have been this confident in our front office. However, I did notice there was no mention of Positional Name Value or PNV. We all know the importance of a cool name. Is there any doubt Sonny Styles will be an All-Pro one day? But the PNV is just as important. It would be foolish to draft a wide receiver with a name like Keylan Rutledge or Gennings Dunker. But an offensive lineman? Sign me up. Am I joking about PNV? Yes. Kinda. Maybe.
The Hunt is cool. People like it. We should promote it more and dedicate more resources to it. It seems overlooked.
Chris from Jacksonville in the Mandarin direction
KOAF: " …But that ranking is because the area of Jacksonville is the second-largest in the continental US whereas many larger cities are actually one large city with a lot of cities around it."
Pretty much. Or something like that. -ish.
Jadon from Raleigh, NC
Who is the best player to wear No. 4 for the Jags in Jaguars history?
Jaguars players who wore No. 4 long enough to merit mention in this discussion include: Punter Bryan Barker (1995-2000), running back Tank Bigsby (2023-2025) and kicker Josh Lambo (2017-2021). It comes down to specialists. I suppose I must go with Barker here, though Lambo's kicking – and getting kicked – was really, really important to this franchise.
Jadon from Raleigh, NC
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers over someone like cornerback Tyson Campbell who was on the team for four years and had some high caliber moments? Is this more of a projection than based on "legacy with the team?"
The question was about best player to wear No. 3 for the Jaguars. Campbell wore No. 3 for the 2024 season and early in the 2025 season before being traded to the Cleveland Browns. The Jaguars were awful defensively – and as a whole in 2024 – and Campbell was just OK in 2025 before the trade. Meyers made a huge impact in 2025 and helped revitalize the offense and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But yes … projecting in this case factored into the thinking.
Savannah from Baltimore, MD
What is the most-favorite team of Jacksonville Jaguars players?
NFL players, particularly active players, don't really see "favorite teams" in the way that fans see them. Their favorite teams are usually the ones for which they play – and they often maintain an emotional connection and rooting interest in their former teams after their careers.
Shawn from Moore County, NC
Every time I read something about the Jags meeting with a player from a team, it is not the one you would think of. It's always like the second- or third-best at that position on their team. Is this because they are confident they have good data on the top players at that given position on that team? Could it be another "I'm smarter than you so I will draft this guy you never heard of thing?" I also heard we are not drafting players to start right away. I really hope this isn't true. Pick 56 should be a starter, IMO.
The analysis and tea-leave reading leading to the NFL Draft is the most overrated, overplayed part of the NFL calendar. And the most overrated, overplayed part of the pre-draft calendar is "pre-draft meetings." The most ridiculous question media types ask players at the NFL Scouting Combine is, "Have you met with [insert team name here]?" The answer indicates absolutely nothing. Most teams meet with most draft prospects in some capacity. In the Jaguars' case specifically, whether they meet "officially" with a player means nothing – and they do not under the current regime conduct "Top 30" pre-draft visits with prospects at their facility. As for your opinion that the No. 56 overall selection should be a starter … it's fine and good that you feel that way. But players selected outside the Top 50 or so are usually not considered immediate starters – and the Jaguars certainly do not believe that, if they select at No. 56, that player must start immediately. And if they do select at No. 56, where will that player start? What position? Maybe outside linebacker. Maybe. Anywhere else it will be very difficult for a drafted player to start immediately.
Donald from Philadelphia, PA
Do Philadelphia play Jacksonville this year and where at?
The Philadelphia Eagles and Jaguars will play in 2026. The game will be a home game for the Jaguars and a road game for the Eagles, which means the game will be played in Jacksonville or London. The NFL schedule is expected to be released in May.
El from Brooklyn
First time hollerin,' but I read you often and love it. You and others have talked about a third rotational defensive edge being a position of need, and expecting it to be addressed in the draft. With two recently extended, high-dollar contract and excellent players locked in long term at defensive end, I wonder if it isn't smarter to try and bring someone like Dante Fowler – who has settled into that rotational role at this stage of his career – at a fairly reasonable price point ($6 million last year with Dallas) rather than using draft capital on a young developmental pick this early into Josh Hines-Allen' and Travon Walker's extensions. Seems like a year or two stopgap NFL-ready role player may make more sense than a young developmental piece for a team that is win now (and yes, build for later) at that position, because out of all defensive positions, defensive end strikes me as the one where we are pretty damn solid at the top for now. Thoughts?
I expect the Jaguars will pursue edge in the 2026 NFL Draft, perhaps aggressively. Depending on the success of that pursuit, the Jaguars absolutely could look to veteran free agency.
Chris from Jacksonville
I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK. I work all night and I sleep all day.
Stay out of the bars.
