JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Wayne from Jacksonville

An "upper body injury" after one set of downs on offense and defense after a PRESEASON game? Objective journalism requires you to acknowledge this is a glaring issue and there is no way for you to reasonably anticipate Hunter to go both ways a whole season (half at best if this continues). Any thoughts there? Coinciding, do you believe Hunter could potentially be a wide receiver draft worthy of two first -round picks? Thanks, KOAF.

As the resident journalist executing this forum, I'm at least reasonably qualified to decide what objective journalism requires – and I'll acknowledge that Jaguars rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter indeed has an upper body injury. That same objective journalism requires noting that it occurred when he fell on the area in practice and that there's no indication this was related to practicing both ways or anything that happened in a 31-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason opener at EverBank Stadium last Saturday. I also might objectively acknowledge that the Jaguars have multiple players out with injuries in training camp. I expect Hunter, like all NFL players, will deal with injuries throughout his career. Objective journalism teaches you not to jump to dramatic conclusions that are based on assumption, theory or opinion – and to wait until you know facts. That's probably the play here. Coinciding, I have no idea if Hunter will be a wide receiver "worthy" of two first-round selections. He looks like he could be a playmaker and do special things at this point. I think he'll be exciting. Time will tell if he can turn energy and electricity into elite high-end production.

Jaypee from The Vortex

I get rotating the offensive line around to figure out the best five and prepare them to be able fill in for each other when injuries happen. But at what point do you need to pick your starting five and let them start to gel before the season starts? How much time does it take to get familiar with the man next to them? Would starting the same five help with all the pre-snap penalties? We are only a couple weeks out.

The Jaguars have worked multiple combinations along the offensive line in 2025 Training Camp, but they were comparatively stable for a long stretch with Walker Little at left tackle, Ezra Cleveland at left guard, Robert Hainsey at center, Patrick Mekari/Chuma Edoga at right guard and Anton Harrison at right tackle. They leaned heavier into a rotation at left tackle this past week with Little, Fred Johnson, rookie Wyatt Milum, Mekari and Edoga all working there with the starters. When do the Jaguars need to settle on a starting five? Ideally, they already would have done so. But the first season of a new regime is not always an ideal situation. In the first season of a new regime you're still trying to answer questions and one of the major issues for this regime is ensuring that the Jaguars put the best five offensive linemen on the field Week 1. Remember, too: Most teams' offensive lines go through some acclimation/cohesion stuff early in the season because teams take so few live repetitions in training camp and preseason. That's not to say it wouldn't be better for the Jaguars to know their starting five offensive linemen, but you would rather get it right than hurry in this scenario.

Tom from The Mean Streets of Nocatee

Is Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead intangibly rich?

He's fine. Don't lose your mind.

Scott from Fernandina Beach, FL

Where are you at so far re: Organized team activities, minicamps and training camp? Encouraged/discouraged/meh or somewhere in between?

I like what I've seen from the Jaguars' wide receivers and I'm generally encouraged by the progress quarterback Trevor Lawrence appears to be making in Head Coach Liam Coen's system. The wide receivers – and the overall speed offensively – should give this team added quick-strike ability, which should mean more points. I'm cautiously optimistic about the offensive line, but won't know much until early in the season. The same is true of the defense, though I'm cautiously optimistic the edge rushers will remain strong. Overall? I think this team will be improved. I don't expect it to be a 12-victory team, but I think fans/observers will see an improved team with a lot of hope for the future.

Dbsuperbiker from Ormond Beach, FL

Who is committing the before-snap penalties on offense? Is there a trend?

It's a mix.

Brandon from Louisville

Preseason games are tough, aren't they? They are about getting ready for the season but not injuring your players. An argument could be made that, particularly on a season like this with new coaches and systems, that players should play every game because preseason is about getting ready for the season. Tough decision, right?

Coaches and team officials ideally would love for players to play all preseason games. They also ideally would love to have two-a-day practices and live contact. All these elements would give teams a better idea of their roster, make teams more prepared entering the regular season and improve the early overall quality of play in the regular season. Not injuring players increasingly has trumped those factors. The salary cap has made it far too risky for teams to lose core players in preseason or training camp.

Bruce from St. Simons Island, GA

O, Recently you stated that the reason you are traveling to New Orleans was to see the Jags improve. Come on O! I agree the French Quarter is for young people, but what about the food? Glad you weren't under oath.

I'm not a foodie. There's not much difference between Western Sizzlin and, say, Ruth Chris – except that Sizzlin has that awesome salad bar.

The real JT from Plano, TX

A lot of readers in this column ask you questions and investigate reasons why the Jags "were so bad at _" last year NOT just to blame (and risk being "not nice" which we know how you feel about), but instead to identify what kinds of specific things can be fixed for this year. You know, stop doing the same thing and break the insanity cycle? I choose to think of 904 as a pack of die-hard optimists who are desperate for a break-out season, not as blame-hungry malcontents. Of course, that assumes that somebody/anybody on the team actually reads this column for insight. While I certainly enjoy it, do you have any feel if any/many players/staff actually read these mailbag pearls?

A few. I wouldn't call it many. Remember: Players, coaches and staff already know what's happening around the team. Their need to read and watch what people say in a forum such as this isn't overly high.

Charles from Riverside

Hello, John. The Florida Times-Union wrote, "Several NFL running backs have recently signed contract extensions with higher average salaries, marking a shift in how teams value the position." They go on to compare salaries for running backs compared to 10 years ago and how much they increased in a decade and have dubbed the trend the "Great Running Back Financial Renaissance." Is this truly a result of the pendulum swinging back towards more emphasis on the run, or really just a reflection of the overall increase in NFL salaries over the past decade?

A little of both, from this perspective. While teams have leaned back toward paying running backs such as Saquon Barkley big "second-contract" money, and while teams in recent seasons emphasize the run more, the nature of the position – i.e., the wear and tear – leads to backs having short careers. That leads to teams being reluctant to pay big money to a back in his fifth or sixth season, with the reason being they won't be able to play at a high level deep into that contract. So, yeah … there has been an increase. I don't know that I would go so far as "renaissance."

Hortense from Jacksonville

Hey, John. It's me, Hortense. So are we just going to gloss over the 10 penalties and seven dropped passes in the scrimmage on Thursday? I know it's just a preseason scrimmage, and the garbage play of the starters against Pittsburgh backups last week was completely and utterly and totally meaningless, but perhaps those of us who have been Jags fans for a very long time know that more often than not around these parts what you see is what you get? Never mind, I just KNOW that Hunter is going to play lights-out football at two positions (which has never happened in NFL history) worthy of what we traded to get him, and Travon Walker is going to lead the league in sacks (and not just tie Dante Fowler like last season). Oh yeah, and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is going to be whisked off the field and the Jags' payroll midway through the Week 2 game to be a head coach on another team. I just can't wait for the dominance. The anticipation hurts my kneecaps and makes my eyebrows tingle.

Sounds like you're on it.