JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Richard from Jacksonville

Are we there yet?

This email proves yet again that many O-Zone readers take after the senior writer in the sense of thinking they are uproariously funny, and also in the sense of being phenomenally incorrect in that thinking. To review: I have been asked repeatedly in recent days if the offseason O-Zone "dead zone" is over and just when training camp begins. I have answered just as often that the dead zone is almost over and that 2025 Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center will begin Wednesday morning with camp's first practice. The dead zone ends pretty much the same day, with news around the team accelerating and questions therefore returning to being more about football and less about former longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette." Again, to review: Jaguars quarterbacks and rookies reported Saturday. All other players report "today," which is Tuesday. Al.Most.There.

Sean from Oakleaf, FL

Can you elaborate on why the tackle position is natural for Arik Armstead versus playing end? His listed height and weight are not necessarily the prototypical body type for a defensive tackle.

Tackle is considered Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead's "natural" position because he played there at a high level for much of nine NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Jaguars as a free agent in the 2024 offseason. He did not seem as comfortable and was not as effective playing mostly end for the Jaguars in 2024. He appears from this view more capable as an inside player where he can use his length and leverage effectively, and he also doesn't have the edge pass-rushing ability of players such as Jaguars defensive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.

Pete from Queensbury, NY

John, The Jaguars won the 14U Boys flag football championship! Is this a sign for our Jaguars?!

Sure. Absolutely.

Hanesboro from Little Elm, TX

Will you root for Trevor when he is traded sometime in the next two years to the New York Jets or Arizona Cardinals or someone else who is desperate for a mediocre quarterback in his prime?

I like Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence personally and would be happy for him if he succeeded – wherever that success might happen. I have no reason to believe at this point that Lawrence will be mediocre moving forward or that the Jaguars will trade him in the coming seasons.

Bo "the better Steve" definitely not from Nashville and from Winter Springs, FL

Please let Steve from Nashville know that ain't how math works with adding percentages and this is me being nice.

Is it?

Hobo from Random Locations

Happy Birthday! We share the same birthday! I am in Cleveland, I hope you're in a better place.

Thank you very much. My birthday was indeed Monday. Whee. I am officially old and getting older, which is better than the alternative. I hope you enjoyed yourself on your birthday as well. There's nothing wrong with Cleveland.

GP from Savannah, GA

John, do teams that are scheduled to play abroad that are not the home team get any subsidies from the NFL for longer travel costs?

Yes.

Griffin from Wattsburg(h), PA

Wouldn't the comeback over the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs have to rank Top 3 in best games for T-Larry all time so far? That one crushed me as my nephew was diehard Bolts at that point and he called gloating at the end of first quarter. He didn't want to talk for a month and now is back to being a Bills fan. I still say we take Trevor off the chain (let him call some plays at the line) to truly see what he has! #letlarryloose

Lawrence's performance in a 31-30 victory over the Chargers in an AFC Wild Card Playoff game at EverBank Stadium following the 2022 season indeed was impressive. He calmly and effectively rallied the Jaguars from a 27-0 deficit following four early interceptions, absolutely showed that he is capable of big plays in big moments at the NFL level. As for your nephew, it sounds as if he has a loyalty issue. Go Bills, I suppose. Or Chargers. Or something.

CaptBob from JAX

Would you agree the Chargers game could also be considered as one of Trevor's best games despite the disastrous first half? The second half comeback and crucial conversions showed me his never give up attitude and calmness.

Wish I'd said that.

Sean from Oakleaf, FL

Jaguars.com continues to qualify opinions from local "experts" with quotation marks around the word. Some of the national media articles written by "experts" about the Jaguars are laughable as the writer's ignorance of the team typically shows through. I trust the opinions and Team insights of Kainani Stevens, Frank Frangie, Brian Sexton, J.P. Shadrick and Brett Martineau as Jaguar experts (mainly because it is their paid job to be one). Hope I did not leave anybody out?

Ahem.

Bruce from Owensboro, KY

Happy almost the end of Dead Zone. You mentioned Leon Searcy in your all-time offensive line list. At the risk of not being nice, has Leon been a little overlooked in Jags history being that HE was the one protecting quarterback Mark Brunell's's blind side? With Mark being a lefty and all.

I never quite know how to answer questions about players being respected or overlooked, probably because I don't pay attention to every list or radio conversation that takes place on every subject. This is even true of our beloved Jaguars. What I do know is I absolutely consider Searcy – who played right tackle for the Jaguars from 1996-2000 – easily one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history. From this view, it didn't matter if he protected quarterback Mark Brunell's "blindside" or "seeing side." Either way, he was good. Really good. And important. He played four seasons for the Jaguars, missing the entire 2000 season, and the team never missed the postseason during his playing years. His season-ending injury in training camp in 2000 in a very real sense began signaling the end of what remains the best stretch in franchise history. I consider him very close to a Pride of the Jaguars-level player. He was that good.

Steve from Nashville, TN

Thank you for making me Google Tim Riggins. As a fictional character I agree with you he will be most improved this year over Trevor and Brian Thomas Jr.

He has to get his shoes back first. Texas forever.

Bradley from Kansas City, MO

I wholeheartedly disagree that a new head football coach or any leader doesn't research what his predecessor did extensively. I'm also positive that predecessor would be on his mind when asked a question relating directly to his predecessor and the lame answer his predecessor gave to the same question. You aren't giving Coen much credit while at the same time still apologizing for a former head coach who at the very least wilted when faced with adversity.

I give Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen tons of credit for many things. I also know that when coaches take over franchises, they have some knowledge of what occurred before. But they are usually not as well-versed in the detailed storylines of the previous regime as fans – and they are not usually concerned about criticizing past regimes. They are starting fresh and looking forward. People ask questions here in the O-Zone. I answer them. That is how this works. One of my objectives is to answer truthfully and try to bridge the gap between how people think things work and how they work. Whether people pay attention as I do this is something I can't control.

Marty from Jacksonville

Have you given any thought to using AI to interpret people's incomprehensible questions?

No.

Jaypee from The Vortex

I was reading an article about cornerbacks. They said that you need dedicated slot corner in today's NFL because of 3x1 and 2x2 sets. You mind explaining what these are and why you need a dedicated slot corner to combat them?

People writing and talking about the NFL sometimes lean too far toward insider lingo without feeling the need to clarify just what this lingo means. In this case, the writer of the article appears to have been discussing sets with three receivers on one side of the line and one receiver on the other – and sets with two receivers on either side of the line. A simpler explanation might have been to say that slot corners – i.e., third corners not playing outside – have become critical because teams more and more play three or four receivers in as their primary formations. Either way, the writer is correct that slot corners are essentially starters in the modern NFL even if they're usually not listed as such on depth charts.

Gary from St. Augustine, FL

Even this close to training camp, you still suck.

Here we go.