JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it…

Scott from Aruba

With the fiasco going on with the vast majority of second-round picks, looks like the Jags' brass knew what they were doing avoiding having a second-round pick.

You're referencing 30 of 32 second-round selections in the 2025 NFL Draft remaining unsigned, a fact that becomes more notable by the day as training camps begin opening around the NFL. I don't know if this is a fiasco as much as an odd situation, but the core issue is that the final 30 Round 2 selections apparently want the same guaranteed contracts signed by the first two Round 2 selections – Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins. Second-round selections have not typically signed guaranteed rookie deals, and it's unlikely other NFL teams will blindly and quickly follow the lead of the Browns and Texans in this area. This could result in a lot of second-round holdouts – if, in fact, those second-round selections are sure enough in their negotiating power to risk missing training camp time. I except second-round selections to start signing relatively soon, but that's strictly my expectation and not a given. Either way, the Jaguars didn't trade their second-round selection to the Cleveland Browns specifically to avoid a holdout. They wanted rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter enough to trade the selection – and others – to move up to select him. Consider avoiding this whole second-round thing just a happy coincidence.

Zach from WGV

A lot of talk recently on how the Jaguars need to fix the offense to win games. But watching last year, there were too many games lost by our defense. Critical stops needed and whiffed. Worst rank defense in the league on passing. We didn't really get too much better in the safety position. How are we going to stop these elite teams ... or Joe Flacco?

You're correct that the Jaguars must improve defensively – and that doing so is just as important as improving the offense. The Jaguars this offseason essentially replaced Andre Cisco at safety with veteran Eric Murray, rookie Caleb Ransaw and rookie Rayuan Lane III. The Jaguars certainly believe they improved there, though time will tell. How will the Jaguars stop elite teams – or even just OK ones? Stop the run better. Rush the passer more consistently. Allow fewer big plays. Force more turnovers.

Trevor from Jacksonville

I want to take this Dead Zone opportunity to thank the Tampa Bay Bucs front office for not doing the right thing with Liam Coen. Imagine they had done the right thing back in January, and told him to take the second interview with the Jaguars, but that if he decides to stay in Tampa, they will still give him a pay raise. Liam definitely would have taken the interview with Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke in person. Who knows what the domino effect would have been, but we almost certainly would not have the Triumvirate of Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, Coen and General Manager James Gladstone that has made this offseason so enjoyable. Tip of that hat to the Bucs front office!

OK.

Scott from Aruba

How do you balance answering questions that are helpful and insightful with the obligation to occasionally troll us back into reality? You're like a football therapist who occasionally responds with a dry grunt instead of advice. Respect.

People ask questions. I answer. That is always the case here, which means the questions drive the content. When the questions strike me as thoughtful and meriting a thoughtful answer, I often answer thusly. When the questions strike me as slightly – or not-so-slightly – irrational, mean-spirited, over-the-top or something else untoward, I might use that opportunity to good-naturedly steer the questioner/reader somewhere closer to reality. Mostly, my objective for each O-Zone is to answer questions in as informative and entertaining a manner as possible. Perhaps I reach that objective some days. Perhaps not. It's whatever, I guess.

Marty from Jacksonville

Hey, John. Speaking of children's books, when I was very young my father, who hated sports, for some reason had "Yank Brown, Forward" in his library. It's a very old classic sports book for young people, written in 1921, with lots of life lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship. Did you ever read that?

I didn't, but I read more than a few that were probably similar. Sports literature – like most things – was different one hundred years ago. For better or for worse.

Brendan from The Banana Patch

What style of defense did the Jags' new defensive coordinator employ in Green Bay? Should we expect any major differences, three-four front, etc.?

The Packers last season ran what might be best described as a 4-3 based scheme – though few, if any, teams these days run pure 4-3 or 3-4 schemes in the "traditional" sense. Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile served last season as an assistant under Packers Defensive Coordinator Jeff Haffley. I expect Campanile to run a 4-3-ish scheme – i.e., a 4-3 with some 3-4 spacing. Campanile emphasizes versatility, and also tackling and forcefully getting off blocks and violence at the point of attack.

Mike from Zaragoza, Spain

I feel like those that don't have grey in their beards don't fully understand how the game was before the mid 2000s. It's one thing to look at the Steve Atwater and Ronnie Lott highlights. It's an entirely different thing to know what that feels like. I played organized football in the 90's and when I got to high school, they got so much bigger and stronger. The big shoulder pads were great in tight spaces, that didn't even hurt that much, it was a strength and leverage competition. I felt like the big leg pads slowed me down more than the shoulder pads and taking a hit on the quad muscle didn't feel good with the small ones. And the shoulder pads didn't help at all with the ribs when you run a slant and the QB throws you high. They also don't help protect from pulling guards on a toss sweep. The bigger pads made those who loved to hit more comfortable doing so but a lot of the injuries were pretty gnarly back then. It was intensely entertaining, but I guess it wasn't sustainable in the long run. That period had its time. Just appreciate it for what it was.

OK.

Fred from Naples, FL

ESPN came out with the Top 10 Ten quarterbacks in the NFL according to executives, scouts and coaches. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn't even make the Top 18. I would imagine any competitor takes this to heart and perhaps this motivates them. Do you think Trevor is one of those guys or is he perhaps he doesn't even read it?

We live in a list-based sports media age, with seemingly as many daily lists as sites purporting to cover the NFL. Because of this, I don't know that all that many NFL players – including Lawrence – differentiate any particular list from any particular other list. I expect this is even true of more "legitimate" lists, with the list you cite perhaps being in this group. Either way, I doubt Lawrence needs a specific list for motivation. He's not dim. He is certainly aware many observers don't "list" him among the elite quarterbacks. Maybe Lawrence is motivated by such things. I sort of doubt it, though, and that's OK. The best motivation comes from within. That tends to have more staying power over the long-term.

GP from Savannah, GA

Big O- stay tuned!!

OK.

Timothy from Fernandina Beach, FL

John: A lot of the draft picks remained unsigned at training camp approaches. Some are holding out over paid guarantees up front or training camp bonuses. I get the guarantees, but what is the deal with training camp bonuses and how do they work within the rookie pay scale?

Training camp bonuses are about when a player gets paid, making it a matter of timing rather than total money. The goal is for a player to receive a large amount of his compensation early in the season – training camp – rather than during the regular season. They don't change the player's salary or his effect on the salary cap.

Ert from St. Augustine, FL

So you are saying that Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Billy Sims, Jerry Rice, Bob Hayes (I could go on) would have been championship caliber if they JUST had worn smaller pads. I guess they were too slow to play in the new updated hip league. of small, but oh so chic, smaller pads.

Guess so.

Don from Marshall, NC

Clone Tony Boselli five times and we would be heading to the Super Bowl! Go Jaguars!

When it comes to really believing in Boselli – and perhaps slightly overvaluing the left tackle position – Don remains "all in."

Joel from Mandarin

O, Five Days and counting! I'm eager and excited for this season! How bout you Mr. O?

You have no idea.