JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Michael from Orange Park, FL

So, franchise tag day has come and gone. No tag for ETN or D-Lloyd. I guess I'm not surprised. Just very disappointed and frustrated.

You're referencing the NFL's franchise/transition tag window as it pertains to Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. and linebacker Devin Lloyd – and while you missed on some details, your frustration and disappointment are understandable. First, while the tag window indeed opened Tuesday, there's actually no true "franchise tag day" because teams have until March 3 at 4 p.m. to apply one of the tags to any player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 11 and therefore limit the player's ability to sign elsewhere. But while that gives the Jaguars close to two weeks to make a move in this area, I don't expect it to happen – and I will be surprised at this point if either Etienne or Lloyd return next season. It's not that the team dislikes either player or doesn't appreciate either player's ability. But the reality of what the open market may bear for the two players may not match up to what the Jaguars deem realistic to fit into the present and future salary cap. You're right that it's not particularly surprising if you understand the dynamics of long-term NFL roster maintenance. It's almost certainly disappointing and frustrating to fans – because these are good and popular players. Part of the NFL reality in the salary-cap era is that not all good players stay on the same team for their entire career. The sense here is these will prove to be replaceable players. We'll see if that sense is correct. Stay tuned.

Bradley from Death Valley, CA

I don't know the stats with Devin Lloyd on the field versus off the field, but he certainly emerged as a playmaker, which is something this defense needs, particularly a second-level playmaker. I don't know if 2025 will end up being his career year or his breakout year but I see not signing him as a bigger gamble than the trade up to get cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.

Lloyd made a lot of big plays for the Jaguars in 2025. He was very good that season. Not re-signing him is a risk in the sense that change on any level is a risk. I'm not sure it ranks as the franchise-altering level of risk your email suggests.

Jadon from Raleigh, NC

The league isn't ready for Jaguars safety Caleb Ransaw.

OK.

Mike from Daytona Beach, FL

I noticed in your Mock Draft 2.0 that for the Jags' second-round pick cornerback was selected six times, offensive line five times and no other position more than twice. I was not surprised that O-line was mentioned five times. I believe this is still a big need and offensive line seems to be a very good position group this year well into Rounds 2 and 3. But I did not expect corner to be the most popular pick. Do you think this is because corner is also stacked with quality prospects? Or is it because the Jags still need additional help beyond Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, Jarrian Jones, and (hopefully) Montaric Brown. Or both?

I hesitate to try to speak for analysts/mock drafters, particularly those projecting as deep into a draft as the Jaguars' selection at No. 56 overall. This is because I know from experience that such analysts have minimal insight into a team's true draft thoughts. But we're getting near draft season, so we do what we can here to provide at least marginal insight into a mysterious, tricky-to-predict process. With that in mind, I suspect that most observers see the Jaguars likely to start Hunter at one corner and see Jones and Lewis as more inside nickel corners than outside corners. They then may see Brown at the corner opposite Hunter as an unrestricted free agent. That leaves corner as a "need" on paper – and that's probably not the worst way to analyze the Jaguars' cornerback situation this offseason.

Brad from The Avenues

Hey, John. I've been rewatching Fringe on Hulu, and in the alternate universe Eric Stoltz kept the part of Marty McFly. Having seen the footage on YouTube, it gave me a chuckle. Oh, and Ronald Reagan played Rick in Casablanca. Food for thought, right?

Was there anything in the show about Tom Cruise being the original Cousin Eddie? (His kids can fend for themselves.)

Dan from Madrid

Hi, Zone! I saw that the Chiefs restructured Mahomes' contract, pushing money in the future. The time will come for them to pay for that, correct? If not, what is the point of salary cap? We rarely see teams forced to cut good /great players in order to be compliant like what happen to the Jags at the end of former Head Coach Tom Coughlin's first time with the team.

The Kansas City Chiefs indeed restricted quarterback Patrick Mahomes' contract this week, marking the fourth consecutive offseason they have done this. That's the ramification of them signing Mahomes to a 10-year, $450 million contract – and yes, the time will come that it will be far more difficult to "push money" into the future in this fashion. Without getting into every last detail of Mahomes' contract, the Chiefs effectively lowered his cap hit from $78.2 million to $34.65 million – but added nearly $11 million to his cap hit in future offseasons. They likely will restructure his contract in the future because they have little choice but to do so, but at some point there comes an offseason when teams must "eat" such contracts. That doesn't mean the Chiefs ever will cut Mahomes, necessarily, but at some point they will be less able to sign good players or build depth around him. Why don't we see more teams have to release or part ways with good players the way the Jaguars did when they were in "salary cap hell" in the early 2000s? Because teams have more experience with the cap now than in the early years of the cap and they therefore know how to manage it a bit better. But teams that "chase greatness" by restructuring their highly paid quarterback and spending big in free agency still eventually usually must reset and rebuild. It might be by releasing or parting ways with players past their prime after a "run" has ended, but they still must do it.

Rob from Jax

You recently answered about signing Lloyd, "It's a lot steep, actually. Like waaaaaaay too steep to even be seriously considered." I know you were answering specific to the franchise tag, but he will get big money from someone. Does that automatically make it a mistake for that team? Or is it possible to overpay for a free agent by a good margin and still consider it a good move? Thanks O.

There are few automatics when it comes to NFL free agency – and one team's "prudent move" usually becomes another team's perceived opportunity. As for it being possible to overpay for a free agent and it still be a good move … this is tough to answer because you ALWAYS overpay in free agency. Bottom line: There's every possibility that Lloyd and Etienne – IF they sign elsewhere – will go somewhere and play well for another team. If they do, that will be good for them and that other team. It doesn't mean it wouldn't still have been the right move at that time for the Jaguars.

Sam from Orlando, FL

Eugene "the virus" Frenette retires and the Jags promptly look competent and win the second-most games in franchise history. Did this team have a "Gene" problem? Discuss.

You seem to be suggesting something untoward about former longtime sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette. You do you, I guess. I personally "wouldn't go there."

Wayne from Jacksonville

Just because Gary from St. Augustine, FL, is annoying doesn't make him wrong.

No doubt.

Travis from Jacksonville

You answered a question from Josh from Atlanta, GA recently. I suspect the more accurate answer would be that the Jaguars would have considered the fifth-year options for both players before there would be a contract extension or at least a consideration. Since both players were not offered an extension under the current regime, prior to the season, and presuming that they both had played well and had a fifth-year option that increases the affordability/cap issue.

I expect a more accurate question would have included something about Etienne playing on the fifth-year option in 2025 because he was selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Paul from Jax

How does it work with situations like ETN's? Does the team make an offer, does the agent reach out to sed what the team is willing to pay to retain him? Or do both sides just assume and accept that the player won't be back next season?

Any of above depending on the situation.