JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Yeti Daddy from Somewhere and Yet Nowhere
It is almost here! With the recent trade of Maason Smith for Ruke Orhorhoro and the waiving of Cooper Hodges, how do you see this as shifting the priorities of the Jaguars? Maybe now addressing the offensive line depth in the upcoming NFL Draft, and do you believe this position now becomes a top priority for the team? Secondly, are you as excited as I am to hear Frank, Golden Throated, Cultural Icon, Frangie pronounce Orhorhoro? Will it sound like Scooby-doo?
These two transactions became official Friday, with the Jaguars trading defensive tackle Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and waiving offensive lineman Cooper Hodges late that day. These moves, while significant – particularly to the players involved – were mid-level as opposed to high level. And they certainly in no way will lead to a shift in priorities. Trading Smith for Orhorhoro should be seen as two teams hoping a change in venue will produce better results for two 2024 second-round selections who didn't work out in their first venue. Hodges, a seventh-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was a player with potential. The Jaguars upon selecting him believed he might develop into a starter. Two serious knee injuries made that unlikely. Though the Jaguars liked him and hoped he could recover and return, that unfortunately didn't happen. They also weren't planning their roster around his return. Either way, the Jaguars won't address the draft any differently because of either transaction. I expect they still want a pass-rushing defensive tackle – and I expect that will still be difficult to achieve because it's a weak draft at the position. And the Jaguars will always work to address offensive line depth and quality in the draft. As for how Voice of the Jaguars Frank Frangie will pronounce Orhorhoro … it remains to be seen. I'll click on it, though. I click on lots of things.
Rob from Jax
I think you do a good job of explaining some of these very complex NFL contracts even if I don't always understand them completely. Is there anything about your educational background that helps you understand or prepared you for this side of sports journalism? Thanks O.
Although I was a business major at the illustrious institution that is the University of Florida, I can't in good conscience say that the knowledge gained there has all that much to do with explaining the intricacies of the NFL salary cap or NFL contracts. And I'm actually not all that certain if I'm good or bad at explaining these things. The reality is there are usually too many details and moving parts to explain contracts and the cap in precise detail without it being eye-glazingly confusing, even boring. My approach with such issues is to write as simply and clearly as possible – and explain what I know in a manner that an elementary school-level reader could grasp. And to therefore have the reader understand most of the gist as well as possible without getting lost in the abyss of details. Keep it simple stupid – even when the subject manner is as complex as the cap and contracts.
Larry from Jacksonville
When will coverage of the offseason start?
My Scooby Sense – and not my Scobee or Spidey Sense – tells me you're wondering when reporting from 2026 Jaguars offseason practices will begin. This question is understandable because the team's voluntary offseason program began Monday at the Miller Electric Center – and people typically associate the NFL's offseason program with practice. But not all of the offseason program is about practice, with the breakdown generally as follows: Phase One, two weeks of meetings and strength and conditioning; Phase Two, three weeks of on-field work with no team or offense-versus-defense work; Phase Three, four weeks of organized team activities/minicamp practices in which teams can run competitive team drills without contact. We "covered" Day One of the offseason program Monday, a day that which featured a media availability with Head Coach Liam Coen, defensive end Josh Hines-Allen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The major "coverage" of this offseason period will begin toward the end of May when OTAs begin. That's when there will be some reporting on on-field happenings. That's the fun stuff, if you consider football without pads in May and June "fun." And why in the world wouldn't you consider that fun?
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Was that supposed to be funny?
Yes.
Bill from Jacksonville
I know we're supposed to be OK with not having a first-round pick. And I know mock drafts mean nothing, but I miss them, Zone. Does this make me a bad person? Or a sad person?
Mine is not to judge such matters, though I can say for sure it doesn't make you a bad person. As for the second question …
Nate from Fort Duuuval, PA
Just to put it out there, I would absolutely buy a J.P. Shadrick Funko Pop!
I'm on board with this.
J.Hooks from Mandarin
If we stay at No. 56, roughly what time would we be picking on Friday?
The Jaguars holding the No. 56 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft means they will select No. 24 overall in Round 2. That round begins at 7 p.m. Friday. With the NFL allowing seven minutes between selections in Round 2, I'd guestimate that the Jaguars will select around 9:45 Friday. That's a guess. That is only a guess.
Kenneth from Jacksonville
It seems a lot of people are overlooking one thing. The second round matters. Why does it seem people think the second round doesn't matter?
People know the second round of the NFL Draft matters – and the people around the Jaguars absolutely know it matters. While it may be tougher finding elite players there, Round 2 absolutely should produce good and productive players more often than not. That's particularly true in this draft. And it's true about Round 3 in this draft, too. The Jaguars have four selections across those two rounds. That means they matter very much in a draft that is supposed to be deeper than it is great at the top.
Jadon from Raleigh, NC
Who is the best player to wear No. 7 for the Jags in Jaguars history?
Players pertinent to the discussion: Quarterback Steve Beuerlein (1995), quarterback Nick Foles (2019), quarterback Chad Henne (2012-2017), wide receiver Zay Jones (2022-2023), quarterback Byron Leftwich (2003-2006) and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (2024-2025). This is a tough one because Leftwich had a lot of big moments for this franchise – and Henne and Jones did, too. I suppose I have to go with Thomas here, but it's close. And I'm not saying I have the right answer on this one.
Matt from Baldwin
Let Woody know that LSU's team defense rankings in 2021-2023 were 70th, 34th and 82nd, respectively. And our genius staff at the time also brought Matt House, the LSU defensive coordinator, in with the two underperforming tackles. But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a good Desperate Housewives of Duval storyline.
I probably won't forward this to Woody. Let's just assume, perhaps incorrectly, that he will be reading. Either way, you're referencing a recent O-Zone discussion regarding Smith – with topics including Smith perhaps being upset about the Jaguars waiving his collegiate teammate, Jordan Jefferson. The topics also included the disappointment of Smith and Jefferson not becoming the core of the Jaguars' defensive line. Now the topic has somewhat predictably morphed into blaming the previous regime for drafting and not developing those players. Which is fine. What's more fun than blaming past regimes? But the reality is most NFL regimes do OK things and bad things – and the worst thing the past regime did was fall apart in a big way at the end of the 2023 season and have that falling apart destroy the following season. But the last regime also drafted a lot of good players and in retrospect left at minimum a decent roster for the current regime. I don't know what Matt House, who coached linebackers here and therefore had little to do with defensive tackles, has to do with anything. I just know it's not accurate to paint the last regime as completely incompetent, geniuses or not.
Mac from Avondale
Do we not like Josh Lambo anymore? I still remember him favorably, but I'll change my stance if I'm supposed to.
I have no idea if Jaguars fans like or dislike former kicker Josh Lambo, though I don't particularly know why they would dislike him. He made a lot of big kicks in a really fun 2017 season. He also was still kicking during former Head Coach Urban Meyer's lone season with the team in 2021. There were other stories around Lambo that I can't seem to recall. I'm kicking myself over that.
Hilarious from Funnytown
This thing still on? How's the streak?! What the hell have you been talking about since January?
Stuff.
