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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

O-Zone: Trade bait

JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Craig from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

I think the Jaguars are going to be OK at quarterback this year – and while I like Gardner Minshew II, I can't believe for one second Nick Foles is going into training camp thinking he's going to remain the backup. Should be fun to watch.

The Jaguars' quarterback situation in 2020 might be absolutely fascinating to watch. That's not ideal; the ideal NFL scenario is having an elite quarterback and knowing that player is your guy for the short- and long-term future. As it stands, it feels as if Minshew will end up starting the offseason and probably the regular season as the starter – and it feels as if he will have an opportunity in 2020 to show that the positive signs he showed last season are the beginnings of him being a very good quarterback. The Jaguars hope that's the case; if it is, they're in very good shape moving forward. As for Foles, he is an X-Factor to a striking degree. It's not ridiculous to think the Jaguars could get an offer for Foles this offseason good enough to merit a trade. It's also not ridiculous to think he could outperform Minshew in training camp and earn the starting job. It's also not ridiculous to think he could enter 2020 as a backup, move into the starting lineup if Minshew falters and play extraordinarily well. So yeah … the situation is fascinating. Ideal? No. Fascinating? Absolutely.

Jonathan from Jacksonville

Since when Doug Marrone created a winning culture here? I know TC did it on 2017 and then blamed the rest on him, got fired and kept these 2 jokers. You and the Jags can't have it both ways.

Okey doke.

Sam from Orlando, FL

You keep mentioning defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and former cornerback Jalen Ramsey as players who have been vocal about leaving and the dysfunction within the organization. Former wide receiver Allen Robinson has made several comments, and defensive end Ryan Davis has spoken out. It's not just a couple of people. The organization has proven to be inept. Letting Robinson go? Why not franchise him? To save $4 million and sign wide receiver wide receiver Marqise Lee to a contract he hasn't he played a full season for? We have a bad owner. I'm thankful for him stepping in and saving football in Jax. But he comes across as knowing very little about football or the business side of football. (On the field, not off.)

I mention Ngakoue and Ramsey in this conversation because they're the players who have voiced desire to leave while still with the organization. As I've said before … any player speaking negatively, merited or not, is a bad thing. You obviously want to keep it to a minimum. Winning can take care of a lot of these things, and that will be the most important step of this process. As far as Jaguars Owner Shad Khan being a "bad owner…" sorry, it just doesn't add up. A good owner is one who's willing to spend as necessary to win and who's willing to let football people make football decisions with a minimum of meddling. It has little to do with football knowledge because very few owners know more than very little about football. It's why they hire people to run the football operations of their teams and hire other people to coach their teams.

Red from the O-Zone Comments Section

So, Jerrell seems to think the Jags will win only one game during the 2020 season. What's your current crystal ball view? Will the Jags win more than five games this coming season?

I think so, yes.

Chris from Nashville, TN

John, you are always quick to suggest that Ramsey will be disgruntled with any team that he is on in the future. Might I remind you that there is a huge disparity between the competitiveness in the Jags' current franchise compared to the Rams. Winning may not solve every issue in the NFL today, but with someone as competitive as Jalen, it certainly helps. Is it really surprising that top-tier talent doesn't want to join a bottom-dwelling franchise? If you want to retain that talent, you are probably going to overpay. Pay Yann.

From what I have seen, I indeed expect there's a good chance Ramsey will be discontent whatever his NFL situation. This is where he differs from Ngakoue, who in his first four seasons never has shown anything but professionalism while with his teammates and whose current discontent seems to be solely about his contract. While it's debatable whether he indeed is being undervalued by the Jaguars in these negotiations, it's hardly unusual for a player to believe that is the case and to be angry about that belief. This wasn't the case with Ramsey, who expressed unhappiness while with the Jaguars about multiple issues. Still, it's quite possible you're right. Perhaps Ramsey will spend the rest of his career content, and perhaps being on a "competitive" team will soothe his tortured soul. Here's hoping that's the case. For his sake.

JT from Fort Worth, TX

What about trading for Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams with Ngakoue? We could move Cam Robinson inside and have a rested Pro Bowl left tackle. The 'Skins have the cap space to pay Yannick.

Sure.

Garrett from Edgewater, FL

So, Zone we finally know where you stand on the linebacker (Isaiah Simmons of Clemson) and defensive tackle (Derrick Brown of Auburn or Javon Kinlaw of South Carolina) at No. 9. My question: since you seem to think tackle is the better choice, which player would be better at No. 9? I believe Kinlaw's absolutely massive frame gives him an edge over Brown. I mean cmon he's bigger than Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell.

I don't pretend to have watched enough film to discern between most college football players. I like what I've seen from Brown, and many analysts seem to believe he has a chance to be an elite defensive tackle. He pretty much has been the consensus selection at defensive tackle, so I would go with Brown.

Eddie from Jacksonville

Hey, O: I know how much you love draft hypotheticals, because who doesn't? If you were able to draft Auburn defensive tackle Brown at No. 9 overall and then move up to No. 15 and get Kinlaw, would you do it?

No. Not because I don't like Kinlaw, but because this is considered a good draft through the early rounds and I wouldn't want to give up a good player in the third or fourth round to move up four spots in what is considered a really good draft through the Top 20 selections.

Tom from Jacksonville

Did Yann leave $17 million on table last year? If he decides not to play would that become $36 million? Is he already independently wealthy?

Basically. Basically. No.

Ray from Alexandria, VA

Getting a fourth-round pick for cornerback A.J. Bouye will give the Jags a great slot to pick up another running back. A guy like Eno Benjamin or Anthony McFarland would be a great complement to Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, and either could become a No. 1 back if Fournette isn't re-signed after the season. And if the story about David Caldwell working with Bouye to get him to a good situation is true, then hats off to the general manager.

OK.

Daniel from Urbandale

I understand that the general manager and head coach disagree with the fans in thinking that the O-LIne will be fine to good next year. I think the fans, or at least this one, don't want a "good" line; we want a "great" offensive line. A great offensive line makes everyone else look awesome: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, etc. We know that regardless of which quarterback starts, they're going to need time and running back is going to need holes. I just wish we could find at least two powerful upgrades to the line.

I wouldn't be stunned if the Jaguars add one front-line offensive lineman. I would be pretty close to stunned at this point if they add two.

Nick from Palatka, FL

Zone: If Ngakoue is tagged and traded does he still play for tag money or negotiate a better deal? And is that done before or after the trade?

It could go either way. A team could theoretically trade for Ngakoue in your scenario and have him play one season on the franchise tag, then allow him to sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent the following offseason. A more likely scenario is that the team trading for Ngakoue would do so wanting him for the long-term. In that case, the team trading for the player often negotiates a long-term deal before executing the trade and therefore has the team for multiple seasons.

Charles from Savannah, GA

Trade! Trade! Trade! Trade Machine!!!! What could the Jaguars get if they traded you, John?

A lot better.

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