JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Alex from Jacksonville

BTJ, Travis Hunter and Dyami at wide receiver … that's a lot of speed.

A few threads have run through the Jaguars' 2025 offseason. One very definitely is that the Jaguars under their new decision-makers – Head Coach Liam Coen, General Manager James Gladstone and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli – are acting boldly and smartly; they were smart in free agency by avoiding cap-crippling contacts, and they couldn't have been bolder than trading up from No. 5 overall to select wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft. They also clearly wanted to address offensive line, signing six offensive linemen in unrestricted free agency and drafting two more. But as big a thread as those two was adding speed. The Jaguars not only signed wide receiver Dyami Brown in free agency and selected Hunter, they also selected running back Bhayshul Tuten in Round 4. They wanted to be faster. Mission accomplished.

Sam from Orlando, FL

When new stadiums are built, they seemingly almost always host a Super Bowl soon after – I'm assuming to help the city and the team recoup some cost? Probably no situation where Jacksonville hosts another Super Bowl until the hotel infrastructure changes significantly, right? Because that was bad last time. Real bad. We weren't ready.

Jaguars Owner Shad Khan long has said he doubts Jacksonville will host a Super Bowl again for the very reason you cite – that the hotel infrastructure simply doesn't support the number of people attending the game. Simply having a state-of-the-art stadium doesn't change that dynamic. This could change eventually, but it logically seems a ways off.

Stuart from Cottonwood AZ

Monheim Steamroller. Wow.

I am the king of all funk.

Bill from Fernandina Beach, FL

The tight end room seems like they let a good one go, Luke Ferrell. He can catch and block.

Luke Farrell is a nice, capable tight end who signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an unrestricted free agent this offseason after four seasons with the Jaguars. The Jaguars signed two capable tight ends in free agency – Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long. Both Mundt (Minnesota Vikings) and Long (Los Angeles Rams) had experience in the offensive system being run by Head Coach Liam Coen whereas Farrell did not.

Nathan from Duval then, Sacramento now

Hey, O. Using your Scalawag sense, if they hadn't traded out of No. 5, who do you think was their target? Would they have gone defensive tackle Mason Graham?

I think the Jaguars likely would have selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty had they stayed at No. 5 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. This is a guess. This is only a guess.

Joe from Jacksonville

Both O-Zone podcast episodes have been fantastic. How often will they come out, and if you continue on this trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see A-list celebrities as the next guests.

The O-Zone Podcast runs periodically during the offseason and weekly during the regular season. This essentially has been the schedule since we debuted the O-Zone Podcast 2020. The most recent O-Zone Podcast featured Gladstone and has received generally positive feedback. We also this offseason started a new Podcast series – the EVPodcast with Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli. This also runs periodically, though it admittedly does not feature an "A-list" guest.

John from Boynton Beach, FL

There was one time I found myself at the Lemon Bar and I was sitting next to Jacksonville's first and foremost cultural icon, Gene Frenette, and he retold me this amazing story about when he once caddied for the Dalai Lama. I will always remember the last part of the story, when Eugene Patrick, or Paddy, as I learned that night he likes to be called told me, " …So we finish eighteen and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, 'Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.' " So Paddy Frenette has that going for him, which is nice.

I thought I knew all the best stories about former longtime Florida Times-Union sports columnist and Northeast Florida cultural icon/thought leader Eugene P. "Gene" Frenette. This one I didn't know, but I think you might have it wrong. If you follow him on Twitter, particularly around Thanksgiving, it's clear he has had total consciousness going for him for some time now.

Geoffrey from Orlando, FL

Offensive tackle Javon Foster was a 2024 fourth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars. I know because I remembered and then google verified this remembering. Let the sadness of being wrong wash over you, O. While us comment section dwellers bask in your incorrectness.

Many O-Zone readers marvel at the number of consecutive days this column has published. Perhaps they would be best to remember that is also the number of consecutive days I have been right. I am the king of all funk.

Bill from Da Beach

OK, you opened this can of worms (again)! Last year I submitted a question asking for you to clarify the difference between the usage of "OK" and "Okay." Being the scholar you are of the English language I really expected more! Please settle this for me and my two friends (or maybe it is just one). Thank you again.

Okey-doke.

DJ from Jacksonville

Over the years I've heard Blake Bortles referred to as "The Boat." How did he get this nickname?

The best explanation I have heard is that Jaguars Twitter/Jaguars Internet/Jaguars Fandom collectively began calling former Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles the "best of all time" – or BOAT – following a Barstool Sports interview during which Bortles early in his career was asked what he would be doing if he wasn't playing football. His response: "Working construction, ripping cigs." BOAT? Yeah, pretty much.

Josh from Lakewood

Any word on whether Travis Hunter will be returning punts?

Not initially and not regularly.

Robert from Elkton

I expect a big jump from the defense, especially the line. Expect growth from the second - year players and from Arik Armstead at tackle to make a difference. Jags improved offense will force opponents to take more chances and run less (Jags had worst time of possession in the NFL last year). But the biggest reason for the improvement will be from the dreaded view of "it's always coaching." The coach's scheme just didn't seem to work last year and they refused to change. They were the ones who refused to play the rookies enough and put a former Pro Bowl defensive tackle with concrete cleats out at edge (fyi - that was like watching Andre the Giant anchor our Olympic relay team). I agree it's 99 percent players and not plays. But last year, I think the coach's scheme and actions doomed the defense.

Loyal O-Zone readers – and he knows who he is – know that I like to write it's always coaching in the NFL. This is a tongue-in-cheek way of reminding people that while coaching matters, it's far too overemphasized by fans and analysts. This is particularly true immediate after losses, when fans love to blame the coach for this call or that and forget that players – not coaches – are the ones on the field making plays. Coaches as a rule usually don't dramatically alter or ruin seasons. There are exceptions to all rules.

Keith from Titusville, FL

The NFL announced that the 2025 schedule will be released May 14. How early is the league schedule finalized? Do they typically wait until after the draft to finalize the schedule to see who gets drafted where for potential prime-time games? With the drafting of Travis Hunter, do you anticipate the Jaguars having a primetime game or two?

The league "finalizes" the schedule when it announces the schedule, though offseason moves can influence placement of games and whether certain games are televised nationally in premium slots. As I've said and written before, I don't expect the league to move the Jaguars to prime time in 2025 because of Hunter. The Jaguars were 4-13 last season and are a small-market team, two factors that will be difficult even for Hunter to overcome. But when the Jaguars start winning – and I do expect them to start winning – I do expect Hunter's presence to help accelerate their number of premium appearances.

Bradley from Sparks, NV

Let us say in four years that Hunter is in the conversation as the best wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL while playing 70 percent of snaps on both sides of the ball. Would he demand and get top wide receiver pay combined with top cornerback pay?

Presumably.

Chevin

Is your mind for rent to any god or government? Are you hopeful yet discontent?

I don't know what this means. It's probably because I once lived on a lighted stage. It wasn't unreal, but it was close.