JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

John from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

This is why I am concerned about next season and with losing players. The last four times the Jaguars had double-digit wins, they failed to have a winning season the following year – and the last two times the Jaguars finished last in their division the following year. While I am certain there are many reasons for optimism and a belief winning will be sustained, Jaguar fans have not experienced that type of success and thus do not expect it. Will next season be another year where the Jaguars will have to prove they are not the same old Jaguars?

Loyal O-Zone readers – and he knows who he is – know I'm not given to counseling fans on expectations. The Jaguars have not won consistently for the last two and a half decades. This understandably has led some fans to distrust the team's ability to follow the 2025 AFC Championship season with more success. All I can tell you is what I see – and when I see Jaguars decision-makers, I see a group that is approaching roster-building in such a way as to enhance their chances of long-term success. They're doing things right around here, and that goes a long way. Will the Jaguars next season have to prove they're not the "Same Old Jaguars?" Of course. It's a year-to-year league. Teams must prove themselves every season.

Bryan from Lutz

"Neither Baalke nor Caldwell knew how to build through the draft" – in an email concerning the loss of two players drafted by ... Trent Baalke! While also applauding a general manager who has been in charge of exactly one draft, which had a rather small impact on the Jaguars' success last season. The Jaguars needed to move on from Baalke to get Head Coach Liam Coen in the building, but let's at least acknowledge that the core of last year's team was drafted during his tenure here.

I'm not sure how much more we can acknowledge this. As has been noted multiple times here in the O-Zone, former Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke absolutely selected many strong players in the NFL Draft – and he selected core players such as defensive end Travon Walker, tight end Brenton Strange, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, etc., etc., etc. The primary area that went awry during Baalke's tenure from this view was the Jaguars' free-agency approach. They built reasonably in that area in the 2021 and 2022 offseasons, signing players such as wide receiver Marvin Jones, wide receiver Zay Jones, wide receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram. They also signed linebacker Foye Oluokun during this time. The idea at that point was to get the roster to a competitive level, then draft and develop after that. But in the 2024 offseason, the Jaguars signed, re-signed and restructured a slew of players that didn't fit with a steady draft and development approach. We as a sports-viewing public tend to "grade" general managers and coaches in extremes – meaning a coach or general manager is great or awful, wonderful or disastrous. The reality usually is somewhere in between.

Kaydie from Riverside, Jacksonville, Florida

Would it be accurate to think of Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson is "strong safeties" and Caleb Ransaw as a "free safety"?

-ish.

Greg from Jacksonville

When's the schedule out?

The NFL in recent offseasons has released the regular-season schedule in May – shortly after the NFL Draft. That's expected to be the timing again this offseason.

Richard from Jacksonville

I don't like you very much.

I get it.

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

Recent responses pertaining to Hunter's future seem to indicate you believe he'll be predominantly focused on corner and sparingly (maybe?) on offense. Let's pretend he develops into a lockdown corner. Since when do teams spend two first-round draft picks on cornerbacks?

I have written and said that I believe Jaguars cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter will start at cornerback and be full time there next season. I have written and said that Hunter will be used more situationally on offense because I don't yet know his role on offense. I don't necessarily expect it will be "sparingly" because I expect the Jaguars very much want to use Hunter offensively in a way to maximize his playmaking explosiveness. People will judge the Hunter selection and the accompanying trade however they see fit. And I expect many will judge it as questionable, or even as a failure, if he does not start full-time on both offensive and defense – and if he is not an All-Pro selection at corner and wide receiver. That's fine. But what if he's an All-Pro corner and makes five game-changing plays on offense – with two big offensive plays that win you games? What if his next-level explosiveness is the difference in a postseason game? Would he have been "worth" two first-round selections then? I don't necessarily know the answers. But the questions seem fair.

Eric from Jacksonville

Zone, I drove downtown to see the stadium. They're humming along. Then I saw the new office building. Niiiiiiiiice. I can't wait to see pictures of your corner office.

I ask again, "What's an office?"

Neil from Jacksonville

This is boring. I'm bored. Are you bored?

I'll assume you're "bored" – and asking if I share this feeling – because of the Jaguars' relatively low-profile in free agency this offseason. I suppose I would be a bit baffled at this, except that I understand that the Jaguars' near-annual free-agent spending sprees have conditioned fans to believe that spending wildly is the measure of a great offseason. What's a little trickier to understand is the number of national analysts who are confused by – and often criticizing – the Jaguars' offseason approach. If you understand the league, you also understand that measured and well-thought-out spending is for often than not the wise offseason strategy – and usually is a tell-tale sign of a well-run franchise. But I digress … no, this Jaguars offseason is not boring. It's actually pretty exciting getting a chance to see this organization take the right approach.

Kent from Orlando, FL

Mars, it's gotta be Orlando, right?

Stay tuned.

Josh from Atlanta

With a cap hit of seemingly $9 mil in 2027, and entering his 12th season (I think?), does it feel this will be the last year we have Eric Murray on the roster? I like the young guys we have now, and I expect we will address the position relatively early in the upcoming draft as well.

The year-to-year nature of the NFL makes these sorts of questions difficult. When the Jaguars signed Murray in the 2025 offseason, it had the feel of a two-year deal. It still sort of has that feel. Could circumstances change that? Stay tuned.

Adam from Jacksonville

Your constant defending of Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker remains tiresome. Do you really believe he's good? And will the team really re-sign him?

Walker absolutely is good – and the Jaguars absolutely want to re-sign him.

Kevin from Ponte Vedra, FL

Longtime reader, first-time asker. Who are the best NFL players you've ever seen? Covered? If you've answered this before, I apologize.

No apologies are necessary – at least not for this particular question. The best NFL players I've ever seen were wide receiver Jerry Rice and linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who from this view were far and away the best players at their respective positions in the last 50 seasons. Best players I've ever covered? Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Jaguars left tackle Tony Boselli, who were far and away the best players at their respective positions I've ever covered. I've covered a lot of other great players, but those two stand out.

David from The Island

Do mock drafts mock the draft?

Often.

Josh from Lakewood

Doing a little math here (I know we said there would be no math), but if defensive ends Walker and Josh Hines-Allen are good, but need more interior pressure to flourish and Heavy D (DaVon) Hamilton is playing like one of the league's top nose tackles, that really just leaves the 3 technique. Was the Arik Armstead signing that much of a whiff? Was he ever going to live up to expectations, or were Calais Campbell's shoes too big to fill?

The answer here depends on your level of expectation when the Jaguars signed Armstead as free agent in the 2024 offseason. It's not fair to call signing Armstead a whiff. He has had highlight moments, has given the Jaguars some interior pressure and was part of a good defensive front last season. If you expected him to be Campbell, then I guess the signing was disappointing. But that was probably an unfair expectation. He has been good for the most part – and considering he was past 30 and entering his 10th NFL season when he signed, good for the most part probably should have been the expectation.

Mike from Daytona Beach, FL

Actually, we never said that "it" is your fault. Only that we blame you for it.

Fair.