JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Josh from Atlanta, GA
Cue the "Sky is Falling!!" and the "Super Bowl-bound!!" crowds after Day 1 of pads. I love the life of a fan, sometimes. With an eye on being grounded and keeping things in perspective, I am most thrilled to hear the O-Line looked to hold its own. That was the biggest question mark for me this year, just praying for more consistency, and it seems Day 1 was a step in the right direction. If that group can stay healthy and consistently open holes, we have a shot to be a very productive offense – the likes of which we haven't seen in these parts for a very long time.
Your "Day 1" email holds true after Tuesday's Day 2 of Jaguars 2025 Training Camp in pads at the Miller Electric Center. We're very early in camp with a very long time before the regular season but the offensive line through two days at the very least has been fine. The group from this view has run-blocked well and appears to be working its way toward gaining cohesion. The Jaguars emphasized this area in the offseason. They know it needs consistency. They know they must be better in the run game. The team likes the results so far, and the early days have been encouraging. But they're very much early days. Stay tuned.
John from Jax
Hi, KOAGF. Did they get rid of those spiders yet? I could beat any player on the team in speed if practicing with spiders. I hate spiders.
John's got jokes, but this joke raises a point that could cause confusion among readers. When we write here on jaguars.com that the Jaguars are practicing in "spiders" on a certain day in training camp, what we mean by spider is a light pad worn under shoulder pads. They're worn on "non-padded" days and they mark a more intense practice than when players just practice in helmets and shorts.
John from Merritt Island, FL
Wow!!! Great response you gave back to "Hortense from Jacksonville." You did forget, however, to remind him to be nice.
What's a "Hortense?"
Stokes from Orange Park, FL
Someone brought up former Jaguars Greg Jones fullback on X (Twitter, whatever) and it made me revisit that stiff arm he executed while playing for Florida State against North Carolina's Dexter Reid. You likely having an even broader exposure to football than I ... you ever seen anything else akin to that? Because, I've got NOTHING.
Jones' stiff arm on Reid came in 2003. It indeed was quite a hit, worth googling even 22 years on. Have I ever seen anything else quite like it? Not really. No.
Bob from Coosawatchie, SC
Are you an intangibly rich part of the ecosystem, elevating everyone around you simply by being yourself?
You are describing Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone's vision for the Jaguars. That's a rule. I am the exception.
Bradford from Orange Park, FL
On the "high-end blocking" - trench work - from skill players front ... if there's a rapid, surefire (that looks wrong - "sure-fire?" - I don't know) way to my football heart ... that and yards after contact are it. Here we go, that.
Here we go, Jaguars.
Bradley from Kansas City, MO
The Los Angeles Chargers led by new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter went from 24th in the league in defense to first last season. I also seem to remember that when Head Coach Sean McVay and offensive coordinator Matt Lafleur took over the Los Angeles Rams from the Jeff Fisher era they went from dead last in offense to first with very few personnel changes. I'm not writing this to say a sort of reverse "It's always the coaching in the NFL," but more of a culture really matters kind of thing. The Jaguars were 27th in offense and defense last year and I am expecting both units to be top 15 this year just due to the significant culture change. I'm sure you will tell me these improvements are certainly possible but do you think they are likely?
Such improvements are indeed possible, and it's very likely one unit or other can rank in the Top 15. Having both rank there is less likely because much must go right for such improvement to happen, and it's hard for much to go right on both sides of the ball. My first early thought is the Jaguars can get into the Top 15 perhaps a smidge easier on offense because speed added there could produce a lot of big plays and easy yards. It might be harder defensively to attain the combination of stout run defense and dominant pass rush needed to get into the Top 15. That's a very early theory and I'm not married to the theory. But if this team improves in short-yardage offensively and creates big plays, it can improve scoring quickly – and significantly. If it can complement that by improving its league-low eight takeaways defensively to 15 or 20, then this team can be much better overall. That's attainable and that – getting much better overall – is the ultimate objective.
Scott from Jax
I was very much looking forward to seeing tight ends Evan Engram and Brenton Strange on the field together this year. In the one game they played extensively together due to wide receiver injuries, the offense looked extremely efficient, so I was very disappointed when Engram was released. Considering Engram's dead cap hit is massive because of his release, I find it hard to believe that's why he was released, especially since you've been telling us all off season he was released because he doesn't block well. I bet he still blocks better than most wideouts, though.
Engram was released primarily for salary-cap reasons, your disbelief notwithstanding. I don't recall telling anyone all offseason that Engram was released because he doesn't block well. Perhaps I did and don't recall, though my recall is usually at minimum "OK." It is true that the Jaguars' tight ends moving forward may lean a bit more toward being combination receivers/blockers than Engram, but the Jaguars didn't release him because of his blocking.
Armand from Jacksonville
What three rookies not named Travis Hunter will you be watching and what three non-starter veterans intrigue you the most?
Rookies: Guard Wyatt Milum, safety Caleb Ransaw and running back Bhayshul Tuten. Veterans: Defensive tackle Maason Smith, wide receiver Dyami Brown (unless you consider him a starter) and whatever veteran running back – Tank Bigsby or Travis Etienne Jr. – you don't consider a starter.
Thomas from Charlottesville
A couple of things: Stats for Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker versus Detroit Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson (tackles, 162 to122; sacks 24 vs 28.5). Travon having 40 more tackles I think is a much better stat than having just 4.5 less sacks! The Jags made the right choice! A little disappointed that Engram was the first player in the building, I always thought it should be the quarterback – ala Peyton Manning!
OK.
Bradley from Kansas City, MO
I don't believe Travis Hunter can play both sides of the ball full- time, certainly for many years. Do you think if he pulls off two, three or four years playing full time at a high level at both positions that it would be better than a Hall-of-Fame career at cornerback while getting a few repetitions at wide receiver per game?
I understand the compulsion to ask countless questions from countless angles about Jaguars rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter playing extensively on both sides of the ball. I confess that trying to navigate these countless scenarios has caused my mind to numb on the issue a bit. I don't know the proper exact formula for what will make Hunter's career a success. What I do know is Hunter shows a lot of special traits. He looks really fast, really athletic and has unreal body control. He has unreal hands. He has phenomenal instincts on both sides of the ball. He's a natural talent. He will begin his career playing both ways. If that proves too much, or if it appears he can contribute in a better way if utilized in a different way than the Jaguars are using him, I expect the plan will change. If he plays at a high level for three or four years at one position and can't do it after that, I expect he will go play one position after that. We're pushing envelopes here. Maybe one season at a time is the way to go.
Bruce from St. Simon's Island, GA
O, Here is a way-too-early game-specific question: Carolina seems to be much improved over last season. Seems like the Jags' season opener will be a good test for the Jags. I know every NFL team is good, but what do you think us fans should look for in terms of improvement for the Jags in the season opener?
Winning.
