Florida Sports Wire

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire Let the new regime begin.  New GM James Gladstone, and new head coach Liam Coen, and executive vice president and director of football operations Tony Boselli made their first mark on the eve of the league’s free agent signing period that begins Monday. It was a fast and furious window that left some skidmarks.  Their latest moves certainly have some former ties that definitely triggered them. They also are in time for the Jags to be major players in free agency and to begin to change the team’s landscape. They did send some tremors throughout greater Jacksonville by releasing tight end Evan Engram, who they signed him to a three-year, $41 million deal in July 2023. Engram caught 234 passes over the last three years - 114 in ‘23- and became an integral part  of the Jags’ offense. Many believed Engram was simply a five-yardo-out pass catcher, but he was more than that. The trio also released cornerback Ronald Darby, who turned out to be...

By Jeff Moeller JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) - Call it fate. Call it karma. However, you also have to take advantage of opportunities. There is something about this Jaguars team that had a 24-0 shutout over AFC South rival Indianapolis last week at TIAA Field. The thoughts are running rampant that the Jags could capture the division title.  The Jags excelled in all three phases of the game, and proved to themselves that they can be a productive team. They did take advantage of an out-of-sync Colts, who never truly got on track and out of their own way. That’s what good teams do. The Jags did it..can they have an encore? Yes, one big win does not a contender make. This team could still finish with four wins.  Yet, a trip to Los Angeles to play the Chargers Sunday afternoon can bring them around the bend a little further.  This one is about opportunity.  Chargers’ stud quarterback Justin Herbert was still very questionable to line up under center because of brui...

Photo Courtesy Cleveland Browns By Jeff Moeller Florida Sports Wire Preseason football isn’t about wins and losses. To use the old adage, it’s how you play the game. If you’re a Jaguars’ fan, you had to be impressed with the team’s first offense and defense Friday night at TIAA Field. In the second preseason game, you got a taste, but you didn't get the whole enchilada. That should come this Friday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers come into TIAA Field. The anticipation is building, and we want to see. We got a glimpse of what Trevor Lawrence could do this season. In his opening drive, Lawrence looked seasoned and crisp. Over his next two drives, Lawrence had some growing pains, but he still maneuvered with  the poise of a veteran. Lawrence added a new wrinkle when he was able to sprint one way with the flow of his line, and then reverse his course. On his back spin, he connected with tight end Evan Engram on a nine-year touchdown pass. Covering Engram’s initial years with the Gia...

  Photo by Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports By Jeff Moeller When their game against the Raiders was delayed because of  a thunderstorm in Canton, I thought it was a sign of good luck for the Jaguars.  Well, it wasn’t.  In fact, the start of the game looked like a rerun of most of last year’s games. Some sputtering on offense, and gaps of yardage against the defense.  In reality, though, this was about filling out the roster and putting some rookies under the microscope for the Jags. This was about the cloud with the silver lining that the Jags desperately need.  You can get some reads on teams during the first half of these preseason games, but you have to be a diehard or a fantasy player to watch the second halves. They are as interesting as the NBA All-Star Game or the Pro Bowl. If you’re over 50, you know what I mean. In the end, the Jags dropped a 27-11 decision. There were some negatives, but mostly positives and the script started to flip from last year,...

 By Jeff Moeller It was the anticipated match the Jaguars believed would solidify their backfield.Two 2021 first-round draft picks making a difference in the starting lineup.   Clemson teammates Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne were drafted and slated to make each other’s transition to the NFL easier.  However, it never came to fruition for both of them. Lawrence worked his way through the season, but Etienne could only watch from the sidelines. Etienne was shelved early for the year due to a Lisfranc injury. He was supposed to be part of the tandem with James Robinson, one that presumably would solve the Jags’ running problem. Etienne also could prove to be valuable, swinging out of the backfield to catch passes, while Robinson would run north and south. Robinson, whose capability was muzzled by former head coach Irwin Meyer, began to show his worth after Meyer was fired. But Robinson’s good fortune ended when he went down with a torn achilles. The se...