As news keeps coming on the head coaching front, the lone remaining finalist for the Jags’ HC role looks to be coming to Jacksonville. That doesn’t appear to be the only major hire the team is set to make, however. Mike Jurecki of AZCardinals.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is “close” to not only hiring Bucs OC Bryon Leftwich as its new head coach, but also Cardinals vice president of pro scouting Adrian Wilson as its new general manager. 
[Related: Jaguars Interview Vic Fangio For Head Coach]
Leftwich’s status as the favorite for the HC position has only grown in the past few days. The belief that he would be the Jags’ top choice has been strengthened by the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett in Denver and Matt Eberflus in Chicago earlier today. However, Adam Schefter tweeted not long after Jurecki’s initial report that the Saints have requested an interview with Leftwich. That would certainly suggest, among other things, that it is not quite a done deal yet for the 42-year-old.
As for Baalke, it has been believed by many around the league that his grip on the GM position was loosening. Earlier in the month, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported that his presence would deter certain HC candidates from interviewing for the position. In a follow-up to Jurecki’s report, JLC adds that there was a good chance Baalke “would be gone by the draft”. Given his support for Bill O’Brien, and later, Eberflus, as HC candidates earlier on in the hiring process, his departure might happen “sooner”.
Wilson, meanwhile, was one of nine candidates to interview with the Giants for their GM opening, so his hiring wouldn’t come as a complete surprise. The 42-year-old has been an executive with the Cardinals since 2015, which immediately followed his retirement as a player. He has held his current job title for only one year, so a jump to GM would be a rather large one, irrespective of the fact that it would also, surely, mean an end to Baalke’s time in the role.
I really hope at some point he hops down the side line on one leg calling plays.
Or has two linemen carry him up and down the sideline for the whole game.
Apparently Leftwich insisted on Baalke being gone to have him come in. Great move by him, if nothing else for the sake of the franchise.
Cool to see two former players in management in Jacksonville. It remains to be seen if it will work out, but these duo already has Meyer beat in NFL experience. I’m very interested to see how Wilson and Leftwich approach this upcoming draft.
Seem to be doing fine with a former safety in lynch being the gm for the 49ers.
Yeah, I wasn’t saying that it wouldn’t work. I just said that we’ll see. I’m hopeful for Jacksonville that it does.
No mention of him being a first-round selection by the Jaguars so long ago? Not that it’s relevant at all for his coaching ability, just surprised it didn’t warrant a few words.
It’s been mentioned in every other article about him
Both Leftwich and Wilson impressed as players and earned reputations as being smart and being great leaders and communicators. If rhis happens I think it could be the best moves the Jaguars have made in a long long time.
And if Shad Khan is willing to admit his mistake in hiring Baalke, so soon after admitting his mistake with Urban Meyer… well good for him, seriously, good for him. It’s one thing to make mistakes, it’s another thing to compound the mistakes by keeping them there because you’re too embarrassed to admit that you messed up.
Can’t blame Leftwich for trying to put together a management team built for success. Relationships at that level are huge. So Hopefully he gets the job under HIS conditions and brings along Wilson. Clearly Jacksonville is walking blind so maybe they smarten up and go away from previous instincts on this one?
Leftwich is an interesting hire. Don’t think it would surprise anyone for him to excel as a HC. Unfortunately tho, Khan may be the worst owner in the NFL. So that’ll be a challenge. Also, the only can’t miss prospect to ever be drafted (I say with an eye roll and yawn) has done little to this point to show he can be a successful NFL QB. Its very early, but to this point true. Byron certainly wont have as easy a time in his new setting as TB afforded him.. Happy for him tho.
Khan will never be the worst owner in the league as long as Stan Kroenke is allowed to own a team.
Same could of been said about josh Allen and now he one of the best QBs. Don’t ride him off yet over one season on a mess of a team with little talent .
The idea that a young would be first time coach like Leftwich is like “nah, he gotta go first” is a pretty serious indictment of Baalke.
I really like this hire. However . . . I still think Bienemy should have gotten it . . .
A 5 win season probably gets these guys a 10 year extension.
Nah, I really and truly don’t think, with another solid draft and adding the right pieces in FA, the Jags are actually all that far away from being a .500 team.
Yes, like I said, they’re going to need to fill some of their holes via the draft and free agency, but they’ll already have quite a few solid pieces in place moving forward. That’s the case, especially, if they can shore up the OL, AND provide Lawrence with another solid weapon or two..
I’m not sure where the hating on leftwich is coming from. Sure he had Brady the last two seasons, but he did a pretty decent job with Jameis Winston too. People seem to forget that. Winston had a 30 TD 30 int season under him before they let him walk in favor of Brady. If they can get Wilson and Leftwich on board in Jacksonville and dump Baalke, they’ll be in good shape.
For the love of everything good in this world, please, Jacksonville, fire Baalke already. Wilson/Leftwich would actually care about the franchise.
Let’s hope this pleases Stephen A Smith.
If the Jags hire yet another first time Head Coach and fail…I can’t imagine what the Media will say then.
Everyone says it’s a great hire…until it doesn’t work.
Then they say…”what were they thinking?”