Earlier this week, it was reported that Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson’s job could soon be in jeopardy given his team’s uninspired, 0-3 start to the 2024 season. Sources that spoke to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post appear to be in agreement that Jacksonville will indeed be making changes to its coaching staff and/or front office in the near future.
One GM told La Canfora that Pederson would be the first HC dismissed this year, and that, “it’s just a matter of time now. [Trevor Lawrence] hasn’t looked right since they made the playoffs [in 2022], [Pederson]’s offense is terrible, and the defensive coordinator (Ryan Nielsen) looks totally in over his head. That’s a bad football team.”
On the other hand, sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that it is unclear exactly what changes owner Shad Khan could realistically make in-season. While much of the blame for the Jags’ poor start has been focused on Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor – which is understandable, given that the team currently ranks 30th in scoring – there is no clear choice to replace either man on the coaching staff at the moment.
Mike McCoy, who currently serves as Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach, has not coordinated an offense since 2018, when he worked as the Cardinals’ head coach and oversaw a unit that struggled, which led to his own midseason ouster. And while Pederson could certainly take play-calling duties back from Taylor – as owner Shad Khan not-so-subtly suggested should happen back in June – retaining Pederson while firing Taylor seems unlikely.
“No one on staff can replace what Press does for [Pederson],” a source told Jones. Added another source, “I understand everyone’s narrative would be to fire Press. But even from a practical standpoint, I don’t know how you successfully game plan if you fire him. You’re wasting [Lawrence’s] season by doing that.”
Our story from a few days ago indicated that GM Trent Baalke was perhaps on firmer footing than Pederson, though the Jaguars’ struggles obviously are not doing him any favors either. Both Jones and La Canfora make note of Baalke’s ill-fated decision to use the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft on Travon Walker rather than Aidan Hutchinson, to say nothing of the top-of-the-market extension authorized for Lawrence this offseason, a transaction that has already garnered heavy criticism.
Per Jones, the relationship between Baalke and Pederson is strained, and there is “misalignment from owner to GM and head coach.” Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, like Jones, says the fact that there is no obvious Pederson replacement on the staff could help the embattled HC at least get the chance to finish out the year. That said, if the losses continue to mount, Khan may feel compelled to pull the trigger on a midseason overhaul, in which case he might be making a call to Bill Belichick.
When I was on my way to Church this morning….I heard the beautiful song Lean on Me…we all need someone to lean on…so in thag spirit Bill Belichick to the rescue….he could take over the Defense and let Pederson do his thing with the offense and all in Jacksonville will see the light
You’re as delusional as the Jags owner if you think either Doug is okay to take a step back on the same team or that Bill will come back to be just a defensive coordinator. He’d want control over the roster too so your best bet for the team and Lawrence is to can Doug and just give the reins to Bill. That’s a big if too cause you’d have to believe Lawrence and his unwarranted cap hit is worth it.
I like the idea of hiring BB
But he can’t be given full control of the roster and draft
If you hire BB, Baalke needs to be ousted too.
He’s wasted a lot of picks on busts during his tenure.
Jags need to bring in more proven talent evaluators to form the front office.
Steal someone from KC, BAL, SEA, GB
Someone tell me how Baalke managed to convince everyone he isn’t the problem in all these situations. He messed up in San Fran and he’s done nothing roster wise in Jacksonville. Both should be gone.
Jax derped away winnable games vs. Miami and Cleveland, then got smoked at Buffalo. I’d give Pederson until Halloween as Jax don’t want to change the big boss during their London residency.
Additionally, any NFL club that seriously considers a loser from the Cheatriots deserves to go down.
Baalke has a horrible draft record and contracts given out how he’s lasted this long is boggling.
If I’m firing someone, I’d absolutely put Baalke first. I still have no idea how Khan allowed him to slide his way into this job to begin with. Pederson deserves his fair share of blame, but Baalke has steadily wasted all of the capitol that the Caldwell regime tanked for and has nothing major to show for it. If anything does come out of it, chances are it’ll be with a better regime.
And, of the two underperforming leaders, Pederson at least has a a championship. Baalke has a history of poor decisions, confrontational relationships, and has been on the job longer. Easy decision in my eyes.
I completely agree, Ak185. It’d be hard to identify one reason they shouldn’t fire Baalke. In my opinion, Baalke isn’t the guy you want hiring your next HC either, who you’re probably giving a 3 or 4 year contract to. Bring in a new GM, with people skills and a clue, and let that person reshape the entire operation in their vision.
Perhaps the solution to the Jags problem is a jersey change. It worked for the Bengals in 1981 when they improved by 6 wins and went on to the SB 🙂
Marvin Lewis, he’s tanned, rested and ready. He’s mediocre, not confrontational, very bland in interviews, and will coach the crap out of a team until they’re mediocre and middle of the pack. Bill Belicheck is over-rated, Rex Ryan is to confusing, and Forrest Gregg is dead, so go for Marvin.
I have to admit, this was pretty good.
Might take a swing at Pete Carroll, he put together a decent staff in Seattle. Could be he’d not be adverse to relocating to N. Fla.
How totally surprising. Neither of these guys have this exact issue before.
They both need to go. Just hire someone with sober judgement, who won’t try to outsmart the consensus every draft, to be GM and bring in a head coach with a modern offense that will streamline anything for Lawrence.
You can’t fire the players…
Bad ownership, simple as that. Shad isn’t interested in winning on the field.
From Google: ‘In 2020, Khan tied with former New Orleans Saints owner John Mecom as the second-fastest owner in NFL history to reach 100 losses at 141 total games played.’
And the losses have also kept piling up over the last four seasons.
No way… Baalke doesn’t have a begrudging bone in his body.