Liam Coen‘s initial Jaguars staff continues to take shape. Grant Udinski was hired as offensive coordinator yesterday, and more additions are coming on that side of the ball. 
Jacksonville plans to hire Shane Waldron, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. His role will likely be pass-game coordinator but regardless of what it is this will mark a reunion between Waldron and Coen. The two previously worked together on Sean McVay‘s Rams staff.
Waldron parlayed his time in Los Angeles into an offensive coordinator gig with the Seahawks, one he held for three seasons. The arrival of new head coach Mike Macdonald last offseason brought about sweeping changes to Seattle’s coaching staff, though, and Ryan Grubb replaced Waldron as OC. The latter was able to quickly find another coordinator opportunity by serving as the Bears’ play-caller.
Waldron did not fare well during his brief tenure in Chicago, however. The 45-year-old’s unit drew criticism from inside and outside the organization in the early stages of the season, with head coach Matt Eberflus hinting at a change during the Bears’ lengthy losing streak. Indeed, after only nine games at the helm of the offense, Waldron was fired. Things did not entirely go according to plan after Thomas Brown took over the unit, but it comes as no surprise a third straight OC gig is unavailable at this point for Waldron.
Coen’s efforts to build out his offensive staff will include at least one Buccaneers alum. John Van Dam is being added as a pass-game specialist, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Van Dam had been in Tampa Bay since 2019, handling roles such as tight ends coach and pass-game assistant along the way. His Buccaneers pact expired at the end of the campaign, leaving him free to continue working with Coen after the two did so in 2024.
The Bucs have (on more than one occasion) blocked Coen’s efforts to interview and hire other assistants as part of his process of putting together is his first Jacksonville staff. Given the nature of how Coen departed Tampa Bay to take his first career head coaching gig, that comes as little surprise. It will be interesting to see if any other former Buccaneers coaches wind up making the move to Duval County this offseason.