Anthony Perkins

Jaguars Name Tony Boselli VP Of Football Operations, Continue Staff Changes

Shad Khan said last month he hoped to beef up the Jaguars’ front office. Although the owner’s plan changed significantly thanks to the Trent Baalke firing during their HC search, the Jags are making a notable adjustment that will impact their next GM.

Tony Boselli was set to be part of the next Jags front office arrangement, and the team confirmed the move will come with an important title. The Jaguars announced Monday they are naming the Hall of Fame tackle their new executive VP of football operations. The team announcement indicates both Boselli and new HC Liam Coen will report to Khan, giving the new FO figure considerable power.

Few people have better relationships throughout the NFL, know the game, and understand the value of strong team identity and culture as well as Tony Boselli,” Khan said. “Tony has a wealth of football acumen that we respect and need, and his counsel will be tremendously valuable to me and our football leadership team during this current rebirth and for many seasons to come.”

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Boselli is obviously best known for his playing career. The No. 2 overall pick in 1995, Boselli moved from being the first draft choice in Jaguars history to the Hall of Fame. It took a belated bush, reminding of Terrell Davis‘ arc, for Boselli to land in Canton due to having his career cut short by shoulder injuries. Boselli, who earned three first-team All-Pro nods during a golden era for left tackles, also suffered an ACL tear late in the 1999 season.

Boselli, 52. has been with the franchise in the years since, most notably as a radio broadcaster, and has held multiple roles in the health industry. He will now be part of what still appears a Coen-led operation.

My job is not to be out front; my job is to help Liam Coen, his staff and the new GM to have success,” Boselli said. “That’s all I want to do. That’s all I care about. It’s focused on Liam. I’m going to make sure Liam and that staff he has and the players he brings in have the ultimate success.”

Despite minimal experience compared to most coaches who have the chance to shape a GM search, Coen still looks set hold final-say power as the Jags form a triumvirate of sorts. This differs from how Khan constructed his front office during Tom Coughlin‘s time as executive VP, when he presided over GM Dave Caldwell and HC Doug Marrone. Coughlin’s second Jags stint ended with a dismissal, as player grievances mounted, two-plus years into his tenure.

In addition to Boselli, the Jags are making more moves to fill out Coen’s coaching staff. They are adding Matt Edwards and Anthony Perkins as D-line and DBs coaches, respectively, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Jags are also retaining Richard Anguolo as tight ends coach. The Lions inquired about the Doug Pederson holdover staffer, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but the Jags stepped in and gave Angulo a multiyear extension.

Edwards comes over after a stint as Bills assistant D-line coach; he had spent two seasons with the Raiders and four with the Titans previously. A Packers staffer in 2024, Perkins will jump from the quality control level to take on his first role as an NFL position coach. He was previously coaching Oregon State cornerbacks before joining Matt LaFleur‘s staff. Angulo has been Jacksonville’s TEs coach since 2022; he previously spent eight seasons in Baltimore, coaching that position and working as an assistant O-line coach.

Coen has run into trouble staffing his O-line coach role, seeing the Buccaneers — not fans of the way he left town — block interviews with their O-line coach (Kevin Carberry) and assistant OL coach (Brian Picucci). Despite Picucci following Coen from Kentucky last year, he is staying in Tampa. As such, the Jags are interviewing Zak Kromer for the job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Kromer has been with the Rams throughout Sean McVay‘s tenure, overlapping with both Coen L.A. stints. The son of Bills O-line coach Aaron Kromer, Zak is currently the Rams’ assistant O-line coach.

Staff Notes: Chargers, 49ers, Falcons, Colts

Former Falcons defensive coordinator Richard Smith is interviewing for the Chargers‘ linebackers coach position, according to Jack Wang of the Orange County Register. Smith was fired by Atlanta on Wednesday after leading a defense that finished just 27th in DVOA, but linebackers are his specialty, as he’s coached the position at four other NFL stops. Smith’s interview could mean Los Angeles expects Robert Saleh, the team’s other candidate for ‘backers coach, to land the 49ers DC gig.

Here’s more from the 2017 hiring cycle:

  • New 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has lured yet another former Falcons staffer to San Francisco, as ex-Atlanta assistant Mike LaFleur will be the 49ers’ next wide receivers coach, tweets Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. LaFleur, who spent the previous two seasons with the Falcons after working in Cleveland during the 2014 campaign, is the brother of Matt LaFleur, who recently left Atlanta to become the Rams’ offensive coordinator. The 49ers also announced they’ve hired Nick Kray (administrative assistant to the head coach), T.C. McCartney (offensive assistant), and Ray Wright (strength and conditioning).
  • Although Chris Ballard left Kansas City to become the Colts‘ new general manager, Chiefs GM John Dorsey doesn’t expect Ballard to poach any KC staffers “right now,” tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Typically, an executive will try to bring at least a few low-level front office employees along to a new job, but it sounds like Ballard will be starting from scratch, and rolling with the incumbent Indianapolis staff for the time being.
  • The Falcons promoted Marquand Manuel to defensive coordinator earlier today, but that wasn’t the only change the club made to its defensive staff. As expected, Bryant Young has been named as Atlanta’s defensive line coach, replacing the fired Bryan Cox, while defensive assistant Doug Mallory has been promoted to secondary coach, taking over for Manuel, the club announced today.
  • Broncos assistant defensive backs backs coach Samson Brown had been set to join ex-Denver coordinator Wade Phillips on the Rams‘ coaching staff, but he’s experienced a last-minute change of heart and will be staying in Denver, per Marvez (Twitter link). It’s unclear how Brown’s decision will affect longtime NFL coach Johnnie Lynn, who was reportedly hired to replace Brown with the Broncos.
  • The Buccaneers have made a series of changes to their coaching staff and personnel department, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, who reports the Bucs have promoted Zack Grossi to offensive quality control coach, hired Anthony Perkins to replace Grossi as the club’s assistant to the head coach, and hired former NFL tight end Alex Smith as a pro scout. Tampa Bay has also hired Skyler Fulton as an offensive assistant, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • Vikings offensive assistant Drew Petzing could be a candidate for the club’s vacant wide receivers coach role, reports Andrew Kramer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). Longtime Minnesota WRs coach George Stewart defected for the Chargers earlier this offseason.