The Jaguars might have had essentially the most engaging opening within the 2025 NFL hiring cycle. As an alternative, proprietor Shad Khan’s choice to retain normal supervisor Trent Baalke makes it one of many worst.
On Monday, the group introduced it fired head coach Doug Pederson, sooner or later after the Jaguars ended the 2024 season 4-13. Pederson went 22-29 in three seasons as Jaguars head coach (2022-24), reaching the playoffs as soon as (2022).
Pederson’s firing was lengthy anticipated, however it’s truthful to recommend Khan did not go far sufficient.
In an announcement saying Pederson’s firing, Khan famous, “I’ll collaborate with normal supervisor Trent Baalke and others, inside and near our group, to rent a pacesetter who shares my ambition and is able to seize the extraordinary alternative we are going to supply in Jacksonville.”
Later, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported, “A number of sources emphasised final week that the Jaguars would wrestle to draw a prime head coach in the event that they saved Trent Baalke.”
“They confronted related challenges throughout their final teaching search,” Schultz added.
The Jaguars employed Baalke, who started his front-office profession with the 49ers (2010-16), in 2021. His monitor document hasn’t impressed.
In his first offseason, the Jaguars employed City Meyer as head coach. He lasted 13 video games earlier than being fired earlier than the tip of his first season.
Jacksonville’s 25-68 document since 2021 is the league’s fifth-worst document. (h/t Stathead)
The 49ers went 7-25 throughout Baalke’s remaining two seasons because the group’s normal supervisor after the group moved on from Jim Harbaugh.
With quarterback Trevor Lawrence, rookie vast receiver Brian Thomas and edge-rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, the Jaguars have strong gamers at key positions to construct round, however Baalke has proved incapable of constructing a sustainable profitable franchise, which ought to give potential teaching candidates pause.
By retaining Baalke, Khan additionally squandered a possibility to rent a head coach and normal supervisor throughout the identical cycle for higher synergy between the workers and the entrance workplace.
If the Jaguars wrestle once more in 2025, Baalke’s job safety could possibly be threatened. Within the occasion of Jacksonville making a front-office change subsequent offseason, one other normal supervisor would inherit a coach he did not rent. That places huge strain on whoever will get the Jaguars teaching job this offseason to win instantly.
It did not must be this manner. Khan had a possibility to rejuvenate the Jaguars by getting a contemporary perspective from a brand new normal supervisor who would lead a pivotal teaching search.
As an alternative, by maintaining Baalke, Jacksonville’s upcoming modifications will probably be superficial.
