The Jaguars may have had probably the most enticing opening within the 2025 NFL hiring cycle. As a substitute, proprietor Shad Khan’s choice to retain basic supervisor Trent Baalke makes it one of many worst.
On Monday, the crew introduced it fired head coach Doug Pederson, in the future 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 honest to counsel Khan did not go far sufficient.
In a press release saying Pederson’s firing, Khan famous, “I’ll collaborate with basic 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 provide in Jacksonville.”
Later, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported, “A number of sources emphasised final week that the Jaguars would wrestle to draw a high head coach in the event that they stored Trent Baalke.”
“They confronted comparable 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 file 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 file since 2021 is the league’s fifth-worst file. (h/t Stathead)
The 49ers went 7-25 throughout Baalke’s closing two seasons because the crew’s basic supervisor after the crew moved on from Jim Harbaugh.
With quarterback Trevor Lawrence, rookie broad 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 chance to rent a head coach and basic 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 might be threatened. Within the occasion of Jacksonville making a front-office change subsequent offseason, one other basic supervisor would inherit a coach he did not rent. That places huge stress on whoever will get the Jaguars teaching job this offseason to win instantly.
It did not need to be this fashion. Khan had a chance to rejuvenate the Jaguars by getting a contemporary perspective from a brand new basic supervisor who would lead a pivotal teaching search.
As a substitute, by holding Baalke, Jacksonville’s upcoming adjustments will likely be superficial.
