Jaguars Rumors: Team set to hire Jay Gruden as O.C.
By David Levin
Have the Jacksonville Jaguars found the right man to replace John DeFilippo as the new offensive coordinator for the 2020 season?
If the rumors are true and a deal gets done between the Jaguars and Jay Gruden to be the next offensive coordinator, then business just picked up in Jacksonville.
And with that things may have gotten a bit better for Gardner Minshew and could affect the coaching staff and who the team tries to sign in free agency in March. With Gruden being added to the staff, the west coast offense will become part of the game plan, which could mean the ground and pound style of offensive game-planning may be a thing of the past.
I know our own Kathy Clark must be salivating right now at the possibility of writing about a team that uses the passing game to set the tone for the offense.
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According to sources, which include NFL.com, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars and Gruden are working on a deal for the former Washington Redskins head coach to take over for John DeFilippo, who agreed to mutually part ways with the team last week.
The Jaguars, according to sources, interviewed Scott Linehan and Ben McAdoo in addition to Gruden. There is no word if each of the former head coaches were in line for the offensive coordinator’s job. The Jaguars still have an open quarterback coach position to fill as well.
Before Gruden was named the head coach in Washington, he was the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati under then-head coach Marvin Lewis. Andy Dalton enjoyed some of his best seasons under center with Gruden calling plays for the Bengals.
The #Jaguars plan to hire former #Redskins coach Jay Gruden as their next offensive coordinator, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. Deal isn’t done, but the Jaguars are close to adding a very talented OC with a great pedigree in the role.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2020
"“Gruden will try to work the same magic with whoever is taking snaps under center for Jacksonville in 2020, whether it be the veteran Nick Foles or second-year sensation, Gardner Minshew,” writes Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. “The new OC will also be tasked with jump-starting an offense that, since ranking fifth and sixth in points scored and total offense in 2017, respectively, has been among the bottom quarter of attacks over the last two seasons.”"
Because there is nothing final yet and there is no word yet from the Jaguars, the speculation continues. Gruden will have to work with an offense that scored only 18.8 points a contest and was in the middle of the pack in passing (16th in the league) and running the football (17th in the NFL).
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