Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t give Trent Baalke GM job permanently
The Jacksonville Jaguars have made Trent Baalke their interim GM.
The Jacksonville Jaguars parted ways with David Caldwell after the team’s 27-25 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, and not long after, they made Trent Baalke their interim general manager.
Balke will remain in the Jaguars’ front office for the remainder of the season and will probably get interviewed to fill the team’s opening at general manager, but the organization should refrain from hiring him on a permanent basis, as his record in the position is less than stellar.
Trent Baalke isn’t the right person for the Jacksonville Jaguars GM job.
Before joining the Jaguars front office as Director of Player Personnel, Baalke was the San Francisco 49er from 2011 to 2016. While the team reached Super Bowl 52 in Baalke’s second season at the helm, his track record drafting players and hiring head coaches was questionable.
Baalke started his tenure with a bang and took edge defender Aldon Smith and quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2011’s draft but he wasn’t as successful in other years and his strategy of looking for undervalued prospects in the players’ selection process didn’t pan out.
Keep in mind that although the 49ers became a perennial contender in Baalke’s time as the general manager, his predecessor, Scot McCloughan, was responsible for drafting most of the roster’s core at the moment. Players such as All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis, left tackle Joe Staley, tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Michael Crabtree were drafted before Baalke’s promotion.
Also, Baalke clashed with former head coach Jim Harbaugh, which led to the dismissal of the latter. In his place, Jim Tomsula got promoted to head coach but only lasted one season in the position after leading the 49ers to a 5-11 record in 2015.
Baalke tried to hire another head coach and brought Chip Kelly in, but didn’t have much success either and both got fired after the conclusion of the 2016 season. Looking back, Baalke constantly made puzzling decisions and couldn’t get the right head coach or draft enough playmakers in his tenure as the 49ers general manager.
Next. 4 potential candidates to fill Jaguars GM vacancy. dark
The Jaguars should refrain from giving Baalke their general manager job on a permanent basis. Even though he has experience at the position, his track record is subpar, and handing him the job would rob them of the opportunity to hire a capable person to fill their vacancy.