Lovie Smith wants back as DC, should Jacksonville Jaguars pursue him?

The Jacksonville Jaguars may need a new defensive coordinator soon.

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired general manager David Caldwell after Week 12 and they could make more changes soon. Although owner Shahid Khan has told head coach Doug Marrone his job is safe for the remainder of the season, he and his coaching staff could be given the boot in the offseason. If that’s the case, they will need a new defensive coordinator and they could target former Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith.

After being fired by Illinois, Smith is interested in returning to the NFL in a defensive coordinator role, according to Mike Garofolo of NFL Media. His 17-39 record as a head coach in college doesn’t look appealing, but he oversaw some dominant defenses as the Chicago Bears head coach and the St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator, so teams will likely be interested in his services.

The Jaguars have some rookie defenders with plenty of upside and even though the team currently ranks 32 in yards allowed and 28 in points, they could significantly improve in 2021 with a few offseason additions and the right defensive coordinator.

Smith has had success developing players on defense, so it would make sense for the Jaguars to consider him for their defensive coordinator position if they part ways with Todd Wash after the 2020 season, which is likely.