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

Lovie Smith’s resume should get the Jacksonville Jaguars’ attention.

Lovie Smith first gained notoriety as the Rams defensive coordinator in 2001. That year, they ranked third in yards allowed, and seventh in points and reached the Super Bowl. The year before, their defense had ranked 31st in points allowed under Peter Giunta.

Smith stayed two more years in St. Louis before he became the Bears head coach. Chicago finished the 2004 season with a 5-11 but quickly became a perennial playoff contender the following year due to his work on the defensive side of the ball.

During his tenure as the Bears head coach, Smith got the most out of players such as cornerback Nathan Vasher, defensive end Alex Smith, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, and linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs among others, and constantly had some of the best defenses in the NFL.

Eventually, Chicago’s inability to replenish their roster ended up playing a role in Smith’s dismissal, but even in 2012, his last year in the ‘Windy City’, the defense ranked third in points surrendered. Looking back, he consistently fielded some of the best defenses in the NFL with the talent he had, and he could do the same for the Jaguars.