Jaguars should consider adding Pat Graham to list of HC Candidates

After zeroing in on Urban Meyer in their last search for a head coach from the very beginning, it seems like the Jacksonville Jaguars have cast a wider net this time. They already started the interview process but they may consider adding another name to their list of potential candidates: New York Giants defensive coordinator Pat Graham.

Matt Lombardo of FanSided believes Graham will be a hot commodity in this hiring cycle. He cites an NFC personnel director who believes Graham’s “makeup and background are really impressive“. The league executive goes on to praise the work he’s done in the Big Apple.

"I’ve heard a lot of impressive things about him, and he’s done a really nice job with what he’s been given to work with."

Graham himself says the goal is to be a head coach one day and although most teams prefer to go for either the splash or the safe hire, there’s always one that thinks outside the box. As Lombardo points out, Graham’s unit is holding opposing offenses under 25 points per game even after losing inside linebacker Blake Martinez and Jabrill Peppers to season-ending injuries and a high rate of turnover in the secondary.

Why should the Jaguars be interested in Pat Graham to fill their vacancy?

The Jaguars need a head coach that can get the most out of Trevor Lawrence. Having said that, they also need a leader that can put an end to the dysfunction that has brewed from the franchise over the last decade and build a winning culture. While hiring an offensive-minded coach, one with prior experience developing quarterbacks preferably, makes the most sense, targeting one with a defensive background can also work if he brings in a good offensive coordinator.

Before joining the Giants’ coaching staff in 2020, he was the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins the season before and has 20 years of experience working at different levels of the defense. This isn’t the first time he’s mentioned as a potential head coach candidate. This past November, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports said Graham was getting buzz around the league due to his “fine work with a unit that is thin on individual talent“. Similarly, Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated highlighted his work early in the 2021 season.

The Jaguars haven’t had much success hiring head coaches over the last ten years. If they want to get it right, they need to take their time to perform due diligence and that includes adding Graham to their list of candidates.