Jaguars must add Brian Flores to list of head coaching candidates

There’s always a surprise fire on Black Monday and this year wasn’t the exception, as the Miami Dolphins have parted ways with Brian Flores. Now that he’s a free agent, the Jacksonville Jaguars must add him to the list of candidates to fill the head coaching vacancy left by Urban Meyer and arrange a meeting with him.

Flores is out after three years as the head coach in Miami. After amassing just five victories in his first season at the helm, he went on to win 19 games in the last two. Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough to keep his job, But based on his work with the Dolphins, he should get another shot in this coaching cycle.

So why did the Phins move on from Flores in spite of having back-to-back winning seasons? According to Jeff Darlington of ESPN, his relationship with general manager Chris Grier and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was broken beyond repair. The fact that he couldn’t get Miami’s offense going and the revolving door at offensive coordinator most likely played a role too. He cut ties with Chad O’Shea after just one year on the job and brought Chan Gailey in to take his place. Then in 2021, George Godsey and Eric Studesville shared duties and oversaw the unit without much success.

Why should the Jaguars get in touch with Brian Flores?

While Flores’ offenses regularly struggled, his defenses always played at a high level. It’s true that he never seemed sold on Tagovailoa and failed to develop him but he wouldn’t have to worry about that in Jacksonville due to the presence of Trevor Lawrence.  Of course, his inability to find an offensive coordinator during his stint in Jacksonville should be a red flag, but there should be several worthy candidates lined up to work with the Jaguars’ young passer.

Keep in mind that Flores helped Xavien Howard turn into an All-Pro cornerback and he could do the same for Shaquill Griffin and Tyson Campbell. Also, he could help outside linebacker Josh Allen bounce back in 2022. As important as developing Lawrence is for the Jags, they can’t neglect their defense. The unit showed flashes this past season but also disappeared at times and played a role in the team’s 3-14 record.

The Jaguars have already interviewed several candidates and are set to meet with others. They can surely make some room for Flores in the upcoming days and since he isn’t currently employed, they can arrange a meeting anytime they want.