Jaguars HC search could speed up if Rick Spielman joins the front office

Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t hired a head coach yet, former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman is trending towards joining their front office in a high-profile capacity.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media originally reported that Spielman could join the Jags’ front office and insider Mike Garafolo has recently shared an update of the situation. He says Spielman is in discussions with Jacksonville and although it’s not a done deal, progress has been made. Gararfolo adds that former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson might potentially be in the mix for the Jaguars’ head coaching job.

Spielman could be a game-changer for the Jaguars and could speed up their search for a head coach. Just last week, it looked like the team was going to hire Byron Leftwich but general manager Trent Baalke might’ve been a roadblock to reaching a deal. Also, working with Baalke seems to be chasing away other potential candidates for the job. Spielman’s presence could help convince those that have been considered for the position to take it.

The Jaguars need to wrap up their HC search as soon as possible.

The Jaguars aren’t the only team without a head coach. The Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins, and the New Orleans Saints haven’t filled their respective vacancies either. However, Jacksonville had a head start when they gave Urban Meyer the boot with four weeks left in the 2021 regular season and still aren’t close to finding a head coach.

While the Jags need to do due diligence and take their time to select the right candidate for the job, it doesn’t seem like they started the process with a clear plan in mind. Otherwise, they would have probably wrapped up the search already. They need to get it right this time after the Meyer fiasco but the clock is ticking and free agency is around the corner.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich looked like the favorite to become the Jaguars’ next head coach but that might no longer be the case with the team interviewing former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Rich Bisaccia and former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Calwell possibly still in the mix.

The Jaguars need to finish their head coaching search, so they can turn their attention to adding some talent in free agency and the draft. Spielman could help them with both.