The Jacksonville Jaguars will be in the market for a head coach next year if they move on from Doug Pederson, which appears to be a likely scenario. Even though they have a few things that would make them an appealing destination, an NFL insider argues that any potential interest in their opening will probably come down to one crucial factor.
James Palmer of Bleacher Report said during a recent stream that the demand for the Jags' potential interest will be dependent on how candidates feel about Trevor Lawrence, pointing out that Belichick was probably the most apt because owner Shad Khan might've given him full control.
It's so strange because Shad Khan does everything so right in every aspect of his business, and he's an unbelievable businessman, but for some reason who he listens to, or what he does in terms of his head coaching hires has been something to leave something to be desired," Palmer said. "This is the spot that a lot of people thought Bill Belichick would be the most apt to go after because you had the ability for pretty much complete control, and that doesn't seem to be the case."
"And so I would say this, whoever takes that job — because it's more than likely Doug Pederson is out. I love Doug, but it's more than likely he's out — it's going to come down to whether that coach coming in, how they feel about Trevor Lawrence. That's a big part of it because you were tied to Trevor Lawrence. There's talent on that team. There is talent on the offensive side of the fire. Thomas Jr is a true No. 1. So we'll end up seeing what happens down there," Palmer said.
To round up the segment, Palmer says that general manager Trent Baalke "always does seem to find a way to survive," but Khan will move on from him and start fresh, based on what he's hearing. Below is the whole thing, via Touchdown Jaguars on Twitter.
James Palmer also discussed the #Jaguars HC/GM outlook during his stream today (before the Belichick news). He’s of the belief that they will do a clean sweep and “Start fresh, with a GM, head coach.”
— Touchdown Jaguars! Podcast (@TDJaguarsPod) December 11, 2024
He also says the desire for the job depends on how candidates view Trevor. pic.twitter.com/rjpT2WLNes
Before Belichick took the North Carolina job, he was linked to the Jags. There was speculation about how he would fit, though, with some saying that he could get control over personnel decisions while others suggested he could be paired with Baalke. In the end, though, Khan can scrape him off his wish list if he is interested in pursuing him.
Having Trevor Lawrence in the fold should help the Jaguars attract the best coahcing candidates
Trevor Lawrence has dealt with injuries the past two years but has previously shown that he can play at a high level. That will probably be a selling point for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and there's not much any candidates interested in the opening can do about it.
After all, Lawrence inked a five-year, $275 million contract in the offseason, and because he got a massive signing bonus, the Jags cannot trade him without incurring a cap charge of $116 million with $133 million in dead money. This is a way to say that whoever wants to be the Jacksonville head coach must be willing to work with the fourth-year quarterback. All things considered, it's not necessarily a bad thing.
As Chris Simms of NBC Sports pointed out, Lawrence has the tools you want in a quarterback, and head-coaching candidates won't pass on the Jaguars' vacancy because of him. Add the fact that they'll have ample cap space and a plethora of draft picks, and Jacksonville should be able to lure the candidate of its choice.
Then again, moving on from Trent Baalke will truly ensure that they have the best possible chance.