Jaguars must follow suit and dismiss Trent Baalke after the Jets fired Joe Douglas

The New York Jets weren't pleased with general manager Joe Douglas' performance and decided to move on from him. The Jacksonville Jaguars should be next and dismiss Trent Baalke.

Several outlets have reported that the Jets fired Douglas. His dismissal came seven weeks after head coach Robert Saleh was given the boot, showing that New York will undergo a full rebuild.

The Jets hired Douglas in 2019 and had an expiring contract after this season, so they must've not been pleased with his work and chose to let him go now and get an early start in the search for his replacement.

Under Douglas, the Jets went 30-64 record, with no winning seasons and no trips to the playoffs. While he generally did a good job of restocking the roster, he failed to find a long-term answer at quarterback. New York drafted Zach Wilson second overall in 2021 and later made a blockbuster trade to acquire Aaron Rodgers last year. Neither signal-caller panned out.

In Jacksonville, Baalke has had a similar track record. He's drafted franchise cornerstones such as wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. or cornerback Tyson Campbell but he has failed to address some of the Jaguars' most glaring needs. This year, it was the interior defensive line. In 2023, it was the pass rush.

Coincidentally, Baalke also has a 20-40 record with the Jags, but you could make the case it would be much worse if he hadn't stumbled upon Trevor Lawrence in 2021. Sure, he was the general manager when Jacksonville drafted him, but if the Jaguars hadn't had the first overall selection, the team that did would've taken him.

Heading into the Week 11 game against the Chicago Bears, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that he wouldn't be surprised if the Jacksonville Jaguars fired Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson. He added that "There is a pall permeating the situation. A doom."

The Jaguars have given Trent Baalke ample time to prove himself. He hasn't delivered

Following the 52-6 loss to the Bears, it doesn't seem like the Jaguars are planning to dismiss either Baalke or Pederson, but owner Shad Khan must clean house and move on from both if he wants to have a legitimate shot at turning the team into a successful team.

Back when the Jags hired Baalke as their vice president of player personnel he had a reputation for being difficult to work with. Nevertheless, they promoted him to interim general manager when they fired Dave Caldwell and later gave him the job on a full-time basis. The decision raised eyebrows but it would've been fine if he had stacked the roster with talent.

Sure, Baalke had a few hits but not enough to overcome his misses or turn Jacksonville into a perennial contender. Add the fact that he seemingly doesn't have a great relationship with Pederson, and Khan cannot justify keeping him around.

The bottom line is the New York Jets aren't taking half-measures in an effort to right the ship. The Jaguars shouldn't either, which is why Trent Baalke must go.

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