Jaguars offered wild (but compelling) suggestion to replace Doug Pederson

Head coach Doug Pederson had a sigh of relief after the Jacksonville Jaguars got their first win of the 2024 season. However, he isn't off the hook just yet, and his seat will continue to get hot if the losses start to pile up again. If he's ultimately let go next year, Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report believes they should go after Robert Saleh.

In light of the New York Jets' firing of Saleh, Zucker put together a list of potential landing spots for the former head coach. He included Jacksonville, pointing out that having an offensive-minded coach hasn't helped Trevor Lawrence much and the defense is in need of a boost.

"As much as Jacksonville's general fate rests on the development of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, hiring an offensive-mind coach and former NFL QB hasn't achieved much.

Saleh would undoubtedly help to improve a defense that ranks 31st in yards allowed (393.4) and 30th in points (28.6).

The rapid growth of C.J. Stroud with the Houston Texans under DeMeco Ryans, a former defensive coordinator, is also an example of how the right offensive coordinator is often all you need to let a young quarterback thrive."

Saleh became the head coach of the Jets in 2021 and was abruptly given his walking papers after they lost to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 of the 2024 season. While he didn't turn New York into a playoff contender, he did help it become a respectable team, especially on defense. He went 20-36 during his stint in the Big Apple, a much better record than his predecessor Adam Gase.

You could make the case that Saleh's downfall was his inability to fix the quarterback position, but it's worth noting that never did he choose his guy behind center. Instead, the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson were forced on him.

Meanwhile, the New York defense was among the best in the league with Saleh at the helm. That's why it's reasonable to see him having lots of options as a defensive coordinator and even a few head-coaching gigs in the next hiring cycle.

Currently, Jacksonville's defense is among the worst in the league. The unit ranks 30th in points in both points surrendered and the red zone and 31st in total yards allowed. For that reason, the Robert Saleh suggestion isn't farfetched.

Robert Saleh would give the Jaguars an intriguing choice to replace Doug Pederson

Doug Pederson's job security has been a topic of conversation due to his team's 0-4 start to the 2024 season and their collapse the previous year. Shad Khan has made it clear that the expectation is for the Jacksonville Jaguars to win, and given that Pederson has come up short, he's potentially at risk of getting the boot in 2025.

Granted, it's not a given that the Jaguars will fire Pederson but if they keep losing, the odds of happening will continue to increase. Now, if they do let him go, Robert Saleh would be an interesting choice. While teams lean toward offensive-oriented candidates when searching for head coaches, those whose forte is the defense have generally had equal levels of success.

After all, coaching goes beyond Xs and Os. You need leaders who can connect with players and get the most out of them. Pederson was that coach during his first season in Duval. That year, he took the Jaguars to the playoffs while helping them recover from the Urban Meyer era. However, he hasn't had as much success lately, winning just two of his last ten games.

Sure, Pederson won a Super Bowl but that was in 2017 but that was a long time ago. Meanwhile, Saleh has turned the Jets into a defensive powerhouse. Prior to that, he played a pivotal role in the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl run as their defensive coordinator.

The prospect of having Trevor Lawrence and a well-rounded roster will be appealing to candidates. The Jaguars could decide to pursue hot offensive candidates such as Ben Johnson or Bobby Slowik, but they cannot go wrong with Saleh even though he's not an offensive mind.

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