The Jacksonville Jaguars are picking up the pace in their coaching search. Hours after the news broke that the Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson, the Jags arranged interviews with three candidates in the upcoming days.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Jacksonville scheduled a second round of meetings with Patrick Graham, Liam Coen, and Robert Saleh. The team later announced the interviews.
Jacksonville’s HC search: Jaguars are bringing in former Raiders DC Patrick Graham, former Jets HC Robert Saleh and Buccaneers OC Liam Coen this week for in-person second interviews.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2025
All three already interviewed for the Jaguars vacancy, so this may be a sign they're the current favorites to land the job.
Just a couple days ago, it was reported that Johnson, along with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, were very high on the Jaguars' wish list. However, the former is now with Chicago and the latter has scheduled interviews with the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints.
Aaron Glenn has the #Jets tomorrow and #Saints after that. https://t.co/JYzdXEz4Hl
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 20, 2025
When you consider that there's a chance either the Jets or New Orleans will hire Glenn, it's easy to understand why the Jags have turned their search to Graham, Saleh, and Coen.
That said, it's still a bit surprising that Graham has made it this far in the process. Maybe he made a strong impression in his first interview. Then again, he's been discussed as a potential candidate in previous hiring cycles, so the Jaguars aren't necessarily scrapping the bottom of the barrel.
We have scheduled an in-person interview with Patrick Graham.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 20, 2025
On top of that, Graham has put together dependable defenses during his stint with the Las Vegas Raiders despite the fact that he's lacked top-tier talent. Either way, it makes sense for the Jaguars to keep their options open.
The Jaguars job may come down to Robert Saleh or Liam Coen
While Patrick Graham could ultimately end up with the job, the Jacksonville Jaguars will most likely zero in on either Robert Saleh or Liam Coen.
Saleh is well-liked in the building after coaching the linebackers from 2014-2016, and his defensive background could come in handy when you take into account that Jacksonville ranked near the cellar of most meaningful categories on defense. Granted, the Jags may want to hire someone who can help Trevor Lawrence bounce back, but the former New York Jets head coach would probably bring in right-hand man Mike LaFleur, who routinely made chicken salad during his stint in the Big Apple.
On the other hand, Coen hit it out of the ballpark during his first interview with the Jags. In fact, his knowledge of all phases of the game, along with his leadership skills, left a positive impression on the team's brass. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator got the most out of his players in 2024 and could do the same for Lawrence and Co.
Ultimately, this is a fluid situation, though. Just a few days ago, Ben Johnson seemed like the favorite to get the Jaguars job. Similarly, Aaron Glenn appeared to have a favorable chance of becoming their head coach. But the coaching search will take a few more turns, so the best thing the Jags do is narrow down their options and focus their efforts on specific candidates for their opening.