Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars lost out on Ben Johnson, it looked like their coaching search was taking shape. But in an unexpected turn of events, they also miss out on Liam Coen, who will return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a new contract. Based on how things are quickly unfolding, it's hard to tell how the process will play out, but nobody would bat an eye if they zero in on Buffalo BIlls offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
The Jags were scheduled to meet Coen, along with Patrick Graham and Robert Saleh, for a second interview. But now that the Buccaneers offensive coordinator has withdrawn his name from consideration, Jacksonville may want to consider bringing in Brady for a second interview.
Like Coen, Brady has already interviewed for the opening. However, the Jags haven't scheduled a second meeting with him. Now would be a great time.
Insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that Brady is a name to keep an eye on if the Jaguars expand their search next week, and understandably so.
With Liam Coen off the board, #Bills OC Joe Brady is a name to watch if Jaguars expand their search to next week. He was on the team’s initial list of offensive minds by which Jacksonville was intrigued.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 22, 2025
Back in 2020, Brady was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. However, he was given the boot one year later. Fortunately, he quickly latched onto the Bills, where he's managed to rebuild his stock.
Originally hired as the quarterbacks coach, Brady became their interim offensive coordinator when Ken Dorsey got the boot in 2023. He got the job full-time last year and has gone on to turn Buffalo into an offensive powerhouse.
If that wasn't enough, Brady has gotten the best out of Josh Allen despite the fact that his arsenal of weapons is devoid of game-changers. Sure, Khalil Shakir had a fine rookie season, but other than that, you will be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks the Buffalo receiver corps is among the best in the league.
The Jaguars will face the same roadblocks with Joe Brady
One of the biggest challenges the Jacksonville Jaguars have had in attracting top-notch candidates for their vacancy has been the presence of general manager Trent Baalke. Early in the process, one prominent candidate for the job said he was less interested in the opening because of Baalke.
When Ben Johnson became the Chicago Bears head coach, he said that he didn't believe the Jaguars had the front-office setup he needed. The consensus agreed that having to work with Baalke was what prompted Johnson to take the Bears job.
Surprisingly, Jaguars legend Tony Boselli said that it was irresponsible to blame Baalke for Johnson choosing the Chicago opening. However, it's becoming increasingly difficult to defend the divisive general manager after Coen returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This takes us back to Joe Brady. Why would he be incentivized to leave the Buffalo Bills for an undesirable job?
Brady has played a big role in Buffalo's playoff role. He can afford to be picky when choosing his next destination, and if he doesn't think there are any appealing openings, he'll probably be better off returning to the Bills for at least one more season.
The bottom line is that as long as the Jacksonville Jaguars keep Baalke around, they'll have a hard time convincing candidates — including Joe Brady — to fill their vacancy regardless of other things they could offer.