NFL analyst suggests head-turning path where the Jaguars don't fire Doug Pederson

It's a foregone conclusion that the Jacksonville Jaguars will move on from head coach Doug Pedersonconclusion at some point in 2024 or once the season is over. But what if they choose to keep him around? Owner Shad Khan has expressed confidence in him and general manager Trent Baalke, so is it really farfetched to think Pederson will return next year? Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggests a scenario where he stays put.

Knox recently took a look at all the NFL coaches who are seemingly on the hot seat. Regarding Pederson, he argues that he could stay in Jacksonville if he moves on from his coordinators at the end of the season.

"In some ways, though, Lawrence's recent injury history may help Pederson. The quarterback's health would help explain last year's collapse and this year's slow start—and the Jags have been competitive in their last three losses, even with Mac Jones under center in Week 10.

Replacing offensive coordinator Press Taylor and first-year defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen might be a viable alternative to firing Pederson in the offseason. Franchise owner Shad Khan won't simply ignore the fact that Pederson has already delivered consecutive winning seasons."

This scenario isn't out of the realm of possibility when you take into account that Khan is one of the most patient owners in the league. He held onto general manager Dave Caldwell several years more than he should have. The same was true for head coaches Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone. Heck, he didn't fire the embattled Urban Meyer until reports about him allegedly kicking Josh Lambo surfaced.

This is to say that Khan could keep Pederson. The last time he spoke publicly about him, the owner showed support, noting that he trusted his head coach and general manager to steer the ship in the right direction. On the other hand, the Jags have won just three of their last 16 games dating back to Week 13 of the 2023 season, so there's a reason to think the owner could decide to pull the plug.

Press Taylor could cost Doug Pederson his job with the Jaguars

For the sake of the argument, let's say Shad Khan tells Doug Pederson that he can stay but needs to make changes to his staff, including, but not limited, to dismissing offensive coordinator Press Taylor. If it comes to that, he may refuse and walk away instead.

After all, this isn't the first time Pederson has found itself in that position. Following the 2021 season, Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeff Lurie gave him the choice to stay but needed to revamp his staff. He wasn't thrilled about the idea of appointing Taylor as the offensive coordinator and told him as much.

Given the choice, Pederson opted to leave Philly. He spent one season away from football and returned as the head coach of the Jaguars in 2022. Fast forward to 2024, and he could face a similar conundrum. This begs the question, would be willing to dismiss Taylor? History tells us no, but the past isn't a reliable indicator of the future. Either way, it's one scenario that could happen and shouldn't be ruled out, especially if Jacksonville finishes the season strong.

Keeping Doug Pederson around wouldn't be a popular decision among fans, but once led the Jaguars to the playoffs and helped them heal from the Urban Meyer debacle. That could be enough for Shad Khan to retain him, even if he's failed to deliver the past two years.

More Jaguars analyis here: