The Jacksonville Jaguars could be in the market for a head coach if they dismiss Doug Pederson once the regular season ends. They certainly have a handful of things that will make them an attractive destination in the next hiring cycle. However, a pair of NFL insiders suggest the Jags move on from general manager Trent Baalke to ensure they have the most attractive opening.
Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN put together a list of things they're hearing about the coaching carousel with the end of the season just around the corner. Regarding Jacksonville, they expect them to move on from Pederson and believe Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson could be interested in their potential opening if he's high on quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
"The Jaguars' divisional opponents are currently 19-29, a far cry from what Johnson would face in the NFC North. So more people around the league than you'd think have Jacksonville No. 1. Now, much of that hinges on how you feel about quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has underperformed. But perhaps a new system will maximize him. And there might be a new general manager in place whom the head coach can influence."
At a different point oinf the article, Fowler points out that the Jaguars could become a hot destination for candidates if they get rid of Trent Baalke. Here's the skinny.
"The prevailing theme leaguewide is that Jaguars owner Shad Khan would make the head coaching job more attractive by moving on from GM Trent Baalke as well as Pederson, offering the proverbial clean slate."
Among the things that could make the Jags an intriguing vacancy, aside from Lawrence, are the team's abundance of cap space, and the presence of Shad Khan, one of the most patient owners in the league. And as Folwer notes, they can be an even more attractive destination if they remove Baalke from the equation.
For context, Baalke spent several seasons as the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers. He was eventually given his walking papers and joined the Jags as their vice president of player personnel in 2020. When they fired then-general manager Dave Caldwell later that year, Baalke became the general manager on an interim basis. After an extensive search, he got the job full-time in 2021.
Since then, Baalke has drafted franchise cornerstones Tyson Campbell, Walker Little, Travon Walker, and more recently, rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. On the other hand, his track record in free agency isn't as encouraging.
There's no doubt that Baalke hit it out of the ballpark with Christian Kirk, Foyesade Oluokun, and Evan Engram. However, many of his signings have left much to be desired. Whether it's defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, cornerback Ronald Darby, or defensive lineman Arik Armstead, the Jags haven't gotten enough bang for their buck in free agency the past three years. That's on Baalke.
But even when you leave aside his dreadful success rate in free agency, Baalke's biggest shortcoming is his inability to work with the coaching staff dating back to his Niners days. Back in San Fran, he got into a power play with then-head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Although Baalke came out on top, his reputation around the league was tarnished. Moreover, he became known for being difficult to work with, and that's carried over into Jacksonville, where he's reportedly feuded with the coaching staff in recent years.
The Jaguars must dismiss Trent Baalke to increase their appeal to Ben Johnson, other HC candidates
Ultimately, it wouldn't help much to keep Trent Baalke around if the Jacksonville Jaguars fire Doug Pederson. After all, what good will it be to have a general manager who won't be on the same page as your head coach?
Granted, Baalke has had several hits during his four-year stint, but not leary enough to make up for his blunders. And that's the thing, the roster is in much better shape than it was when he took over. However, he's also failed to address several needs the past few seasons. In 2024, it was the interior defensive line. The year before, it was the offensive line.
Sure you could point out that no executive has a perfect track record, and you would be right. That said, you will be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks Baalke is one of the best general managers in the whole NFL. This is to say that keeping him around because of his track record of acquiring talent doesn't outweigh the fact that he's hard to get along with.
If the Jacksonville Jaguars are serious about pursuing Ben Johnson, or whoever their preferred candidate is, they must give Trent Baalke the pink slip. Otherwise, they run the risk of missing out on a potential head coach who can at last bring sustained success to Duval.