3 OC options the Jacksonville Jaguars should consider instead of Press Taylor

The Jacksonville Jaguars dismissed defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and most of the defensive staff, and rightfully so. Leaving aside how much talent they had at hand, the unit looked undisciplined and failed to prevent opposing teams later in the regular season. That falls on the coaches. On the other hand, the Jags barely made any changes to the offense despite the fact that they also looked sloppy at times last season.

One day after the loss to the Tennessee Titans in the finale, Doug Pederson vouched for offensive coordinator Press Taylor, noting that he could improve but overall did a good job. Looking back, Taylor's playcalling wasn't particularly dreadful but it was unimaginative. Similarly, there were communication issues on offense. One of Taylor's tasks as a coordinator is making sure that kind of thing didn't happen, but it did.

On the other hand, there were other problems besides Taylor that held the offense back in 2023, namely the offensive line. And while he was criticized for not being able to get the running game going, he also got praised for his football acumen. That's why Pederson and the Jaguars believe Taylor and the offense will be much better if they cut down on mistakes and make upgrades to the offensive trenches.

Having said that, there are other coaches who could arguably do a better job than Press Taylor if they were given a chance. With that in mind, here are three offensive coordinator alternatives, the Jaguars should or should've considered to replace Taylor:

3. Kellen Moore, Chargers offensive coordinator

Kellen Moore was a practice squad player for the Dallas Cowboys in the mid-2010s. Once he hung up his cleats, he became their quarterbacks coach in 2018. He got promoted to offensive coordinator the following year, and Dak Prescott enjoyed a highly productive three-year stretch under his tutelage.

But even when Dak Prescott got hurt in 2020, Moore was able to keep the offense afloat with Andy Dalton and Ben DiNucci taking turns behind center. Also, Moore consistently got the most of his running backs, whether it was Ezekiel Elliot or Tony Pollard. You could argue that he had lots of talent to work with, but he didn't have a full deck in 2022 and the Cowboys still managed to rank fourth in the league in points scored.

Moore joined the Los Angeles Chargers as their offensive coordinator last year. While it wasn't perfect, most of the offense failures fall on the front's office inability to bolster the roster. Austin Ekeler was somewhat underwhelming but that's because he was running behind a porous offensive line. The fact that Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending injury didn't help matters, and the Bolts finished 21st in the league in points scored and 18th in total yards.

The past three years, Moore has earned consideration for head coaching jobs. Heck, he was seen as a potential candidate for the Jaguars' vacancy following the dismissal of Doug Marrone and one year later after Urban Meyer got the boot. Moore just interviewed for the Chargers' opening at head coach, but he would probably be open to making a lateral move if he doesn't get a promotion.

2. Charles London, Titans passing game coordinator

The Tennessee Titans raised eyebrows around the league when they parted ways with head coach Mike Vrabel Tuesday. While they won a combined 13 games the past two years under his watch, that was mostly the result of poor roster construction. Even with nothing to play for late in the 2023 season, Tennessee was still playing hard. The Jacksonville Jaguars know this firsthand, getting beaten and knocked out of playoff contention.

With Vrabel leaving Tennessee, most of his staff will be looking for work. One name to keep an eye on is Charles London, their passing game coordinator. London has spent several years going back and forward between the college ranks and the NFL. He's had stops at Duke, Penn State, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons, the Chicago Bears, and the Houston Texans.

What makes London an enticing coach for whoever hires him is that he's well-adversed in many position groups, not just quarterback, his area of expertise. Back with the Bears, he got the most out of a running back group composed of Tarik Cohen, David Montgomery, and Cordarelle Patterson. Then in Tennessee, he oversaw rookie Will Levi's development. Levi had rough stretches but also displayed flashes. Similarly, first-year running back Tyjae Spears shined under London's tutelage.

Granted, the Titans weren't an offensive powerhouse in 2023 but that's because they had wholes at nearly every position. Their offensive line was particularly underwhelming but they also lacked talent at wide receiver and tight end.

Peter King of NBC Sports, for one, believes London would be a good candidate for offensive coordinator positions in this cycle, giving him praise for his work in Tennessee.

1. Keenan McCardell, Vikings wide receivers coach

Fred Taylor let everyone know in a post on social media that he would be interested in becoming the Jaguars' running backs coach but he isn't the only former player they should consider adding to their coaching staff. Keenan McCardell has made a name for himself coaching the Minnesota Vikings wide receivers.

You could make the case that Justin Jefferson would thrive regardless of how his coach is, and you would be right. That said, he's not the only Vikings receiver McCardell has mentored. The former Jaguar also had a positive impact on K.J. Osborn and has played a role in Jordan Addison's development. This shouldn't be a surprise to the Jaguars, who know how good a coach McCardell is.

Leaving aside that McCardell gave Jacksonville a dynamic receiving duo alongside Jimmy Smith, he also did a good job coaching their receivers in the late 2010s. Under his wing, D.J. Chark became a Pro Bowl receiver in his sophomore campaign. Dede Westbrook, for his part, had 66-catch seasons in back-to-back years. McCardell was also able to get the most out of Chris Conley, Keelan Colen, Colin Johnson, and even Laviska Shenault Jr.

When Urban Meyer became the head coach of the Jaguars in 2021, he let McCardell go, but that was a bad decision. He had already proven himself and he continue to thrive in Minnesota. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports believes McCardell would make for a great offensive coordinator, arguing that he'll be hard on his players.

Of course, that's just one man's opinion but you will be hard press to find someone who has something bad to say about McCardell. Add the fact that he's a familiar face and he would be a great choice for offensive coordinator if they felt inclined to part ways with Press Taylor.

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