5 potential OC replacements if the Jaguars parted ways with Press Taylor in 2024
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a funk. Both their offense and defense have regressed after an encouraging start to the 2023 season. While injuries have played a role, neither side has looked particularly sharp. This led Trevor Lawrence to say after the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that the Jags look like a team that doesn't practice.
Lawrence later clarified his comments, noting that he was talking about himself, rather than questioning the coaching staff. Regardless of who the remarks were directed to, he's not wrong. In particular, the offense has been held back by drops, miscommunication, and overall execution.
It hasn't helped that the offensive line cannot block but the buck ultimately stops with Press Taylor, Doug Pederson's handpicked choice for offensive coordinator. Since his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Pederson wanted Taylor to be his coordinator. It was reportedly one of the reasons he was given the boot after the 2020 season.
When Pederson became the head coach in Jacksonville, he appointed Taylor as the offensive coordinator. This season, he began to call the offense full-time. While his playcalling hasn't been awful, the offense's overall execution has been less than ideal.
There are no reports indicating that the Jaguars want to move on from Taylor but if they chose to part ways with him in the offseason, here are five potential replacements.
5. Chris O'Hara, Vikings QB coach
Here's a familiar face. Chris O'Hara started his coaching career in the NFL as an offensive coaching associate with the Jaguars in 2014. He became an offensive quality control coach for the Washington Commanders in 2017 and returned to Jacksonville in Doug Marrone's last year with the team in 2020. O'Hara then spent time with the Los Angeles Rams as an offensive assistant before becoming the quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
While O'Hara isn't on the short list of ascending stars in the coaching ranks, he's had a solid run in Minnesota. Kirk Cousins had a highly productive year in 2022 and an arguably better 2023 before a torn Achilles ended his season prematurely.
On top of that, O'Hara helped Josh Dobbs, aka the passtronaut get ready to start on short notice. Dobbs has since been benched, and Nick Mullens isn't faring much better. However, that's what O'Hara was given, and he made the most of it.