Jaguars keeping decision for offensive playcaller vs. Dolphins under wraps

Who will call plays on offense is one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of Week 1 of the regular season. While head coach Doug Pederson soon will announce whether he or Press Taylor will handle the duty, he's keeping the decision under wrap for as long as he can.

Pederson told the local media ahead of the matchup against the Miami Dolphins that the team is still sorting out who'll be the offensive playcaller, noting that he's working through it with Taylor.

Later in the exchange, Doug P jokingly stated that whether Taylor call plays or not, he'll be on the sideline... unless it's raining.

Who will call plays for the Jaguars in 2024 has been one of the biggest topics of contention in the offseason. Taylor handled the responsibility full-time last year but caught flak because the offense faded down the stretch after a strong start.

Then again, the offense's dip in production coincided with Trevor Lawrence dealing with several ailments in the second half of the season. The fact that the Jags didn't make an effort to make the run made his performance look even worse. But despite his shortcomings, Pederson said he was pleased with how Taylor performed in his first year as a playcaller full-time, pointing out that he still had room for improvement.

Looking back, it's easy to see why Pederson showed support for Taylor. Regardless of how good or bad he was, the offensive line couldn't block. Without adequate protection, Lawrence was pressured at a high rate, and running back Travis Etienne had nowhere to go. Heck, he already had defenders waiting for him by the time he had reached the line of scrimmage.

This is to say that it didn't matter who called plays for the Jaguars last year. He wasn't going to enjoy much success without good blocking in the trenches. Hall-of-Fame left tackle Tony Boselli articulated that earlier this year. Either way, Pederson isn't ruling out calling plays, one of his biggest strengths, but will take his time to make a decision.

Press Taylor or Doug Pederson calling plays may not matter for the Jaguars

Earlier this year, owner Shad Khan heavily implied that he wanted Doug Pederson to be the offensive playcaller but would let him decide who would ultimately hold the responsibility. Trevor Lawrence, for his part, said he expects Press Taylor to handle the duty.

Ultimately, Pederson doesn't gain much by announcing who'll call plays. Head coaches will always look for any potential edge they may get ahead of game day, as small as it may be. That's why it's understandable he's keeping it close to the vest and won't reveal the decision until he needs to. In fact, don't be surprised if he's already made up his mind but just doesn't feel like making an announcement.

The bottom line is that Doug Pederson isn't probably losing any sleep over who'll call plays on the offensive in 2024. That might be a sign he's fine either way.

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