Jaguars must set sights on hot NFC offensive coordinator to replace Doug Pederson
It's fair to say that head coach Doug Pederson is on the hot seat. The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't off to a great start to the 2024 NFL season and Trevor Lawrence is struggling. There's a chance they'll steer the ship in the right direction but if they don't, the organization will likely move on from Doug P next year. His potential replacement resides in the NFC and is one of the hottest coordinators in the league.
Klint Kubiak was the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers last year and became the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints this season. He's proceeded to oversee a makeover on offense. Derek Carr has enjoyed a career revival and is playing like the quarterback he was early in his career, completing 68.8 percent of his throws for 585 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
Granted, Carr and the Sainst offense struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 but that shouldn't take anything away from Kubiak's work in The Big Easy. Three games into the 2024 NFL Season, New Orleans ranks second in the league in points scored and ninth in total yards. Moreover, the former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback isn't the only player who's having a bounce-back season.
Running back Alvin Kamara has been somewhat underwhelming in recent years but he's looking like his old self under Kubiak's tutelage, toting the rock 61 yards for 285 yards with four touchdowns. On top of that, his average of 4.7 yards per carry is his best since 2020, when he gained 5.0. If that wasn't enough, the five-time Pro Bowl nod is second on the team, behind wide receiver Chris Olave, in catches with 10 receptions for 132 yards and one touchdown.
Imagine what Kubiak could do with the backfield tandem of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby if he were to go to Jacksonville.
Klint Kubiak could give the Jaguars the makeover they need
Doug Pederson was great for the Jacksonville Jaguars when they hired him in 2022. They were coming off the Urban Meyer debacle and looking to heal. Even though expectations weren't high that year, they took the league by storm by making the playoffs and winning the AFC South.
Early in 2023, it looked like the Jags were going to build off of a strong 2022 campaign but instead came crashing down. Following an 8-3 start, they ran out of steam and went on to lose five of their last six games. Their late-season collapse led the team's brass to give the roster and the coaching staff an overhaul. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and Jacksonville is 0-3 to start 2024.
While the defense has been a mixed bag, the offense has become stagnant and Trevor Lawrence has been underwhelming. This is disappointing when you take into account that offense is Pederson's specialty and he had a reputation of being a quarterback whisperer. However, neither trait is currently on display.
Now, it's not a given that Pederson will get the boot but he'll be under constant scrutiny the remainder of the season. Every loss will increase the pressure and his seat will get warmer.
If Pederson ultimately fails to right the ship, the Jacksonville Jaguars should waste no time giving Kubiak a call.