There are many reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars are an appealing destination for prospective head coaches. On the other hand, they have a massive turnoff that is scaring candidates away: General manager Trent Baalke, who's known for being difficult to work with. Contrary to what owner Shad Khan says, having him around could make it hard for the Jags to end with their preferred option to replace Doug Pederson.
Dan Graziano of ESPN says that Ben Johnson is no longer the favorite to become the Jacksonville coach [subscription required]. It could still happen, but the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator could be looking for more favorable situations. And what exactly appears to be making the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator hesitant to take the Jaguars job? You guessed it: Baalke.
"A week ago, there was a lot of thinking around the league that this could be the spot for Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson -- and of course, it very well still could. But the Jaguars' decision to move on from Pederson and keep GM Trent Baalke has raised some red flags for potential head coach candidates who are hoping to start with a fully clean slate. And it means Johnson could be looking at other situations where he and a new GM would come in together."
Graziano goes on to predict that the Jags will settle on Joe Brady, pointing out that he's done a good job of turning the Buffalo Bills offense into a bully and putting them in a position to make a Super Bowl run. On the other hand, he thinks former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh shouldn't be ruled out for the Jacksonville coaching vacancy.
Johnson seemed to be the favorite to become the Jaguars' next head coach after Pederson got the boot. However, he's made it clear that he wants to work with a general manager who shares his vision. Baalke may not fit the description when you take into account that he's routinely feuded with coaches throughout his career in the NFL. However, Khan is confident in his skills as a general manager, which is why he chose not to dismiss him.
With Baalke in the fold and due to Tom Brady's presence, the Las Vegas Raiders are now the favorite to land Johnson. Meanwhile, Saleh's candidacy for the Jaguars job has been picking up steam, with Zach Rosenblatt of The Athletic reporting that he's a realistic option for the opening.
Of course, the Jags would increase their chances of hiring Johnson if they oust Baalke, which can reportedly still happen.
Would Joe Brady be a good fit for the Jaguars?
Joe Brady isn't probably being discussed nearly enough in this hiring cycle, but it isn't for lack of qualifications. If anything, it's been because Ben Johnson and Liam Coen are getting the spotlight. That said, Brady would be an appealing choice to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As Graziano pointed out, Brady has rebuilt the Bills offense. You could make the case that he has Josh Allen as his quarterback, but that shouldn't be a negative when you take into account that he's having him play at a high level. He could do the same for Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville.
Moreover, the Bills don't have as many playmakers on offense as other clubs. Outside offensive tackle Spencer Brown or wide receiver Khalil Shakir, you will be hard-pressed to find many building blocks. That makes the fact that Buffalo ranked second in the league in points scored last year even more impressive.
Now, there's no real chatter about Joe Brady taking the Jaguars job, but if he does, their offense would have the potential to be one of the best in the NFL and Trevor Lawrence could reclaim his place as the top-10 quarterback that he is.