Why Jaguars must kick Trent Baalke to the curb if they dismiss Doug Pederson

Head coach Doug Pederson's job security has been a topic of discussion in light of the Jacksonville Jaguars' struggles this season. While he had an important role in the team's turnaround in 2022, he should be let go if he fails to steer the ship in the right direction. That said, the team must also get rid of general manager Trent Baalke and start over if they want to truly start over next year.

Pederson has gotten the spotlight because he's the head coach. and must show face. That's helped shield Baalke, who operates behind the curtain. However, he's also responsible for the team's lack of success dating back to last year.

The Jaguars went 8-3 in 2024 and were in contention for the first playoff seed in the AFC. However, they managed to win just one of their last six games and failed to qualify for the postseason. One of the reasons was that Baalke failed to properly address the team's most pressing needs in the offseason. In particular, the offensive line left much to be desired.

Trent Baalke has had a mix record at acquiring talent for the Jaguars

The team's brass knew Ben Bartch was coming off a serious injury he suffered in 2022 but still expected him to be at full strength to start the season. He struggled and Jacksonville had a revolving door at left guard throughout most of the year because there was no contingency plan in place. Something similar happened at center. Luke Fortner was one of the worst starters at the position but Baalke didn't take any steps to bolster the position.

Having failed to properly address the offensive line, the Jaguars couldn't protect Trevor Lawrence properly or establish the run in 2023. Most of the criticism fell on offensive coordinator Press Taylor, but Baalke's inability to add enough talent in the trenches shouldn't be overlooked. The silver lining is that the Jags realized the roster had several glaring holes and spared no expense to fill them in free agency. The issue is that many of the signings the Jags made haven't panned out.

The Jaguars gave Gabe Davis a three-year deal worth $39 million in free agency because they wanted to add another weapon to Trevor Lawrence's arsenal. However, the former UCF Knight has been underwhelming in Jacksonville. Sure, he had two touchdowns in the loss to the Chicago Bears but he's struggled with drops and has a catch rate of less than 50 percent.

Similarly, Baalke signed defensive tackle Arik Armstead to shore up the interior defensive line. The former Oregon Duck was a staple of the San Francisco 49ers' defensive front for nine years and the expectation was that he would wreak havoc from the interior and help Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen get more favorable matchups on the edge. However, he's been unremarkable so far.

Granted, Baalke has had several hits throughout his stint as the Jaguars' general manager. He drafted Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco in 2021 and brought in core contributors such as wide receiver Christian Kirk, tight end Evan Engram, and linebacker Foyeade Oluokun the following year. Similarly, he found a keeper in Brian Thomas Jr., who's on pace to be the most successful rookie receiver in team history.

On the other hand, Baalke has also signed duds such as Davis, Armstead, defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, and cornerback Ronald Darby. This is to say that he's not been dreadful but he hasn't been great either. But leaving aside his track record of acquiring talent, there's another reason the Jaguars must also cut ties with him if they fire Doug Pederson.

Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke don't seem to be on the same wavelength

Before Trent Baalke joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2016. During his stint in the Bay Area, he had a less-than-stellar reputation across the NFL. Known for being difficult to work with, he often clashed with then-head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Baalke ultimately gained control and Harbaugh was shown the door but he was later shown the door when he failed to replenish the roster. Despite his rocky tenure with the Niners, the Jags hired him as the director of player personnel in 2020 and was promoted to interim general manager the same year when David Caldwell was dismissed.

After conducting a search in 2021, the Jaguars decided to promote Baalke to general manager full-time. He took a back seat during the Urban Meyer era but became a notable figure once the embattled head coach got the boot.

While looking for Meyer's replacement, Jacksonville set its sights on then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who reportedly made it clear he wouldn't take the job if Baalke was the general manager. he would eventually withdraw his name for consideration, and the Jags went with Pederson.

Fast forward to 2024, and Baalke doesn't appear to see eye to eye with Pederson. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported after Week 4 that the duo had a strong rapport in the past, but their relationship is now strained. If that's the case, what makes you think it will be any different with a different head coach?

Baalke and Harbaugh often clashed but still deserved the benefit of the doubt when he joined the Jags. After three years in Duval, it's fair to say that things aren't much different. He's not done enough to make you think he will hire the right coach, work with him, and turn the Jaguars into a perennial contender.

If the Jacksonville Jaguars ultimately fire Doug Pederson, which is a realistic possibility, they must also move on from Trent Baalke. That would allow them to start over and bring in a general manager who'll bring a fresh perspective, something the organization sorely needs.

More Jaguars analysis here: