One of the biggest plotlines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars this season has been Doug Pederson's job security or lack thereof. Even though he led the team to the playoffs and won the AFC South title in 2022, the head coach has lost his touch. Heck, the Jags have gotten progressively worse the past two years. Yet, he remains employed, and while there's a chance Pederson could stay beyond 2024, NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN believe that his firing is still likely.
Graziano and Fowler make it clear that what they're hearing is outside speculation but go on to say that signs still point toward Jacksonville firing Pederson, noting that the biggest question is whether general manager Trent Baalke will get the boot as well.
"That said, the people to whom I'm talking to believe Jacksonville is likely to come open, and the question there is whether GM Trent Baalke will get to stay to pick the next coach to replace Doug Pederson or if the Jags will change both spots."
Fowler adds that the Jaguars can become a more appealing destination if they dismiss Baalke, but it's uncertain if they'll undergo a full cleanup.
"For the Jaguars, the sense I get from talking to people is that owner Shad Khan would make the head coaching job more attractive by also starting anew at general manager. People in Jacksonville are bracing for change, but whether that's a full-house cleaning still needs to be determined."
Heading into Week 12, a report surfaced that owner Shad Khan would prefer to wait until the offseason to make a change but could pull the trigger if the team was embarrassed against the Detroit Lions.
The Jags were humiliated but Khan opted not to make a move, and both Pederson and Baalke remain in place. In fact, there's a chance that neither will get their walking papers based on the owner's track record of giving his head coaches and general managers ample time to prove themselves.
Nobody will deny that Doug Pederson played a key role in helping the Jacksonville Jaguars heal from the Urban Meyer era. Surprisingly, he hasn't lost the locker room as it was reported earlier this year, but that doesn't matter if your team isn't winning. Dating back to Week 13 of the 2023 season, they've won just four of 19 games. That falls on the head coach. That said, Shad Khan has seemingly been reluctant to make a move, and there could be a few reasons for that.
This is a conjuncture, but maybe Khan doesn't see the point of firing Pederson with a few weeks left in the season. Conversely, the owner may not be nearly as involved in the day-to-day operations of the team and hasn't made up his mind yet. Regardless of the reason, it's clear that his head coach and general manager haven't delivered results, and the sooner he gets rid of both, the faster he can look for their potential replacements.
The next hiring cycle will have no shortage of options, and the Jaguars will be an appealing destination for potential candidates. Apart from having a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, they have both cap space and draft picks to revamp the roster. They could even have the most attractive opening if they move on from Trent Baalke, as having to work with him could be a potential turnoff.
Granted, there's a chance the Jags rally behind Pederson and finish the season strong. But even if they do, that shouldn't deter Khan from making a move. They already missed the playoffs two years in a row. They run the risk of missing them a third time if they don't make any changes.
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