When the Jacksonville Jaguars made the playoffs and won the AFC South in 2022, it looked like they had the right head coach in Doug Pederson. However, things quickly went sideways, and they failed to make the playoffs the following two years.
Not surprisingly, Pederson got the boot, along with general manager Trent Baalke, after the 2024 season. To replace them, the Jags hired Liam Coen and James Gladstone. Together, the duo made much-needed changes to both the coaching staff and the roster. This is understandable when you take into account that the past regime didn't have the talent or depth to compete.
But as promising as the roster looks ahead of the regular season, an NFL analyst sees the changes Jacksonville underwent as a negative.
Changes across the board could spell trouble for the Jaguars
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report took a look at every team's biggest issue ahead of the 2025 season and chose big changes everywhere for the Jags, pointing out that the overhaul they experienced may not be enough to help them keep up with playoff contenders. Here's the skinny.
"Trevor Lawrence is taking the reins of his third offense in five years under incoming head coach Liam Coen, and he's doing so with a rejigged-but-still-mediocre offensive line and a new receiver in Travis Hunter," Gagnon wrote. "Meanwhile, the defense has a new boss as well, with Anthony Campanile coming over from Green Bay. Hunter is a new presence, too, along with fellow defensive backs Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray."
Gagnon goes on to argue that all the changes could turn out to be a positive in the long run, but Jacksonville could still struggle early in the regular season.
"All of this change could be for the better, as the Jags have consistently underperformed of late. Still, it leaves a lot up in the air for a team that has to deal with the Bengals, 49ers, and Chiefs in the first five weeks of the season."
For context, the Jags will play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. They'll then face the Houston Texans before they go against the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively.
Related: A bold Travis Hunter prediction proves the Jaguars have a game-altering talent
The Jaguars hired Liam Coen and James Gladstone because they needed an overhaul
In fairness, change can be tough and take time. That said, the Jaguars, both their roster and coaching staff, were in dire need of a turnaround. After all, Doug Pederson wasn't invested in coaching the team, and Jacksonville lacked feistiness during his three-year stint. Liam Coen is quickly changing that.
Coen is heavily involved in coaching his players and is bringing an element of toughness that the Jags had missed for years. He's highly regarded across the league and is expected to turn the Jaguars into an offensive powerhouse like he did for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year.
On the other hand, James Gladstone has wasted no time addressing the large scale roster, bringing in intangibly rich players. These are players who are tough and love to play the game of football.
When you add it all up, the Jaguars are in better shape than they were at the end of the 2024 season. Does that mean they won't deal with an adjustment period? No, they'll endure tough stretches every now and then, but Jacksonville most definitely needed to press the reset button.
So far, it looks like hiring Liam Coen and James Gladstone was the right call, as the Jaguars are seemingly headed in the right direction. Don't be surprised if the duo is already getting their flowers by midseason if Jacksonville is off to a strong start. Heck, making the playoffs after the overhaul should be a realistic expectation for the new regime.
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