As coaching rumors surround the Jacksonville Jaguars, they could be heading into an offseason where major changes will be happening at a high level. This was amplified after the Jaguars lost by 46 points to the Detroit Lions as they now have a 2-9 record, which has led ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler to share what he is hearing about the team and possible changes.
There is no doubt it has been a disappointing season, to say the least, for Jacksonville, as some thought that, led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson, they would have a shot at the AFC South. However, fast forward to where they are today, and Fowler compares the situation to that of the “Titanic.”
“The Jaguars’ building was filled with curiosity Monday and Tuesday after the team lost 52-6 to the Lions, as people with the team braced for changes in light of the 2-9 record entering the bye,” Fowler wrote. “One source classified any potential firings as “deck chairs on the Titanic.” In other words, no Week 12 tweak would be able to stop what seems like an inevitability: an overhaul in the offseason. But they were definitely bracing for some sort of change, which never came.”
Jaguars looking to overhaul seems “inevitable”
As Fowler mentioned, the overhaul seems to be inevitable as Pederson and maybe even general manager Trent Baalke could be gone, leading owner Shad Khan to find other qualified people to lead the franchise. Pederson would even mention a possible meeting with Khan, but Fowler would go through the ramifications if the head coach were to be “spared.”
“One open-ended question there: Even if Doug Pederson were spared, would he be asked to fire coordinators? And if so, would Pederson oblige?” Fowler wrote. “He has been loyal to offensive coordinator Press Taylor, his coordinator in Philadelphia when the Pederson regime got let go after the 2020 season. The team had high hopes when hiring defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, whose Jaguars rank last in total defense. Defensive backs coach Kris Richard and quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy would be interim coaching candidates, though right now, that feels like a moot point. And where does GM Trent Baalke, on whom owner Shahid Khan has leaned heavily for football guidance in past years, fit into the equation should Pederson go?”
A closer look inside the Jaguars locker room
As Fowler would say, there is very little chance that Jacksonville’s season is saved as they head into a bye week after the monstrous loss to the Lions. The Jaguars losing Trevor Lawrence to injury didn’t help at all, either.
“The prevailing theme from people I’ve talked to around the league is that Jacksonville will have little choice but to completely reset in the offseason and move on from both,” Fowler continued. “Some within the team believe Pederson hasn’t lost the locker room, and the back end of the schedule is manageable, with five of the six opponents currently holding a losing record. But that’s probably too much optimism for this situation. This season has been a strain, though players were trying to stay upbeat through film sessions Monday. “There is talent here,” a team source said. “But you have to make plays in this league, and we aren’t making them.”
The Jaguars next face the Houston Texans on Dec. 1.
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