Jaguars interview Raiders staff for GM role as teams regroup ahead of 2025 campaign: Report

The final general manager opening in the NFL could soon be filled as the Jacksonville Jaguars have finished all their virtual interviews. The final interview was with Las Vegas Raiders Assistant GM Champ Kelly. The team is set to start in-person interviews for the role next week so they can begin preparations for the NFL draft in April and the distant 2025 season as soon as possible.

Anthony ‘Champ’ Kelly has been the Raiders assistant GM since 2022 and is a former football player for the University of Kentucky and the Lexington Horsemen of the United Indoor Football league.

Kelly started his professional executive career as a Denver Broncos scout in 2007, rising through the organization to eventually become the Assistant Director of Pro Personnel. He then left the Broncos to join the Bears in 2015 and was there till 2021. Kelly had previously interviewed for general manager openings with the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Denver Broncos.

Jaguars’ ongoing GM search

In addition to Champ Kelly, the Jaguars have interviewed nine other people for the role. They include:

• Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham
• Packers Vice President of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan
• Chargers Assistant General Manager Chad Alexander
• Giants Assistant General Manager Brandon Brown
• Former Titans General Manager Jon Robinson
• Bengals Senior Personnel Executive Trey Brown
• Bills Director of Player Personnel Terrance Gray
• 49ers Director of Scouting and Football Operations Josh Williams
• Rams Director of Scouting Strategy James Gladstone

The opening was the last to become available after Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired Trent Baalke halfway through the head coach search. Khan had initially intended to retain Baalke but changed his mind after speaking with several head coaching candidates.

The new hire will become the sixth general manager in Jaguars franchise history. Super Bowl winner Tom Coughlin was both the head coach and general manager from 1995 to 2002. James “Shack” Harris then assumed the role from 2003 to 2008.

They then promoted Gene Smith internally and he held the position from 2009 to 2012. David Caldwell was next in line from 2013 to 2020. The last person to hold the position was Trent Baalke, who was interim general manager before being made permanent in 2020. Baalke was previously general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

Whoever the team hires will have his work cut out for him. The franchise has the fourth-worst win-loss record in the NFL since 1995, the team's year of inception. The new general manager will be expected to turn around the fortunes of the team alongside new head coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has been the subject of recent trade rumors.