NFL analyst assesses how competitive Doug Pederson-less Jaguars are in HC scrum

The Jacksonville Jaguars' decision to retain general manager Trent Baalke while firing coach Doug Pederson has sparked serious concerns among NFL insiders. According to NFL on NBC's Mike Florio, this move could significantly limit the team's options in their coaching search after a disastrous 4-13 season.

Florio, a respected NFL analyst and journalist, has consistently monitored the Jaguars' situation throughout their tumultuous 2024 season. The team's performance nosedived after starting 0-4, including embarrassing losses to the Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.

Speaking on NFL on NBC's YouTube channel on Monday, Florio addressed the implications of Jaguars team owner Shahid Khan's decision to keep Baalke. This is while searching for Pederson's replacement, their sixth head coach since 2011.

"That's a bold move by Khan because what it means is he's not going to get any head coach who has options," Florio said. "The word on the street is nobody wants to work with him. And anybody who's got juice is going to go somewhere else."

The stakes are particularly high following Pederson's firing. Under his leadership, Jacksonville showed early promise with back-to-back 9-8 seasons in 2022 and 2023. They even staged a remarkable 27-0 comeback against the LA Chargers in the 2022 wild-card round.

Breaking down Jacksonville's coaching conundrum after Doug Pederson's firing

Syndication: Florida Times-Union - Source: Imagn

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms reinforced Mike Florio's assessment during the same broadcast.

"I don't think any new head coach, it's ideal that they go away GM that's been there before me and gone through some coaches already and now I'm coming in and we're not coming into together as kind of a team or a unit," Simms said.

The situation is particularly complex given Trent Baalke's mixed track record. While he drafted quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne Jr., his 2024 free agent class struggled. The team spent over $75 million in guarantees on players like Gabe Davis, who managed just 20 catches in 10 games before landing on IR.

Despite these challenges, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Monday that Jacksonville's job remains attractive on paper — narrowly outranking Chicago. The roster features promising talent, including rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who set franchise rookie records in catches, yards and touchdowns.

However, defensive woes loom large. In 2024, the Jaguars ranked last in passing defense (257.4 yards per game) and turnovers (nine). They also ranked 31st in total defense (389.9 yards) and 27th in scoring (25.6 points per game).

As per ESPN, offensive coordinators Ben Johnson (Lions), Liam Cohen (Buccaneers), Joe Brady (Bills), Kellen Moore (Eagles) and Bobby Slowik (Texans) could be potential candidates. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is also considered a strong contender for Doug Pederson's seat, particularly given Jacksonville's defensive struggles. The next coach will inherit a team that went 3-10 in one-score games in 2024 — the most such losses in a single season in the Super Bowl era.