NFL insider’s notes on Jaguars: Latest on Trent Baalke's future, plans to poach star candidate from Bears and more

The Jacksonville Jaguars are making changes in the organization, again. Just two years after making the playoffs and a season after winning nine games (when they lost 5 of their last 6), the Jaguars sacked Doug Pederson after a 4-13 campaign.

So what’s next?

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Jaguars GM Trent Baalke's future in Jacksonville

Many were surprised when the Jaguars cut head coach Doug Pederson loose yet chose to retain general manager Trent Baalke, but the latter may only be in that position short term. People in the league believe Baalke will help guide owner Shad Khan through the process of hiring a new head coach and general manager and eventually end up in a consultant role with the team or find a different position within the organization.

Baalke started as the Director of Player Personnel with the organization in 2020 and later became interim general manager that same year when Dave Caldwell was released later during the season. Since receiving the title of general manager in 2021, the club has a record of 25-43 with one playoff appearance.

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Jaguars all-in on Ben Johnson

As far as the coaching search, people tell me the team is all in on Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions who once again is the hot candidate on the head coaching front. Johnson will be able to pick the head-coaching job he wants from the openings available.

This of course assumes he even wants to leave Detroit and become the top guy somewhere else. After turning down the Commanders last year, when the job was his, Johnson has been non-committal on taking a head-coaching job for the 2025 season.

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Sleeper HC candidate Jaguars are monitoring

Besides all the other candidates being spoken about in league circles as possibilities in Jacksonville, sources tell me one guy to keep an eye on for the Jaguars job is Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

The former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals is watching his star rise again as he fosters the development of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. The feeling is that Kingsbury will help elevate Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the first pick of the 2021 draft, whose game has seemed to stagnate under Doug Pederson for reasons not all his fault.

Yet Kingsbury may be in no rush to take a job, and like Ben Johnson, he may not move from his present role unless the opportunity suits him. Ten months after signing a five-year contract extension with the Cardinals, the organization released Kingsbury and is still on the hook for what is believed to be $6 million annually through 2027.