The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the midst of one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. And that disappointment could lead to significant change sooner rather than later. The Jags take on that one Detroit Lions on Sunday before their Week 12 bye. If Jacksonville emerges as a loser in Week 11 – which will surely happen if the Jaguars are outscored 42-6 – CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reports that this could mean the end of the Doug Pederson era in Jacksonville.
Jones also notes that the league is expected to search for a new head coach and general manager this offseason.
Trent Baalke will have a 30-64 record as Jags GM, with a loss to the Detroit Lions today likely as Jacksonville trails 42-6 in Game 3. Baalke has only two playoff appearances and one playoff win since taking over in 2021.
This report on possible changes follows one NFL Media report that suggested the team could make a “dramatic move” as early as this week. Should the Jaguars move on from Pederson, quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy could be a candidate to take over on an interim basis given his previous experience as a head coach.
As for who might lead the team in 2025, Jones added that they could explore two Lions coordinator options today Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
An in-season change at both locations wouldn't be uncommon for Jacksonville. In 2020, the franchise fired GM Dave Caldwell in late November after three seasons. Then, in 2021, the Jaguars fired head coach Urban Meyer, less than a year into his tenure.
Pederson was brought in as head coach in 2022 in hopes of bringing some stability to the organization and came with one winning background. However, the team has not yet reached the heights it hoped for under Pederson, which includes a 2-8 start to the 2024 season.
This difficult phase for the Jaguars is also due to the organization's donations Trevor Lawrence And Josh Hines Allen Monster expansions this offseason. That led to Jaguars owner Shad Khan calling them “the best team the Jacksonville Jaguars have ever assembled” in September, adding further stamp to that well-under-.500 record.
With that in mind, changes are likely to happen, and they could reportedly come as early as this week, especially given the immense struggles against Detroit.
