At first glance, a team coming off of a 3-13 season with a young quarterback that struggled at times doesn’t exactly seem like a great coaching opportunity for an aspiring head coach. However, once you delve a little deeper and consider other factors, the Jacksonville Jaguars have one of the most attractive head coaching vacancies in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars Have One of the Best Coaching Opportunities
The Roster
In 2013, when general manager David Caldwell and former head coach Gus Bradley took over the 2-14 Jaguars, the roster was devoid of talent. An aging and injury-riddled Maurice Jones-Drew was about all the team had going for them. Former general manager Gene Smith left the roster in shambles with miss after miss in the NFL Draft and free agency.
The only thing the Jaguars current roster has in common with that team is an abysmal record. The amount of talent on the current roster is leaps and bounds ahead of that team. The Jaguars have young superstars like Jalen Ramsey, Telvin Smith and Allen Robinson who are household names. However, that’s not where the talent ends. Across the board, there are talented young players on the roster. Players like Malik Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue, Dante Fowler Jr., Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee and Brandon Linder are also major building blocks for the future.
The biggest question mark on the roster right now is Blake Bortles. He’s had an up and down career thus far, but has flashed great potential at times. With the right coach, Bortles could really turn things around. He doesn’t have any major flaws that aren’t fixable. Working on his decision making is going to be the key to a successful future for the 24-year-old signal caller.
Ownership and The Front Office
Jaguars owner Shad Khan bought the team in 2012. He’s done wonderful things for the city of Jacksonville, expanded the Jaguars fan base to the U.K. and upgraded the stadium and facilities to one of the league’s best. Khan also showed great patience with Gus Bradley giving him four years to turn the team around.
Caldwell has had some success with the team as well. He’s hit on a good number of draft picks, brought in some quality free agents and has built a solid foundation for the team moving forward. There have been a few unsuccessful moves, most notably hiring Gus Bradley and missing on frequently injured free agent signee Julius Thomas. All things considered, Caldwell has done enough to retain his position moving forward.
The City
Another interesting factor for potential head coaches is the city of Jacksonville, itself. The Jaguars may not be one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, but they do have a loyal fan base. That fan base is hungry for wins and has been through it all with this team. A winning coach will become an instant fan favorite and admired by an entire city.
The city itself is growing and thriving, despite the unwarranted opinion of Trent Dilfer. It’s a beautiful city with beaches and year round warm weather. Not to mention, the state of Florida has no state income tax. Not many of the other head coaching vacancies can claim all of that. A potential coach could certainly walk into a lot worse.
