Another terrible news hit: head coach of jacksonville Doug Pederson has sorrowfully announced…
What does Doug Pederson’s hiring mean for the Jaguars going forward, and why is it so significant?
A head coach is in place at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Owner Shad Khan officially announced the Jaguars’ decision to go with former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson as Urban Meyer’s replacement on Thursday night, capping a weeks-long search.
Khan remarked, “Doug Pederson won a Super Bowl four years ago as head coach of a franchise trying to win its first world championship.
” “I’m hoping Doug can work that kind of magic here in Jacksonville, but one thing is for sure—he has a track record of success as a head coach in the National Football League and strong leadership. It’s precisely what our athletes are due. Not a bit less.
“When you combine this with his offensive acumen, you can see why I’m thrilled to announce Doug Pederson as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ new head coach. I’m confident that Doug and his family will receive a hearty welcome from our supporters in Duval, and I personally am looking forward to having Doug involved in all that we have planned for the team, downtown, and community in the years to come.
However, what does the Jaguars’ acquisition of Pederson really signify? After a full year under Meyer’s leadership, was it the right decision? We explain our reasoning for believing that Pederson is in a good place at the Jaguars and that this is a smart hire below.
In the end, Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars made the right choice by hiring a capable coach to aid in his development.
In the end, the Jaguars made the best decision for Trevor Lawrence’s growth. Although the head coach has more responsibilities than helping the quarterback develop, it was evident right away that Lawrence needed to be the Jaguars’ top priority when it came to hiring a new coach. And although it’s debatable if they actually accomplished that, at least they concluded the process with a head coach who will undoubtedly help Lawrence. Though it took a while to get there, Lawrence’s hiring by the Jaguars is encouraging for his future.
Just consider the progress Carson Wentz made while playing for Pederson, who aided in his development into an MVP-caliber quarterback. Along with Nick Foles, he also had success with Alex Smith, Josh McCown, Jalen Hurts, and others. In the NFL, Pederson has served as a starter, a backup, and a member of the practice squad. He has led them as a head coach, called plays for them, and worked with quarterbacks. To be honest, not many coaches are as qualified as Pederson to develop a quarterback. From a leadership and personality standpoint, he seems like a good fit for Lawrence. Unlike previous coaches, he should design his scheme around Lawrence rather than the other way around.
Lawrence needs to be guided by a coach who can bring out the best in him before the Jaguars end this coaching cycle. They achieved that with Pederson, a development that gives Lawrence and the Jaguars brass hope for the future.
Trent Baalke’s domino effect still needs to fall.
Even though the signing of Pederson is historic, Trent Baalke, the controversial and troubled general manager, continues to cast a shadow that needs to be addressed. If the Jaguars didn’t also announce former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman in a front office capacity, it would be shocking. Including Pederson as well, who, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, had doubts about Baalke, would imply that the Jaguars are still holding out hope for Baalke to fall into place.
That domino, if I had to guess, will be Baalke staying in his position as general manager but exerting less authority and influence than he did in the previous season and even the year prior. The Jaguars still need to formally decide how Baalke and Pederson will get along after it was revealed that Baalke was a hindrance to the team’s search for a head coach. It is important that some clarification be given on this matter as soon as possible, but it is remarkable that Baalke remains such a hot topic even after the Jaguars hired a head coach who won the Super Bowl.
The No. 1 overall pick might be persuaded to strengthen the offensive line by Pederson.
Is Doug Pederson already having an effect on the Jaguars’ first-round selection? Even though the 2022 NFL Draft is still a ways off, I believe that Pederson’s hiring particularly indicates a potential direction for the Jaguars.
And that lean, in my opinion, would probably now be toward offensive line prospects like Charles Cross of Mississippi State, Ikem Ekwonu of NC State, and Evan Neal of Alabama. This isn’t because I believe Pederson will try to exert a lot of personnel power and influence; rather, I believe that part of Pederson’s strategy for Trevor Lawrence is probably to put a strong focus on his protection.
I could see Pederson pitching the Jaguars on the idea of establishing the offensive trenches for Lawrence, given the tremendous success of the Eagles’ offensive line under his leadership, which included perhaps the best center, best guard, and best tackle combination in football during their Super Bowl run.
The Jaguars need pass-rush support as well, but they also have questions at center and right tackle, and 60% of their starting offensive line is set to become free agents. I expect that this will become more and more of a focus, and possibly even secure a lineman as the No. 1 overall pick, as the Jaguars need to rebuild their offensive line and now have a coach who understands the value of a dominant line.
