By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire
The clock is ticking…
We all expected Doug Pederson to be fired, and it didn’t take Jaguars’ GM Trent Baalke and owner Shad Khan to pull the trigger Monday morning on his three-year, 21-30 run. The release was out early.
Over the past few weeks, Pederson sounded like a defeated man. You could hear it in his tone and delivery that sank like the Titanic in recent weeks.
His club had 10 one-score games from their overall 3-14 record. Since they lost a Monday night game at the Bank last Dec. 4 to Cincinnati, the Jags went 4-19.
When you listened to his post-game presser against the Colts Sunday, Pederson knew what was coming.
They couldn’t close out games, and offensive coordinator Press Taylor and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen couldn’t get it right.
It all fell down upon Pederson, who lost quarterback Trevor Lawrence for good Dec. 1 after he missed two previous games.
But the season was derailed with Travis Etienne’s fatal fumble in the season opener against Miami, and that later followed with a flat home-opener against hapless Cleveland and blowouts against Buffalo and Detroit in which they were outscored by a combined horrendous mark of 99-16.
There was the humiliating loss to the Bears in London, and the frustrating close ones to Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, New York (Jets), Las Vegas, Houston (twice), and Indianapolis.
It was one downhill ride that Pederson couldn’t slow.
And so the clock is ticking..
Baalke and Kahn find themselves competing for Mike Vrabel, Brian Flores, Pete Carroll, Ben Johnson, Matt Nagy, and Aaron Glenn among some other candidates to replace Pederson. You can also throw John Gruden into the mix for a return trip to Florida.
Can former Jets’ boss Rex Ryan be a fit here if his former team doesn’t rehire him. Ryan would certainly straighten out the Jags’ defensive woes.
The Jags join the Jets, Bears, Saints, Patriots and likely the Raiders and possibly the Cowboys in the hunt for the elite group.
Lawrence and rookie phenom receiver Brian Thomas Jr. along with Josh Hines- Allen and Travon Walker on the other side of the ball are prime selling points. There’s also Khan’s new billion-dollar-plus stadium in a few years.
Don’t forget their elite kicking pair of punter Logan Cooke and kicker Cam Little, who are often overlooked.
Vrabel appears headed to New England, and Flores and Johnson are highly coveted. Khan should hand off the keys to Vrabel, Carroll, or Gruden as my top picks. Nagy is becoming a hot commodity with his work as the Chiefs’ top offensive guru, and could also work here.
I’m not sure about Johnson or Glenn, but they both may mesh well with Lawrence.
Aside from the above-mentioned candidates, there is sure to be a dark horse candidate.
Whatever the case, the clock is ticking for Baalke and Khan.
Pederson appeared to be the right choice three years ago.
Now the Jags’ lead duo had to move fast and get it right. There’s enough in place to get this team quickly back on track for the right man.
The clock is ticking.