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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

  • Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hired

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
  • Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Bears Promote Press Taylor To OC

By | at February 8, 2026 10:27 pm

FEBRUARY 8: The Bears have indeed named Taylor their new offensive coordinator, per Rapoport (as relayed by Bobby Kownack of NFL.com). Of course, Johnson will continue to serve as the offensive play-caller, but Taylor — who is still considered a talented young coach — will receive a promotion and will take on a larger role in assisting Johnson and installing Chicago’s offense.

FEBRUARY 4: A successful first season as Chicago’s passing game coordinator may lead to a promotion for Press Taylor. The Bears will consider Taylor for their offensive coordinator job, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Head coach Ben Johnson is on the hunt for a new O-coordinator after losing Declan Doyle to the Ravens last week. Doyle left to work as a play-caller, which is a responsibility Johnson handles in Chicago. Taylor and Cardinals passing game coordinator Connor Senger are the first known candidates to replace Doyle.

Unlike Senger, the 38-year-old Taylor has previous OC experience, having held the position in Jacksonville from 2022-24. Head coach Doug Pederson called the plays in the first of those seasons, but he passed those responsibilities to Taylor over the next two years.

While the Jaguars finished a respectable 13th in total offense and scoring in 2023, they plummeted to 25th and 26th in those categories during a four-win 2024. That led to a coaching change in Jacksonville and Taylor’s departure.

With Taylor assisting their aerial attack in 2025, the Bears climbed from 31st in passing to 10th. Quarterback Caleb Williams made obvious strides in the second year of his career, helping the Bears to 11 wins and an NFC North title. While wide receiver D.J. Moore‘s production declined significantly, and fellow wideout Rome Odunze missed five games because of a foot injury, tight end Colston Loveland helped pick up the slack during an outstanding rookie campaign.

The Bears selected Loveland 10th overall last year and then grabbed another promising target, receiver Luther Burden, in the second round. After he helped Loveland and Burden combine for 105 catches, 1,365 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, the Bears are considering a bigger role for Taylor.

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Coaching Notes: Chiefs, Lions, Udinski, Leonhard, Idzik, Brown, Bears, Pitcher, Scheelhaase, Godsey

By | at January 3, 2026 10:36 pm

Matt Nagy looms as one of the top head coaching candidates with an offensive background in this year’s hiring cycle. A departure for a second HC opportunity (or at least a play-calling offensive coordinator role) is something to watch for over the coming days.

In the event Nagy were to head elsewhere, the Chiefs would find themselves in need of an OC replacement. The team could look to familiar options in such a scenario. Kansas City would “welcome back” Mike Kafka or Eric Bieniemy, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.

Bieniemy, 56, worked under Andy Reid from 2013-22. That span included five years in the offensive coordinator role. Bieniemy led Washington’s offense for one season before doing the same at UCLA. He is currently serving as the Bears‘ running backs coach. Kafka, meanwhile, was with the Chiefs for five years, operating as quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator along the way. As the interim head coach of the Giants, the 38-year-old’s future is currently unclear.

With Black Monday approaching, here are some other coaching notes from around the NFL:

  • Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently hinted at staffing changes. It would comes as little surprise if OC John Morton were to be among those let go, seeing as he was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the campaign. Morton said (via Rapoport and Pelissero) “I’d like to be here” when asked about the possibility of remaining in Detroit. Taking on a lesser role for next season could thus be something to watch for as Campbell looks into his coordinator options.
  • Overall, the pool of head coaching candidates for 2026 is not seen as being as strong as last year. A large number of firings over the next few days may not be forthcoming as a result. On the other hand, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes (subscription required) this winter could be busier than usual in terms of coordinator changes. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Broncos secondary coach Jim Leonhard, Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and Patriots pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown are among the staffers she identifies among those who have drawn strong reviews for their work this season.
  • Ben Johnson has impressed during his debut season in Chicago. He could be in line to lose a number of key assistants soon, however. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports names Bieniemy as a candidate to depart this winter with his stock having received a boost. In addition, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, pass-game coordinator Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett have each generated buzz regarding interest around the league. Johnson may have multiple vacancies to fill in the near future in the wake of Chicago’s successful campaign.
  • Dan Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016. Over that time, he has worked his way up to quarterbacks coach, a role he has had for six seasons and counting. The 38-year-old finds himself as an interview candidate for OC positions, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Losing Pitcher would deal another blow to the stability Zac Taylor enjoyed on his offensive staff until Brian Callahan‘s departure in 2025.
  • Fowler also points to Nate Scheelhaase as a “sleeper” with respect to offensive coordinator interviews. Scheelhaase, 35, served in many positions at the college level before joining the Rams in 2024; he currently serves as the team’s pass-game coordinator. Many Sean McVay assistants have gone on to land notable gigs elsewhere in the NFL, and along with D-coordinator Chris Shula Scheelhaase could soon become the latest to do so.
  • Since 2022, George Godsey has served as the Ravens’ tight ends coach. That tenure is nearing an end, however, Godsey is finalizing a deal to become the next offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports. By returning to his alma mater, Godsey will end a run of NFL coaching positions which dates back to 2011.
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Bears To Hire Press Taylor

By | at January 29, 2025 9:22 pm

Press Taylor‘s time as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator is over with Liam Coen in the process of building his first Jacksonville staff. Taylor has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity, however.

The ex-Jags OC is being hired by the Bears, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Taylor will take on the role of pass-game coordinator while working under Ben Johnson. The Bears recently added Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator, a role he has not previously held in the NFL.

Taylor, by contrast, worked in that capacity during his time in Jacksonville. Hired as an initial member of Doug Pederson‘s staff, the 37-year-old called plays for the team in 2023 and continued in that capacity for this past campaign. Things did not go according to plan either time, something which caught the attention of former general manager Trent Baalke.

A November report noted Baalke’s preference for this past offseason would have been for Pederson to fire Taylor and bring in a new OC. That did not happen, and a dismal campaign ended with Pederson and (eventually) Baalke being dismissed. Now, as Coen weighs his options, Taylor will once again find himself on the move.

The latter has been in the NFL since 2013, having spent his first eight years on the sidelines with the Eagles. The final three years of that stretch included the role of quarterbacks coach, and in 2020 Taylor also served as Philadelphia’s pass-game coordinator. He has experience in such a position, one which he will handle in 2025 for the Bears.

Providing quarterback Caleb Williams with stability in Year 2 and beyond will be critical for Chicago. Johnson, to no surprise, will call plays during his first campaign as a head coach, but the success he, Doyle and Taylor have in overseeing the development of last April’s No. 1 pick will go a long way in determining the Bears’ success. A strong run in the Windy City could also help rebuild Taylor’s stock around the league with respect to future OC opportunities.

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Jaguars’ Trent Baalke Wanted Doug Pederson To Fire OC Press Taylor?

By | at November 20, 2024 10:20 pm

The Jaguars stood 8-3 at this point last season but have gone 3-14 in the 17 games since that hot start. As a result, Doug Pederson is almost certain to be fired by season’s end. GM Trent Baalke is also on unstable ground.

Pederson remains employed as Jaguars HC, with owner Shad Khan thus far resisting the former Super Bowl-winning coach join Urban Meyer and Gus Bradley in being dismissed in-season. But it appears only a matter of time before Pederson is gone. Some around the league believe Khan will have no choice but to fire both Pederson and Baalke to start the 2025 offseason, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

[RELATED: Baalke-Bill Belichick Jacksonville Partnership Unlikely]

Sitting 2-9 after a 52-6 demolition at the hands of the soaring Lions, the Jaguars rank last defensively despite that being the area Pederson focused on in terms of staff turnover. Pederson fired two-year DC Mike Caldwell and most of his staff but opted to keep OC Press Taylor despite Baalke having conducted a close look into the state of the offense with Taylor at the controls. Pederson made Taylor the team’s full-time play-caller in 2023, and that plan carried over into this season. The younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor, Press has not distinguished himself during a dismal Jags season.

Baalke and Pederson are not seeing eye-to-eye presently, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Press Taylor’s presence is a key reason why. Baalke is believed to have wanted Pederson to make more staff changes, with Taylor’s name coming up as one the fourth-year Jags GM would have liked to see go. As was the case with the Eagles, however, Pederson has been loyal to Taylor. This is not the first time Taylor’s name has come up as a Pederson anchor, nor is this the first report of Pederson-Baalke strife.

The Eagles shot down Pederson’s plan to promote Taylor to OC in 2021; the team fired Pederson soon after. Nevertheless, the former Philadelphia honcho brought Taylor with him to Jacksonville and has stuck by him despite steady criticism. The Jaguars have tumbled from 13th to 28th in total offense since last season and 13th to 23rd in scoring. Trevor Lawrence‘s absence has played a small part in the decline, though the former No. 1 overall pick has been healthier than last season on the whole.

It is rather interesting Taylor’s name has caused so many issues for Pederson dating back to his time in Philly — only to see no action taken. Taylor remains in place as Jags OC, though his tenure in that role will be capped at three seasons. This has marked Taylor’s first OC opportunity, but Pederson promoted him to pass-game coordinator with the Eagles. That drew scrutiny once Carson Wentz regressed; Taylor did not interview for another OC post once the Jags hired him in 2022. Taylor, 36, has been a Pederson staffer throughout the latter’s HC tenure, even though it was Chip Kelly who initially brought him to Philly.

The reported HC-GM friction aside, Fowler adds some believe the coach has not lost the locker room. Baalke has plenty to answer for as well, seeing as he greenlit the three most lucrative extensions in franchise history (for Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell) only to see the team plummet off the contender tier. This came two years after Baalke’s famous Travon Walker-over-Aidan Hutchinson call. GMs do not receive second chances on the level HCs do, and it appears more likely than not the former 49ers front office boss’ second GM opportunity is nearing an end.

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Doug Pederson Not Considering Reclaiming Jaguars’ Play-Calling Role

By | at September 30, 2024 10:10 pm

Uncertainty about the Jaguars’ play-calling situation persisted throughout the offseason, and fans were kept in the dark about the matter even into the campaign’s first month. Doug Pederson shed some light on the issue in the wake of the team’s fourth loss of the season.

It is indeed OC Press Taylor holding the call sheet, as the longtime Pederson lieutenant did last season and as he did to start the preseason. While Pederson said days before the season he had not decided who would call plays and then did not clear up this matter to start the year, Taylor is at the controls for what has been a tough Jags start.

[RELATED: Pederson-Trent Baalke Relationship Strained?]

When asked if he would consider retaking play-calling duties, the third-year Jacksonville HC quickly shot down that notion (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) and praised Taylor. The former Super Bowl-winning HC then shifted some blame onto his players, which should do nothing to cool down a seat that has warmed up as the team has gone from authorizing three big-ticket extensions to 0-4.

“For what? I thought he called a great game,” Pederson said of Taylor. “As coaches, we can’t go out there and make the plays. It’s a two-way street. So you guys can sit here and point the finger all you want and it’s fine. Point it right at me, I can take it. OK.”

Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in his first season, which — perhaps not coincidentally — finished best, as the 9-8 team rallied to the divisional round and gave the eventual Super Bowl-winning Chiefs a scare. That came after a historic wild-card comeback win. Although the Jaguars reached 8-3 last season, they have now lost nine of their past 10 games. Trevor Lawrence has lost his past nine starts. with the quarterback completing just 53.3% of his passes. The former No. 1 pick connected on 66.3% of his throws in 2022 and 65.6% last season. Despite the Jaguars signing Gabriel Davis and then drafting Brian Thomas Jr. in Round 1, their passing game has regressed.

Pederson standing up for Taylor is not new. He employed Press Taylor, the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor, throughout his Philadelphia tenure. Press Taylor had arrived as a Chip Kelly hire in 2013 but climbed the ladder under Pederson. He became Philly’s QBs coach in 2018 and added the title of pass-game coordinator in 2020. After a 4-12 2020 season that involved the Eagles benching Carson Wentz, Pederson pitched an idea of promoting Taylor to OC to Eagles ownership. Many in the organization were leery of Taylor jumping another rung on the coaching ladder. Philly brass passing on that proposal helped lead Pederson out of town in January 2021.

This offseason, owner Shad Khan seemed to voice a preference for Pederson returning to the play-calling role. After all, Jacksonville’s HC called signals throughout his time running the Eagles and had taken the call sheet at points under Andy Reid in Kansas City. Considering the hot-seat rumors tied to Pederson, he has shown tremendous faith in Taylor.

With the Jags 0-4 after giving Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell the three most lucrative deals in team history, Khan is undoubtedly losing faith in the hire he made in 2022. Pederson may well be coaching for his job in Week 5, even though he is the first HC to lead this franchise to back-to-back winning seasons wince Jack Del Rio from 2004-05. Khan has fired two coaches (Gus Bradley, Urban Meyer) in-season. It may well be an upset at this point if that number does not expand to three before year’s end.

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Relationship Between Doug Pederson, Trent Baalke “Strained”; Latest On Jaguars’ HC, GM

By | at September 29, 2024 10:15 pm

Earlier this week, it was reported that Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson’s job could soon be in jeopardy given his team’s uninspired, 0-3 start to the 2024 season. Sources that spoke to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post appear to be in agreement that Jacksonville will indeed be making changes to its coaching staff and/or front office in the near future.

One GM told La Canfora that Pederson would be the first HC dismissed this year, and that, “it’s just a matter of time now. [Trevor Lawrence] hasn’t looked right since they made the playoffs [in 2022], [Pederson]’s offense is terrible, and the defensive coordinator (Ryan Nielsen) looks totally in over his head. That’s a bad football team.”

On the other hand, sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that it is unclear exactly what changes owner Shad Khan could realistically make in-season. While much of the blame for the Jags’ poor start has been focused on Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor – which is understandable, given that the team currently ranks 30th in scoring – there is no clear choice to replace either man on the coaching staff at the moment.

Mike McCoy, who currently serves as Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach, has not coordinated an offense since 2018, when he worked as the Cardinals’ head coach and oversaw a unit that struggled, which led to his own midseason ouster. And while Pederson could certainly take play-calling duties back from Taylor – as owner Shad Khan not-so-subtly suggested should happen back in June – retaining Pederson while firing Taylor seems unlikely.

“No one on staff can replace what Press does for [Pederson],” a source told Jones. Added another source, “I understand everyone’s narrative would be to fire Press. But even from a practical standpoint, I don’t know how you successfully game plan if you fire him. You’re wasting [Lawrence’s] season by doing that.”

Our story from a few days ago indicated that GM Trent Baalke was perhaps on firmer footing than Pederson, though the Jaguars’ struggles obviously are not doing him any favors either. Both Jones and La Canfora make note of Baalke’s ill-fated decision to use the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft on Travon Walker rather than Aidan Hutchinson, to say nothing of the top-of-the-market extension authorized for Lawrence this offseason, a transaction that has already garnered heavy criticism.

Per Jones, the relationship between Baalke and Pederson is strained, and there is “misalignment from owner to GM and head coach.” Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, like Jones, says the fact that there is no obvious Pederson replacement on the staff could help the embattled HC at least get the chance to finish out the year. That said, if the losses continue to mount, Khan may feel compelled to pull the trigger on a midseason overhaul, in which case he might be making a call to Bill Belichick.

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Jaguars Undecided On Week 1 Play-Caller

By | at September 4, 2024 3:09 pm

The Jaguars switched their primary play-caller just before last season. At least, it was revealed they would do so shortly before their 2023 slate began. The team’s performance — particularly down the stretch last year — has made this topic one of the top issues coming out of Jacksonville this summer.

Days before Week 1, Doug Pederson may or may not know where the call sheet will reside Sunday. The third-year Jags HC said Wednesday (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) he has not decided if he or OC Press Taylor will call plays.

[RELATED: Assessing Jaguars’ 2024 Offseason]

Pederson did say Taylor will be on the sideline, as opposed to in the press box, on gamedays. But the former Super Bowl-winning HC is either leaving the audience in suspense or is taking this rather important decision down to the wire. Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2022 but handed the reins to Taylor last year.

As of the team’s preseason opener, Taylor still held this role. However, Shad Khan injected himself into the proceedings earlier this offseason. Addressing a report that indicated Pederson could be on the hot seat, the owner said he would want to call plays were he in that situation. Khan did not confirm Pederson was on the hot seat, but it did appear the owner would prefer the former Eagles play-caller take the Jags gig back.

Were Pederson truly on the hot seat, it would be odd if he entrusted Taylor once again. Then again, Eagles ownership disagreeing with Pederson’s plan to promote Taylor to OC was among the reasons the HC was forced out of Philadelphia.

Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries hindered Taylor’s first full-time play-calling effort last season, but the team plummeting from 8-3 to 9-8 and out of the playoffs clearly dropped the third-year OC’s stock. Pederson certainly suffered from the collapse as well. Even though the freefall led to DC Mike Caldwell and most of his staff being shown the door, Jags GM Trent Baalke took a long look at the state of the offense as last season deteriorated. It would be interesting, then, to see Taylor back in the role.

Jacksonville made personnel changes on offense, swapping out Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones with Gabriel Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. The team also changed centers, signing longtime Bills blocker Mitch Morse. We will soon find out if another key change is coming.

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Latest On Jaguars OC Press Taylor

By | at August 11, 2024 11:37 am

For now, at least, Jaguars OC Press Taylor is still the team’s offensive play-caller. Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL noted prior to last night’s preseason opener against the Chiefs that Taylor would call the plays in that contest, and that he would do so from the field as opposed to the booth.

In 2022, Doug Pederson’s first year as Jacksonville’s head coach, Pederson himself handled play-calling duties, and the Jags finished 10th in the league in both points and total offense. Pederson handed the reins to Taylor in advance of the 2023 season, and the club slipped to 13th in both categories and 18th in DVOA. Plus, quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not take the step forward that many anticipated (though that did not stop Lawrence from securing a massive extension in June, which is more of a testament to the exploding QB market than the former Clemson star’s performance to date).

This offseason, GM Trent Baalke was rumored to be taking a hard look into the state of the club’s offense, and Taylor in particular. Obviously, both Pederson and Taylor remain in their respective posts, though the 2024 season will be pivotal for the Duval County futures of the HC/OC duo. Owner Shad Khan made some pointed comments on the matter back in June.

Referencing a New York Times piece alluding to Pederson’s job security, Khan said, “if I were in that situation, I’d want my hands on the wheel. But I don’t want to tell people ‘we need to do it’ because then things don’t work out, they look at me and say, ‘we did it because you wanted it.’ … Doug, he’s empowered. I’m going to let him decide.”

O’Brien did not indicate whether Pederson has even considered a reprisal of his role as play-caller, and it would qualify as something of a surprise if he did, given his steadfast loyalty to Taylor. Indeed, when he was serving as the Eagles’ head coach, Pederson reportedly wanted to promote Taylor – who was Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at the time – to offensive coordinator following the 2020 season. Pederson’s disagreements with team brass in that regard led to a mutual parting of the ways just two years after he stewarded the Eagles to their first and only Super Bowl title.

Pederson’s only recent comments about Taylor’s duties pertained to his protege’s move to the field from the booth. “You feel connected to the game a little more [on the field],” Pederson said. “Early in my career, I was in the box as well. Little more challenging up there.”

Nothing about that, of course, indicates that Pederson is contemplating a more dramatic change.

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Shad Khan Addresses Jaguars’ Play-Calling Situation, 2023 Shortcomings

By | at June 27, 2024 4:57 pm

Entering Week 13 competing for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, the Jaguars tumbled to a disappointing 9-8 finish. This led to Doug Pederson canning most of his defensive staff. As for Pederson and the offensive staff, this figures to be an important season — especially now that the Jags extended Trevor Lawrence at a record-tying rate.

Lawrence is now tied to a five-year, $275MM deal, but the contract comes after the former No. 1 overall pick did not build on his late-season 2022 success. Injuries played a central role in Lawrence’s underwhelming third season, but the heat is on Pederson and OC-turned-play-caller Press Taylor.

After Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2022, he handed the reins to Taylor before the ’23 season. A former Pederson assistant in Philadelphia, Taylor — the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor — had not been a primary play-caller previously. Pederson has not said if he will reclaim those duties this season, but Shad Khan made an interesting comment about the situation. Referencing a New York Times piece alluding to the third-year HC’s job security, the owner said, “If I were in that situation, I’d want my hands on the wheel.”

“Yeah, I have an opinion,” Khan said, via the Associated Press’ Mark Long, on the Jags’ play-calling situation. “But I don’t want to tell people ‘We need to do it’ because then things don’t work out, they look at me and say, ‘We did it because you wanted it.‘ … Doug, he’s empowered. I’m going to let him decide.”

Khan did not indicate this is a do-or-die season for Pederson, though his hypothetical comment regarding the situation could certainly be perceived as the owner having a preference for the head coach taking back the reins. GM Trent Baalke also was believed to be taking a close look at the state of the offense during the season’s final weeks.

The Jags only dropped from 10th to 13th in scoring (DVOA placed Jacksonville’s offense 18th) between 2022 and 2023, but after a strong finish covered for a sluggish start in Pederson’s Jacksonville debut, his 2023 follow-up’s fortunes nosedived in the second half. Lawrence finished in the same QBR position (17th) as 2022, but after the team gave the fourth-year passer a $55MM-per-year deal, it stands to reason it expects a jump from the former elite prospect.

If Taylor lands another shot as the team’s play-caller, it will certainly come with high stakes for the 36-year-old assistant. Pederson showed enough confidence in Taylor he wanted to promote him to OC in Philly following the 2020 season. Eagles ownership disagreed, leading to Pederson’s dismissal two years after Super Bowl LII.

When addressing the events of last season as a whole, Khan called it an “organizational failure.” The Jags, who also made franchise-tagged defender Josh Allen the NFL’s second-highest-paid edge rusher, have one 10-win season during Khan’s 12-year ownership tenure.

“Injuries are a part of the game. We had some of those injuries, but I think it’s organizational failure that it happened,” Khan said. “All of these players I talked to, it’s like how could this happen? What happened?

“For me, it’s really a cause for self-reflection and then something good to come out of it because we just can’t have that this year.”

Pederson’s first season gave Khan some cover for his disastrous Urban Meyer decision, one he backtracked on in less than a year. Although Khan fired Meyer and 2012 hire Mike Mularkey after one season, the Jags owner gave Doug Marrone four-plus seasons and Gus Bradley nearly four years despite the latter’s tenure producing a historically bad .226 win percentage. But the Jags have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises under Khan’s ownership.

The Pederson-Lawrence partnership represents a gateway to potential contender status, and were Khan to fire the former Super Bowl-winning HC, it would tie the franchise quarterback — the only one left standing with his original team from 2021’s five-QB first round — to a third offensive scheme in five seasons. This is a rather deep AFC, however, and it will be challenging for the Jaguars to infiltrate the conference’s top tier. The team will hope a Lawrence leap can elevate the roster, one that added two new wide receivers (Gabe Davis, first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr.) and veteran linemen in Arik Armstead and Mitch Morse, this offseason.

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