3 dream Doug Pederson replacements who won’t waste Trevor Lawrence

It’s not a matter of if rather than when will the Jacksonville Jaguars make the inevitable decision to part ways with Doug Pederson. He was hired to rescue the team from the tragedy that was the Urban Meyer era. 

And though he was able to lead the Jags to the playoffs in year one, the last two seasons have shown that’s pretty much the best he’s got in Jacksonville. This season has been Pederson’s worst and declining over your tenure rather than improving is a recipe for losing your job. 

But who should the Jaguars turn to, to right this ship? If I were Shad Khan, I’d look to bring in an offensive mind that can work with Trevor Lawrence, build a system around him that will let him succeed and build from there. 

Here’s who Jacksonville should look at to replace Pederson and leave that era of the football team in the past. 

3. Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

What Ben Johnson is doing in Detroit is undoubtedly going to earn him the chance to lead an NFL team, probably sooner rather than later. He managed to take a system with two running backs and utilized them in a passing league to be some of the most explosive players in the offense. 

He’s taken Amon-Ra St. Brown and built an offensive system that has helped him score a touchdown in every game since Week 3, including two against the Jaguars on Sunday. 

And he’s created a system that’s allowed Jared Goff to thrive without seemingly trying to. While statistically he’s not one of the top quarterbacks, because the defense is playing otherworldly and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have combined for over 1,200 rushing yards, Goff is still impacting the game. 

What Johnson has shown with this Detroit offense proves he can find ways to ignite an otherwise boring Jacksonville offense. He’ll inherit Lawrence, Christian Kirk, Travis Etienne and Calvin Ridley. And with Etienne and Tank Bigsby, he can have his running back duo again. 

I feel like if there’s any coach that can save Lawrence’s career, it would be Johnson. 

2. Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks head coach

This is a long shot. This is assuming Dan Lanning leaves Oregon for the NFL. I feel like a lot of coaches struggle with the transition of coaching and dominating in college versus the NFL. While Lanning has done phenomenal in three seasons in Eugene, it would have to be the perfect situation for to go pro. 

And the opportunity to take a team that doesn’t need a lot of work in Jacksonville could be just that. He turned Dillon Gabriel into a Heisman candidate and put Oregon atop all of college football so far. If given the chance, he could certainly be a great match for Lawrence. 

In terms of being an NFL coach, coaching in the Big Ten is great preparation for that. While NFL defenses are better than college defenses, great offensive minds tend to find success. And Lanning having success offensively at Oregon could translate well for a team like Jacksonville. 

They have quite a few weapons to utilize and can add to that with this upcoming draft. I don’t think Lanning leaves Oregon, especially if they don’t win the Big Ten or even a national title. But if he does decide he wants to try his hand at the NFL, Jacksonville could be a win-win for both sides. 

1. Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator

Now Lawrence is no Lamar Jackson, but with what Todd Monken has done in Baltimore, the chance to work with Lawrence could serve as an opportunity for growth. This season, Monken has helped Baltimore have one of the best offenses this year. 

They added Derrick Henry this offseason; he and Jackson have carried this offense to one of the best in the NFL. They’re currently third in passing yards per game, first in rushing yards per game and first in points per game at nearly 32. 

While the Jags don’t quite have all the pieces Baltimore does, they do have enough for Monken to work with that could give them some life. 

The Jaguars need to hire an offensive-minded coach so Lawrence’s potential and career aren’t wasted and misused. Between Johnson and Monken, if either worked with Lawrence, the Jaguars would quickly become a problem in the AFC. 

And that’s the decision Khan and the rest of the Jaguars brass will have to make as it’s all but certain Pederson won’t be coming back for next year.