5 Doug Pederson replacements for the Jaguars to finally ready to end their nightmare

Yes, you can throw the teal visor out with the bath water. The Jacksonville Jaguars stink again, and it is due in large part to their head coach and general manager. While Trent Baalke might find a new and creative way to save face, this feels like it is the end of the line for Doug Pederson. Although I briefly championed the idea of Duval Doug being a thing, it was more fleeting than #Sacksonville ever was!

What we have here with Jacksonville is the idea of a team more than the literal construct of one. Last season's collapse down the stretch carried over into this season. Four years in, and we have very little proof that Trevor Lawrence is ever going to be more than just a guy under center for them. While I loved the idea of bringing in Ryan Nielsen to coordinate the defense, his side of the ball regressed.

In the end, Jacksonville is undeniably a poorly-run organization under Shahid Khan. He may want his franchise to be a new cornerstone of the NFL, but it is slowly sinking to the bottom of the St. Johns River. That being said, I do think there are a handful of interesting candidates who could conceivably take over for Pederson in Jacksonville next year. We have seen this franchise rebound quickly before.

Let's start with one candidate who knows the division well, but may have other way better options.

5. Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel

The best head-coaching to be had this offseason cycle has to be current Cleveland Browns consultant and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. I will never understand why the Titans fired him. It is probably the dumbest head-coaching change in a decade in the NFL. Regardless, Vrabel's time working in Nashville and Houston before that makes him a perfect fit.

Vrabel is an alpha male who will command the entire locker room. He is a great in-game tactician and knows how to build a terrific staff around him. While he may favor the defensive side of the ball, he is the type of head coach who could work seemingly everywhere, even in Jacksonville... My biggest concern is he will have so many far better options than the gig that is probably opening up here soon.

If Jacksonville were to somehow hire Vrabel, then the Jaguars may have made the best hire possible.

4. Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter

Defensive meltdowns have been a big reason why the Jaguars have devolved once again under Pederson. Nielsen was exceptional leading that side of the ball for my Atlanta Falcons, so I am troubled with how poorly it has gone for him down in Duval. Of the handful of defensive minds Jacksonville could realistically target, I like Jesse Minter of the Los Angeles Chargers quite a lot.

Minter followed his mentor Jim Harbaugh (pun intended) from Michigan to be on his Los Angeles staff this past offseason. To paint a perfectly clear picture, Los Angeles is better with him on the Chargers coaching staff, and Michigan is far worse off. Minter may be a tad green when it comes to being an NFL head coach, but leading men is in his blood, as illustrated by his father Rick who led Cincinnati.

Minter may be a year away from getting to lead his own team, but Jacksonville might be desperate.

3. Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury

Oh, this would be interesting. If the Jaguars were to hire Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, they would be replacing one NFL head-coaching retread with another. However, I do view Kingsbury differently than I do Pederson, most certainly now, and maybe even a bit after he spent a year out of football after failing with the Philadelphia Eagles. Let me explain a bit...

When Dan Quinn took over in Washington I had a strong feeling he would be fantastic in his second stint as an NFL head coach after failing in Atlanta. He has Washington playoff-bound. Quinn has a great eye for coordinators, as illustrated by Kingsbury's great success with Jayden Daniels under center right away. The Arizona Cardinals job is always tricky, but it may prepare him for Jacksonville.

Kingsbury may not be the ideal fit for the Jaguars, but he is a coaching candidate who can succeed.

2. Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having Houston Texans coordinator Bobby Slowik being the one to lead Jacksonville next season. He backed up last year's breakthrough season for him professionally with another playoff campaign in 2024. Simply put, Slowik stems from the right coaching tree to potentially come in and make a difference in Jacksonville. Being in the division helps.

My concern for Jacksonville regarding Slowik is he might have better options than just the Jaguars. He may be a sought-after candidate like Mike Vrabel and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, but probably more on the next wrung of candidates with the likes of Lions defensive coordiantor Aaron Glenn. Slowik will get a job if eight open up, but I am not sure it will be Jacksonville.

As it would be if the Jaguars hired Vrabel, Slowik having key intel on the AFC South would be a plus.

1. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Every time I think about who the Jaguars should hire to replace Pederson if they were to go in that direction, I always end up going back to Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Not only has he worked for the franchise before, but he has been nothing short of incredible as an offensive coordinator in his last two gigs. Lamar Jackson has leveled up and Georgia won playoffs.

In a way, he might actually be the best offensive-minded head-coaching candidate in this cycle. Experience is very much on his side. He also has head-coaching experience from his time leading Southern Miss. While he may not be anyone's first choice, he should be near the top of the list for teams like Chicago and Cleveland, in addition to Jacksonville. If all three open up, he will get one.

Monken rarely stays anywhere for very long, but he can finish out his coaching career in Jacksonville.