Jaguars make the right decision at the absolute wrong time with Trent Baalke

It's in with the new, out with the old for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In a stunning turn of events, GM Trent Baalke is out after four misbegotten years in Jacksonville. Only nine of his 38 draft picks turned into regular starters and the Jaguars went 25-43 during his tenure, including a miserable 4-13 campaign after handing Trevor Lawrence one of the biggest contracts in NFL history.

This was a long time coming, even if we all thought Jacksonville was going to stick with Baalke a while longer. He has been bad in practically every facet of management, alienating coworkers, fumbling free agent opportunities, and engineering several high-profile whiffs on draft night.

The Jags should have pulled the trigger on this change a while ago. Shad Khan famously told reporters he was open to firing the GM... with Baalke in the room. Now, as the head coaching carousel turns and the landscape of options changes for Jacksonville, the decision has been passed.

Jaguars officially part ways with GM Trent Baalke after four seasons

This is a new dawn in Jacksonville, and spirits ought to rise in the fanbase as a result. Baalke was plainly holding this team back. Perhaps the best indicator was the coaching candidates who removed their names from consideration with the Jags.

Former Lions OC (and new Bears head coach) Ben Johnson did not meet with Jacksonville due to concerns over "the setup." Then, Bucs OC and one-time Jags frontrunner Liam Coen withdrew his name from consideration on the eve of his second interview. Coincidence? Probably not.

The Jaguars may not be unable to unmake this mess and bring Coen back into the fold, but removing Baalke is an important step toward a brighter future. If the Jaguars can nail their next GM hire (and head coach hire, of course), there is plenty of upside baked into a roster that involves Trevor Lawrence, whose natural talent has been too often squandered by makeshift rosters and hapless play-callers.

As of now, the two coaches remaining on Jacksonville's radar are Raiders DC Patrick Graham and former Jets HC Robert Saleh. That said, it would not be shocking if the search takes an unexpected turn with Baalke no longer consulting.

The Jags really need an offensive-minded head coach to shepherd Lawrence into the future. That seems a little too obvious, and makes their current focus on accomplished defensive coordinators a bit baffling. Of course, Saleh particularly got an unfairly bad rap in New York. He's a competent head coach, and the right offensive coordinator might be enough to take Lawrence to that next level. That is just another uncertain variable, though.

Baalke's departure is a great first step for Jacksonville, but this offseason can't be labeled a success just yet. They need to deliver the necessary improvements in the wake of this move, lest Shad Khan slip the franchise back into another cycle of mediocrity and disappointment.