Doug Pederson Replacements: 3 candidates Jaguars should consider if season goes sideways
Doug Pederson's time with the Jacksonville Jaguars looks close to ending, with the head coach leading a team that's completely stalled at the moment. Trevor Lawrence's development stopped in 2022, Pederson can't make his team play at a high tempo and they are still winless in 2024.
Pederson's unwillingness to change some ideas, and also to replace Press Taylor as his offensive coordinator, is going to cost him his job. The same ideas that didn't work in 2023 are being reused and are failing again. Yes, he was better than Urban Meyer, but that was a low bar to clear.
Check out some possible replacements for Pederson in case Shad Khan decides it's time for a change.
3 candidates Jaguars should consider to replace Doug Pederson
#1. Ben Johnson (Lions offensive coordinator)
Johnson will be the most-sought offensive-minded coach over there due to his excellent job with the Detroit Lions. In 2023, he was also looked at by many teams, but he performed a U-Turn and decided to stay with the franchise for another season.
He has developed Jared Goff into a good quarterback, and his scheme aligns with the NFL's current offensive trends. Fresh off an 18-for-18 game for the quarterback where he also received a touchdown, it's impossible to overlook Johnson as a possible replacement for Pederson.
One of the biggest problems in the current Jacksonville Jaguars team is how stale and heartless they look when they're playing. Johnson would bring a great sense of urgency and his offensive designs would be massive to unlock Trevor Lawrence again.
#2. Jim Schwartz (Browns defensive coordinator)
If you have a lot of stars on your side of the ball, you better make it work – the Cleveland Browns had trouble with this in 2022, but this was fixed with Jim Schwartz taking over as defensive coordinator. Sure, the team suffered so many injuries that they couldn't muster a playoff win, but the defense was excellent.
One thing you can't deny about Schwartz is that he always seems to be under fire (in a good way), which is the complete opposite of Doug Pederson's calm demeanor. He would put the same energy to his players, and no team needs fresh blood more than the Jaguars now.
He had already done a great job with the Eagles – he could be up for a new gig as a head coach in the league.
#3. Bobby Slowik (Texans offensive coordinator)
Slowik has ascended through NFL rankings quickly, with his job with the young Houston Texans offense becoming a staple of offensive modernity. The way he has helped the development of C.J. Stroud has not gone unnoticed in league circles, and he was also a hot commodity in the previous hiring cycle.
After this season is over, and if the Texans indeed make the playoffs again with Stroud playing at a high level, many teams will look to acquire his services. The Jaguars would love to keep him in the AFC South and do the same magic to Lawrence as he did to Stroud.