There was a lot of change going on at 1 TIAA Bank Drive this offseason, including a coaching change. Just 11 months into Urban Meyer’s tenure which started last January, he was fired due to being behind several incidents on and off the field, and the journey started to find someone to replace him.
The Jacksonville Jaguars named Doug Pederson their new coach over a month later and things have gone smoothly since. A big reason for that is because he’s more familiar with the NFL than Meyer, and is a former player with a better understanding of the people he will be coaching.
For these reasons, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin listed Pederson’s hiring as the best move made by the Jags this offseason when previewing the top decisions of every AFC team in 2022.
Jaguars: Hiring former Eagles HC Doug Pederson
Adding Brandon Scherff to help protect Trevor Lawrence was smart, and their top rookies (DE Travon Walker, LB Devin Lloyd) should help fortify the defense. But nothing matters as much as getting it right up top after Urban Meyer instantly flamed out as the figurehead of their rebuild. Pederson’s proven, lovable approach should at least revive the spirit of the QB and organization.
As Benjamin mentioned, the fact that Pederson can revive the spirit of the quarterback is another reason his addition is significant.
The Jags selected Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick last season, but Meyer certainly didn’t make his first season in the NFL easy between the issues he caused at and away from TIAA Bank Field. Additionally, Lawrence had to take his lumps, as most rookie quarterbacks have to do in the NFL.
However, pairing Lawrence, who was viewed as a generational talent in the eyes of most draft pundits, with an offensive mind like Pederson is significant. The reason for that is because Pederson won the Super Bowl with quarterbacks who don’t have the same potential as Lawrence, which means the possibilities could be endless thanks to the Jags pairing the two.
Of course, other factors play a role in an organization turning things around, too, like the decisions made by the general manager. However, having the right quarterback and coach paring in place is a good start that could help the rest of the pieces fall in place easier.
