The Jacksonville Jaguars are reportedly interviewing Carolina Panthers passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Jaguars are moving fast when it comes to filling the defensive coordinator opening.
Cooley is now one of five candidates that have either interviewed or will interview for the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator opening, joining Daronte Jones, Patrick Graham, Anthony Campanile, and Aubrey Pleasant.
The 2024 season was Cooley’s second with the Panthers and working with their defensive backs. Before that, Cooley was with the LA Rams from 2020-2022, overlapping with new Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen during his two stints with the Rams in 2020 and then again in 2022.
During the most recent 2024 season, the Carolina defense ranked 26th in completion rate allowed, 24th in interceptions, 26th in yards per pass attempt, and 32nd in passer rating.
In those same categories during the 2023 season, the Panthers were 12th in completion rate under Cooley, 29th in interceptions, sixth in yards per pass attempt, and 15th in passer rating.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn was a Pro Bowler for the first time this past year as well.
“(We have) A defense that can go, we just gotta put them in some of the better positions to be successful and I think we can do that,” said Liam Coen during his introductory press conference.
