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Jags GM Baalke out as Coen WDs from HC search

  • Michael DiRoccoJan 22, 2025, 03:12 PM ET

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      Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Times-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars and general manager Trent Baalke have parted ways, the team announced Wednesday — just hours after head coaching candidate Liam Coen decided to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement.

“Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and play an important role, with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to serve as our new head coach. I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville and look forward to introducing a new head coach who will make that happen for our players and fans alike.”

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Khan retained Baalke when he fired Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, saying that afternoon in a news conference that a complete organizational overhaul would be “suicide.” He also said that if any coaching candidate expressed reservations about the organizational structure or working with Baalke, he would be willing to address the topic.

That may have been what spurred Wednesday’s move. The Jaguars lost out on Ben Johnson, the top candidate in the hiring cycle, earlier this week to the

“It was clear to me from the beginning that the priorities were straight,” he said.

After Johnson took the Bears job, Coen was the potential front-runner and was scheduled to have a second, in-person interview with the Jaguars on Wednesday, but he opted to remain with the Bucs as offensive coordinator along with a significant raise, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Baalke joined the Jaguars in 2020 as director of player personnel and was promoted to general manager after Khan fired GM Dave Caldwell that November.

Baalke’s tenure started with the selection of quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 pick in 2021 and included Urban Meyer’s calamitous 13-game span as head coach that season. It also included the hiring of head coach Doug Pederson, an AFC South title and a rally from a 27-0 deficit to win a wild-card playoff game in 2022. But it also included the biggest collapse in franchise history in 2023 when the Jaguars started the season 8-3 but missed the playoffs.

Baalke made a questionable decision by choosing defensive end Travon Walker over defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 1 draft pick in 2022. He also was critical of Pederson, saying the team lacked an identity and the coaching staff did not do a good job of getting the team’s draft picks ready to play in 2023. Baalke signed one of the most disappointing free agent classes in franchise history in 2024.

Last offseason Baalke signed defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, Lawrence and cornerback Tyson Campbell to new contracts worth $492.1 million ($249.9 million fully guaranteed). Hines-Allen has consistently been the team’s best pass rusher, but Lawrence (60.7% completions, 8 touchdowns, 3 interceptions) and Campbell (missed Weeks 2-6 while on IR with a hamstring injury) underperformed.

Nine of Baalke’s 38 draft picks from 2021 to 2024 have become full-time starters, including Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne Jr. (25th overall in 2021), Campbell (33rd overall in 2021), Walker, linebacker Devin Lloyd (27th overall in 2022), right tackle Anton Harrison (27th overall in 2023) and receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (23rd overall in 2024).

However, Baalke’s most controversial move was taking Walker with the No. 1 pick instead of Hutchinson because he believed Hutchinson had reached his ceiling in terms of development while Walker — because of his athleticism (he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at 272 pounds at the combine) and length (6-feet-5, 35.5-inch arms) — had a much higher upside.

But Hutchinson, who was leading the NFL in sacks this season until he suffered a broken leg on Oct. 13, has outperformed Walker in two-plus seasons: Hutchinson has 28.5 sacks, 65 quarterback hits, 4 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries and 4 interceptions in 39 games. Walker is far from a bust, but he hasn’t matched that production: 24 sacks, 44 quarterback hits, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 interception in 40 games.

Baalke did sign one of the league’s better free agent classes in 2022, highlighted by receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, cornerback Darious Williams, tight end Evan Engram and right guard Brandon Scherff. All played a significant role in the team’s AFC South title that season, as did free agent signees from a 2021 class that included cornerback Shaquill Griffin, receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and safety Rayshawn Jenkins in 2021.

But Baalke’s most recent free agent class has been a major disappointment. The Jaguars gave a combined $75.5 million in fully guaranteed money to receiver Gabe Davis, safety/nickelback Darnell Savage, cornerback Ronald Darby, returner Devin Duvernay and defensive lineman Arik Armstead. None made a major impact on a 4-13 team.