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The Jacksonville Jaguars seemed to finally be headed in the right direction. After an absolutely horrific 2024 season, the Jags parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson as well as general manager Trent Baalke before hiring upstart offensive coordinator Liam Coen away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their new head coach.
That alone would put them in a good spot. But Coen continued the trend by hiring 29-year-old wunderkind Grant Udinski away from the Minnesota Vikings as his new offensive coordinator. Udinski served as the assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach for Minnesota and was a huge part of revitalizing Sam Darnold’s career.
That last part is an important note as the Jags looked to revitalize the career of star QB Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, once seen as a can’t-miss prospect, went No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. After a brutal rookie season that was chalked up to Urban Meyer being awful, Lawrence flourished en route to a Pro Bowl appearance in year two. But his play took a step back in both 2023 and 2024, while he also missed significant time due to injury in the latter.
If Coen and Jacksonville are going to succeed, they need Lawrence to figure it out. Who is responsbile for that? Well, Coen and Udinski to some degree, but also new hire Shane Waldron.
The #Jaguars plan to hire Shane Waldron, per sources, likely in a pass-game coordinator role.
Former Bears OC reunites with Liam Coen from their Rams days. pic.twitter.com/URYZNVp9eB
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 6, 2025
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Waldron served as the offensive coordinator the Chicago Bears last season before being fired mid-way through the year. Despite a warning from former player Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the the entrused the future of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams to Waldron. That turned out to be a bad decision.
Williams struggled mightily and often looked lost under Waldron. He ranked 31st in the league in EPA/play among quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks. That put him behind guys like Aidan O’Connell, Mac Jones and Bryce Young.
Now, maybe things will be different for Waldron in Jacksonville. He did help Geno Smith become a two-time Pro Bowler in Seattle. So he’s not completely out of his depth. But it’s a bold move for a team who cannot afford to see Lawrence struggle.
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