Jaguars GM Search: Pros and Cons of Ethan Waugh's Candidacy

What makes Ethan Waugh the potential right fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars' general manager search?

Jacksonville Jaguars assistant general manager Ethan Waugh talks with the media before the start of Friday's rookie minicamp session. The Jacksonville Jaguars held their first day of rookie minicamp inside the covered field at the Jaguars performance facility in Jacksonville, Florida Friday, May 10, 2024. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars are down to five.

After interviewing 10 external candidates for their vacant general manager position, the Jaguars now have five finalists who are set to meet with the team brass this week. From that group, the Jaguars will then make their decision on who will officially replace Trent Baalke.

So, who is the right fit for the role? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and their case to be the hire? We break it down below, starting with interim general manager Ethan Waugh.

Background

• San Francisco 49ers (2004-2008): Personnel assistant

• San Francisco 49ers (2008-2011): Midwest regional scout

• San Francisco 49ers (2012-2014): Senior personnel assistant

• San Francisco 49ers (2015-2017): Senior player personnel coordinator

• San Francisco 49ers (2018-2020): Director of college scouting and football systems

• San Francisco 49ers (2021-2022): Vice president of player personnel

• Jacksonville Jaguars (2022-2024): Assistant general manager

• Jacksonville Jaguars (2025): Interim general manager

Pros

One big positive when it comes to Waugh is the fact that he has seen how a successful franchise operates. He was a part of the 49ers' success during the Jim Harbaugh era but then stayed with the franchise and was promoted during the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch regime, showing that he was able to move up in a winning franchise based on the merit of how own work.

There is also something to be said for the timing of Waugh's arrival to Jacksonville and the improvement of their draft process. In 2021 and 2022, the Jaguars failed to make moves to increase their draft capital. In the two drafts since Waugh joined, the Jaguars reversed course and smartly moved back in the first round twice and made other moves to increase their stockpile of draft picks.

Cons

The only true negative to Waugh's candidacy has to do with optics. Specifically, the optics of him being a close lieutenant of Baalke in both San Francisco and Jacksonville. Waugh being made the hire in Jacksonville this time around could be seen by many as simply an extension of the Baalke-era front office and practices.

Fair or not, Waugh was a big part of Baalke's last few seasons as Jaguars general manager and his candidacy will always be tied to him. The two executives are very different in terms of personalities, but they clearly had some kind of shared vision for how to build a team through the draft and free agency.

There is also likely a valid argument to make that if the Jaguars knew they wanted to make Waugh the full-time general manager, then they perhaps should not have had an extensive process with 10 other candidates, let alone a process that drags all the way to the eve of the NFL Scouting Combine.

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