Jaguars HC Search: Ranking the Candidates

Who is the best candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars' HC job?

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches warm up ahead of the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars are casting a wide net for their next head coach, requesting interviews with nine of the top assistants in the NFL.

But who is the best option out of the known names, and why? We break it down below in our ranking of the nine known candidates.

No. 1: Ben Johnson

The top coach on the entire market, it certainly appears several teams are set to engage in competition for Ben Johnson's services. If Johnson is comfortable working with general manager Trent Baalke, though, there is no question the Jaguars job could have the most to offer to one of the NFL's top rising stars in coaching. Johnson could find a way to win quickly in Jacksonville.

No. 2: Liam Coen

One of the top play-callers in all of football, Liam Coen has had the midas touch at the quarterback position. He made Will Levis look like a serviceable quarterback at Kentucky and has helped Baker Mayfield reach production heights that he has never known before. Coen would be able to do a lot of damage with Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr.

No. 3: Brian Flores

There is no question that Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores deserves another shot as a head coach. His tenure with the Dolphins ended with conflicts with ownership, the front office, and a quarterback who seemingly nobody but Flores wanted to be honest about. Flores might be the best defensive coordinator in football, and he is a top-notch locker room leader on top of that.

No. 4: Aaron Glenn

The defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions for the last four seasons, Aaron Glenn seems to be the top "leader of men" coach on the market alongside Mike Vrabel. Glenn is lauded for his leadership qualities just as much as he is for his expertise in terms of Xs and Os, and he has a ton of support for his future from those in Detroit. He would change the culture in Jacksonville instantly.

No. 5: Joe Brady

One of the best offensive minds in the entire NFL, Joe Brady has done sensational things with the Buffalo Bills' offense. His tenure in Carolina will likely be under the microscope, but he is one of the best play-callers in all of football and would likely be able to take Trevor Lawrence to another level at quarterback at the worst.

No. 6: Robert Saleh

The only coach on this list who has been a head coach at the NFL level before, Robert Saleh's experience with the Jets should actually help him more than hurt him. The Jets completely fell apart in 2024 after firing Saleh, who was dealt a bad hand at quarterback and owner during his time with the Jets. He has been in the building before, too.

No. 7: Todd Monken

It is a fair question of what Todd Monken would produce without Lamar Jackson, though he does at least have other years as an offensive coordinator under his belt. Monken does a good job of relating to players and would likely be able to dial up a productive passing game for Trevor Lawrence, but is he a head coach personalty or simply just a great coordinator?

No. 8: Patrick Graham

It feels wrong to have Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham this low, but that has more to do with what the Jaguars seemingly need than it does with Graham, who is one of the best defensive coordinators in the entire NFL. He has shown he can do more with less and is a respected on-field leader. Still, the Jaguars likely want someone who can get the best out of Trevor Lawrence or is a bigger name than where Graham's stock currently has him.

No. 9: Kellen Moore

This is actually the second time Kellen Moore has been a candidate for the Jaguars job; the first was in 2022 when he was the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator. His stock has fallen a bit since then, though he is still a well-respected offensive mind. He is not a dominant play-caller and schemer like some of the other coordinators on this list, however, and won't be taking A.J. Brown or Saquon Barkley with him wherever he goes.

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