Jaguars Reportedly Part Ways With DC Joe Cullen

Joe Cullen got just one year as the leader of the Jaguars' defense before coaching turnover has forced him elsewhere.

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't yet have a head coach, but it appears the team will be going in a new direction at defensive coordinator no matter who the hire is. 

After just one season as defensive coordinator, Joe Cullen and the Jaguars have parted ways according to a report from ESPN's Field Yates. Cullen would be the latest coach from last year's staff to move on from their contracts in Jacksonville, following Tim Walton, Tosh Lupoi, Sterling Lucas, and Tyler Bowen. 

While the Jaguars have not yet hired a head coach, they have officially parted ways with DC Joe Cullen.

Cullen is on Indy’s radar for DC and has interest around the league.

Much of Urban Meyer’s staff remains under contract in Jacksonville for now.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 3, 2022

Cullen was hired last offseason by former head coach Urban Meyer, taking a promotion and going from Baltimore's defensive line coach to Jacksonville's top voice on defense. While Cullen's next landing spot is not yet clear, he is a candidate to replace Matt Eberflus as the Indianapolis Colts' defensive coordinator and could remain in the AFC South. 

“Well first of all, people ask that all the time. I mean obviously I love Jacksonville. It’s a great place, special place in my heart. It’s my third time being here. The chips fall where they fall. I will leave it at that," Cullen said in Week 18 when asked about the potential to remain in Jacksonville past 2021. 

"I think obviously we had some really good moments this year. The middle of the year we were doing a great job and unfortunately the last couple games kind of fell off. [I’m] not going to give anything with COVID as an excuse, not practicing, everyone has those problems. Our job is to stop people and we didn’t do it in New England. We’re going to put our best foot forward and do it here.”

Cullen's one year as defensive coordinator saw the Jaguars finish No. 28 in points allowed, No. 25 in third-down percentage, No. 23 in red-zone percentage, No. 16 in yard allowed per carry, and No. 27 in net yards allowed per attempt. The defense also finished No. 31 in defensive DVOA, No. 31 in pass defense DVOA, and No. 18 in run defense DVOA. The Jaguars' finished last in the NFL in turnovers forced (nine) and tied for No. 28 in sacks (32).

Cullen will now not be around to see the defense potentially take another step. The unit was mostly a down unit with Cullen at the helm, but he did oversee improvement mostly across the board and had the unit trending in the right direction. Now, that direction will be dictated by someone else. 

“I mean all that goes into factor. You don’t know what the scheme is, if there’s a new coach, new coordinator, you don’t know who’s under contract coming back, so that’s really a question you have to wait. But there are some good pieces here and some guys, I think the young pieces that can continually get better," Cullen said.