Report: Jaguars Targeting Jay Gruden for OC Position

After more than a week, the Jacksonville Jaguars may finally have their new play-caller in the form of ex-Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden, according to a report from Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network on Tuesday.

The #Jaguars plan to hire former #Redskins coach Jay Gruden as their next offensive coordinator, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. Deal isn’t done, but the Jaguars are close to adding a very talented OC with a great pedigree in the role.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2020

No deal is firmly in place, but it appears the Jaguars have zeroed in on Gruden as the man to replace John DeFilippo as offensive coordinator. Jacksonville has had a vacancy at offensive coordinator since the departure of DeFilippo on Jan. 13, which was called a mutual parting of ways by the club.

Gruden was most recently Washington's coach from 2014 until Week 6 in the 2019 season. In over five seasons in Washington, Gruden compiled a 35-49-1 record with one postseason appearance in 2015. Gruden's teams won between seven and nine games in four of his six seasons with the team, going 4-12 in his first season and 0-5 in his final season.

Gruden has a history with young quarterbacks, something that could certainly be beneficial to the Jaguars as they potentially move forward with Gardner Minshew II. In Washington, he helped guide a young Kirk Cousins in his first seasons as a starting quarterback, but this wasn't his first rodeo with a young passer.

Before he took the head job in Washington, he was the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2011-2013. As the Bengals' play-caller, Gruden directed a young Andy Dalton to early success in his career. The Bengals' offense flourished with Gruden's West Coast, heavy play-action scheme. His offenses played a big role in the Bengals making it to the postseason in each of his seasons with the team, including winning an AFC North title in 2013.

Jacksonville has also interviewed Ben McAdoo and Scott Linehan for the position, but it appears the job is Gruden's to lose.

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