Jacksonville Jaguars expected to hire rising star to fill head coaching vacancy

Jacksonville Jaguars
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With some of the most known commodities off the board after Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson accepted head coaching jobs elsewhere, now teams have to find the next rising star in the industry. The Jacksonville Jaguars fall into that group, hoping their next head coaching hire will be a winner.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers expecting to lose Liam Coen to Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars, Liam Coen
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

While there are proven head coaches available, such as Pete Carroll and Mike McCarthy, even those former Super Bowl winners were removed from the job. However, for every candidate that’s already shown he’s capable of being an NFL head coach, there’s another option who could be even better.

That could even include 39-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who’s viewed as an up-and-comer in the coaching industry. Coen has been an offensive coordinator for two different college teams (Maine and Kentucky) and two NFL teams (Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay).

Yet, he’s never been a head coach, at any level. However, after being the offensive coordinator and play-caller for a Buccaneers team that scored the NFL’s fourth-most points, Coen’s stock is on the rise.

Now, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, it sounds like the Buccaneers are “bracing” for the Jacksonville Jaguars to offer Coen their head coaching job.

“The Bucs are bracing for Coen to be offered the Jaguars head coaching job, possibly as early as Wednesday when he interviews for the second time with the club.”

Stroud on Liam Coen

While the Jaguars are meeting with Coen for a second time on Wednesday, they’re also set to have a second interview with Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham on Thursday and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh on Friday.

One unique possibility Stroud raises is the idea that the Buccaneers could promote head coach Todd Bowles to the front office while making Coen the new head coach in Tampa Bay. This would be a way to keep both coaches in-house instead of being forced to hire their fourth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.

The team previously did this with Bruce Arians, while making Bowles the head coach. Yet, would they do the same with Coen this time around? In other words, the Jaguars may still need to have a backup plan if Coen isn’t available.

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