The Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly plan to hire former Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden to become the team’s new offensive coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Gruden interviewed for the vacancy over the weekend, joining former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo as potential candidates for Doug Marrone’s staff. Ultimately, Jacksonville found Gruden to be the right fit and both sides are now finalizing a contract.
The Jaguars parted ways with former offensive coordinator John DeFilippo earlier this offseason. Seeing an opportunity to take advantage of a market with quality offensive minds available, Jacksonville scooped up Gruden.
While Gruden posted a 35-49 record with the Redskins, he often had to deal with a roster that lacked in explosive talent on offense. He is still regarded across the league for his offensive mind and has a history of bringing creativity to his offense.
Gruden lands in Jacksonville with an exciting, young core of talent to work with. Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew shined during the 2019 season and second-year receiver DJ Chark is coming off a 1,000-yard season. He could have even more talented skill players to utilize if the Jaguars use one of their first-round picks on a receiver.