Embattled Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke will not be part of the downtrodden organization’s overhaul following the 2021 season.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Baalke will be retained as the Jaguars’ general manager following the firing of short-lived head coach Urban Meyer.
According to the report, Baalke will even be involved in the Jags’ search for a new head coach and will have direct access to owner Shad Khan.
To many, this will be considered an inauspicious start to the post-Meyer era in Duval. Others might look at it as a way to create some sense of continuity within an organization that has posted a 3-28 record since the start of the 2020 season.
Related: Jacksonville Jaguars head coach candidates
Is retaining Trent Baalke the Jacksonville Jaguars’ best course of action?
Baalke, 57, joined the Jaguars’ organization as director of player personnel back in 2020. He was promoted to general manager earlier this year.
That came after the veteran front office man spent a dozen seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, including six seasons as general manager.
For Baalke, his tenure in Northern California came with mixed results. It culminated in a parting of the ways with then-head coach Jim Harbaugh following the 2014 season.
Baalke also had his fair share of hits and missed in the NFL Draft. The good? Selecting the likes of Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward, Arik Armstead, Jaquiski Tartt and DeForest Buckner. However, Baalke will never live down exhausting early-round selections on busts such as Josh Garnett, Tank Carradine, A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael Thomas.
Related: What will the Jacksonville Jaguars do in the 2022 NFL Draft?
In his first true draft as the Jaguars’ general manager this past spring, Trent Baalke spent the No. 1 pick on potential franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He also surprised the masses by selecting running back Travis Etienne later in the first round. The former Clemson star has missed his entire rookie campaign to a foot injury.
For the Jaguars and their fans, it’s an open question whether they can rely on Baalke to turn this thing around. He’ll be given a chance, starting with having some say in who the next head coach will be following the disastrous hiring of Urban Meyer.