MMQB: Jaguars' Shad Khan 'expressed some flexibility' to HC targets on GM Baalke | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumours

The future of Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke appears to hinge on the team's next head coach.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert BreerJaguars owner Shad Khan wasn't committed to Baalke when talking to head coaching candidates.

“Jaguars owner Shad Khan has expressed some flexibility in coaching candidates regarding his decision to retain GM Trent Baalke,” Breer wrote Monday. “And my reading of it is this: if the coach has the power to get what he wants from the team, then Khan could still pull Baalke.”

Jacksonville fired head coach Doug Pederson on Jan. 6 after the team finished 4-13 in 2024. The Jaguars decided to retain Baalke, who had been their general manager since 2021.

Khan earlier he told reporters that he does not believe that the retention of the general manager will negatively affect the process of hiring a new head coach.

Jacksonville has already interviewed several candidates for the vacancy including Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Johnson may be a coach who wants a new general manager, like ESPN Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday that “the feeling in some league circles is that Johnson is intrigued by the deal, but may want his general manager in place” of Baalke.

The Jaguars have gradually regressed since going to the divisional round of the playoffs during the 2022 season, and Khan seems willing to give Jacksonville's next coach more front-office control to help their decision to join the team.

This could mean the end of Baalke's tenure.