JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – 2025 has been quite the year of change for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On Jan. 6, the team moved on from Doug Pederson as their head coach, and about two weeks later on Jan. 22, they decided to “respectfully separate” from their general manager Trent Baalke.
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Just five days after sending Baalke out the door, the team introduced its new head coach, Liam Coen.
Now that the team has seemingly found “their guy,” the next piece of the puzzle is matching the right pick for general manager with their new head coach.
News4JAX has already compiled a list of potential candidates who could fill the role and Sports Illustrated has done the same, but the decision will ultimately come down to what team owner Shad Khan and Coen feel is the best fit.
In Coen’s introductory press conference, Khan was asked when fans could expect a new general manager to be hired. The owner provided a rather frank and clear timeline.
“I think that date is Feb. 28. Our priority is to get Liam settled in and have him build his staff and then start the search, but we’re hoping to be done by that date,” Khan said.
The NFL Draft is set to begin on April 24, so if Khan stays true to his timeline, the team will have about two months with a fully staffed front office before heading into one of the more important drafts in team history.
Whoever the Jaguars decide to bring in to be the team’s general manager will become the sixth person to do so in team history, which began with Tom Coughlin in 1995 before James Harris filled the role in 2003, which was followed by Gene Smith in 2009, David Caldwell in 2013, and Trent Baalke in 2021.
Ethan Waugh, who was hired as the team’s assistant general manager in 2022, is currently tasked with serving as the interim general manager. Having spent nearly two years with Jacksonville, Waugh presumably understands the organization’s goals and culture, which could give him a unique advantage over external candidates. If he can demonstrate his leadership abilities during his interim tenure, he may solidify his case to be the Jaguars’ long-term GM.
