The Jacksonville Jaguars are starting over on defense. On Monday, the team fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and just about every other defensive coach on the team’s staff.
As the team begins its hunt for a new face to lead the way, there’s plenty of reason to believe it’ll be a relatively attractive opening for coaching candidates.
For one, no pass rushing tandem finished with more sacks than the 27.5 that Josh Allen and Travon Walker combined for in 2023. While Allen, who led the way with 17.5 sacks, is scheduled to became a free agent, it’d be a surprise if the Jaguars didn’t use the franchise tag, at the very least, to keep him on the roster.
After that, it largely depends on what you think of young players like cornerback Tyson Campbell, safety Andre Cisco, and linebacker Devin Lloyd who have all shown great things at times, but have struggled with consistency early in their careers.
Here are six coaches who could draw the Jaguars’ eye as they try to fill their defensive coordinator void and turn their young defense into one of the NFL’s best units:
Wink Martindale
Martindale, 60, is a highly respected coach who had two interviews last year for the Colts’ head coaching vacancy before the team eventually hired Shane Steichen instead. But now he’s without a job after resigning from his position with the Giants due to a rocky relationship with head coach Brian Daboll, who said earlier in the day that he expected Martindale to stay on the staff.
Prior to his two seasons with the Giants, Martindale spent four years as the defensive coordinator of the Ravens.
Leslier Frazier
The former Vikings head coach has made several stops around the NFL as a defensive coordinator, most recently spending six seasons leading a fantastic Bills defense. While he stepped away from coaching in 2023, he’s hopeful to garner interest as a head coaching candidate in 2024. If that doesn’t come to fruition, he’d presumably be a top candidate to lead the way for a defense.
Anthony Weaver
Weaver is just 43, but he’s rising through the coaching ranks quickly. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator during his five seasons with the Texans and then spent the last two years with the Ravens as defensive line coach, run game coordinator, and assistant head coach.
While he’s already getting head coaching interviews, he could also be interviewed for defensive coordinator vacancies without the Ravens’ approval as it wouldn’t be a lateral move.
Marquand Manuel
Eight years ago, the then-36-year-old Falcons assistant interviewed to be Gus Bradley’s defensive coordinator in Jacksonville. He didn’t get the job, but eventually got that role in Atlanta where he spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator.
In 2020, he joined Doug Pederson’s staff in Philadelphia as defensive backs coach and he’s spent the last three years as the Jets’ safeties coach. Manuel, 44, could be a candidate if Pederson is interested in a reunion.
Ken Flajole
During Pederson’s five-year tenure with the Eagles, Flajole coached the team’s linebackers all five seasons. More recently, he’s spent the last three seasons with Andy Reid as the outside linebackers coach for the Chiefs.
While it’s a logical fit considering his history with Pederson, Flajole will turn 70 during the 2024 season.
Eric Henderson
Henderson, 41, was the Rams’ defensive line coach for two seasons before run game coordinator was added to his title for the last three seasons. While Aaron Donald has been a constant up front, the Rams have cycled through plenty of other players around him and managed to keep a solid run defense throughout.
