Doug Pederson Is the Right Hire for Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence

The Jacksonville Jaguars backed their way into the ideal setup despite numerous mistakes along the way. Doug Pederson is the right hire to stabilize the franchise and develop last year's No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The Urban Meyer debacle simultaneously showed how not to handle a coach spiraling out of control and completely in over his head while providing a silver lining for the next hire.

How is that possible?

Well, the Jaguars should have moved on from Meyer as soon as he decided not to fly home with the team after a Thursday night loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. Instead, he was caught in a precarious position at a local bar, but owner Shahid Khan didn't make a move at the time. Khan gave his coach every opportunity to right the ship until multiple controversies bubbled to the surface forcing Meyer's dismissal.

Even so, patience among an ownership group can be a huge selling point because NFL coaches understand the league operates under a "What have you done for me lately?" business model. Pederson knows exactly what he's walking into after previously inheriting a team in disarray when the Philadelphia Eagles chose to fire Chip Kelly following Week 16 of the 2015 season.

"This is not going to be an overnight fix," Pederson told reporters at his introductory press conference with Jacksonville.

Everyone in and around the Jaguars understands the franchise has a long way to go, and it starts with the organizational setup. Khan originally hired Trent Baalke to serve as the team's director of player personnel prior to the 2020 campaign. Eventually, Baalke replaced Dave Caldwell as the franchise's general manager. However, Baalke has a history of being difficult to work with, and his retention in his current role changed Jacksonville's approach to the hiring process.

At one point, many considered Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich the leading contender for the open position. But Leftwich expressed concern about an arranged partnership with Baalke and preferred to see Arizona Cardinals vice president of pro scouting Adrian Wilson hired as general manager, according to the Florida Times-Union's John Reid.

Alex Menendez/Associated Press

Khan has stressed a collaborative effort throughout his organization's new hierarchy, and the additions aren't complete. The owner already confirmed upcoming changes within the front office.

"We have filed the request to the NFL for an EVP (executive vice president)," Khan said during Pederson's introductory press conference. "And so we'll be doing that process."

Basically, Khan is looking for a new head of football operations, who will supersede Baalke's authority.

"We got a great insight into it," Khan said after Tom Coughlin previously served in the same role from 2017 to 2019. "So strengthening the football operations, more staff, definitely, that's part of our goal. So I mean, we've had too flat an organization, and we want to add brainpower and more people to strengthen that."

As of now, former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman is believed to be the leading candidate for the position, per ESPN's Dan Graziano. Graziano also noted Pederson's initial aversion to the front-office structure after receiving the franchise's first official interview for the position. Whatever initially worried the coach seems to be set aside, particularly with the announcement of a front-office shakeup.

"I'm excited, one, to have this opportunity to lead your organization, but two, to be able to get in here, develop a coaching staff, develop our philosophies, develop our schemes to be successful on the football field," Pederson said. "... Our goal is to win football games, but we're going to do it one player, one coach, one person in the organization at a time."

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Most importantly, Pederson falls on the opposite side of the spectrum from Meyer. He's a former NFL player, not a locker room authoritarian. He understands the professional game, dealing with veteran players and how to set up successful schemes. He's won at the highest level as both a backup quarterback and head coach.

"We wanted someone who knows exactly what it is to be the last team standing in February and is passionate about doing it and doing it again," Khan said.

Jacksonville is well-positioned to be successful in the near future. The turnaround may take a year or two, but the most important piece of the puzzle is already in place with Lawrence behind center.

The previous Jaguars staff let Lawrence down. The same prospect who ran the table as QB1 and projected No. 1 overall pick didn't look the part in the cycle of suck that encircled the Jaguars organization.

The fact that Jacksonville fielded one of the league's weakest rosters didn't come as a surprise simply because the Jags were the league's worst team a year prior. How the previous coaching staff set him up for failure might have been the most damning aspect of the campaign.

"The Jaguars offense is about as standard as an NFL system can be as far as concepts and scheme. Nothing revolutionary for better or worse," Bleacher Report scout Nate Tice observed after 11 weeks into the rookie's initial campaign.

"If there was some criticism of what they're doing, it would be throwing in more wrinkles from a formation perspective to vary up looks, put more routes on the move and add more 'gimme' throws such as bootlegs, sprint-outs and run-pass options.

"While Lawrence can handle everything, he shouldn't be placed in a position to be the hero every time he drops back, even though he has flashed signs of doing it anyway."

Pederson should immediately step in and make the offense more quarterback-friendly by adding some of those easier reads to get Lawrence into a rhythm. He's also gone through this process with 2016 No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, though the two ultimately had a falling out that partially caused both of their departures from Philadelphia.

Lawrence is happy with the hire, and that's vital. The 22-year-old knows he's going to be coached differently with a better understanding of what's being asked of him.

"His resume kind of speaks for itself," Lawrence said during an interview on the Jaguars' official site. "He's an offensive guy, played quarterback in the NFL. All of those things make me really excited, and it's something that I'm just excited to get to work with him and see what he brings to the table."

He added, "He played the quarterback position, so he sees it through my lens more so than a lot of coaches that haven't played the position."

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

Synergy between a head coach and his quarterback is critical. From there, the Jaguars must do everything in their power to make life easier for the face of the franchise, and they have both the assets and financial means to do so.

Jacksonville once again owns the No. 1 overall pick. The Jaguars have the opportunity to address another premium position or trade the selection to create a long-term war chest. Although, the latter option is less desirable since no quarterback prospect appears worthy of the selection, thus lowering the slot's overall value. The Jaguars should instead stand pat and select either Alabama's Evan Neal or North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu. Both are considered elite offensive tackle prospects, and Lawrence needs a new bodyguard.

The team has four picks among the first 70 selections, as well as the top choice in each of the rounds.

While the draft will serve as the foundation for the ongoing rebuild, the Jaguars must sell themselves as a destination franchise with their new direction. The club can do so with $57.3 million in projected salary-cap space, third-most in the NFL, per Spotrac.

The new-look brain trust shouldn't splurge in an attempt for a quick return. Instead, smart signings to elevate the roster's overall talent level while continuing to properly build around Lawrence can make the franchise viable over the long haul. But the team's decision-makers have the flexibility to attack selected target areas of need such as wide receiver, tight end and safety.

Instead of pursuing elite free agents at their respective positions like Davante Adams, Robert Tonyan Jr. and Tyrann Mathieu, who are unlikely to sign anyhow, the Jaguars can target options in the next tier, such as Cedrick Wilson Jr., David Njoku and Justin Reid, to improve those spots without breaking the bank. 

Pederson brought instant credibility to a franchise stuck in a vortex of mismanagement. His presence alone should immediately help with the Jaguars' chain of command and quarterback development while making Jacksonville a more desirable destination. The Super Bowl-winning head coach may not have been the franchise's first choice, but he should prove to be the correct one.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.