The NFL coaching carousel is in full swing, as a minimum of seven franchises will be looking for new leadership on the sidelines come next season.
The turnover decisions are usually made at an interesting time with regards to interviewing and hiring.
It makes sense that struggling NFL teams wait until the end of the season to cut bait with a head coach, but a lot of the most desirable replacement candidates are still working with playoff teams.
Coordinators and assistants on other teams have to juggle game planning for the postseason, while interviewing for a promotion.
In some cases, assistants aren’t permitted to interview until their current team’s season comes to an end.
However, no such balancing act or restrictions are part of the equation for Doug Pederson.
The former Philadelphia Eagles coach was let go from his post after the 2020 season, and he spent the current season out of the league.
He has more credentials to his name than most of the other candidates in this NFL hiring cycle.
Pederson led the Eagles to a Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots, and should garner significant interest in the coming days and weeks.
Here are two teams which would be perfect fits for Pederson.
2. Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears fans might be shuddering at the thought of this possibility.
They already spent the last four years with Matt Nagy, who was supposed to be the next offensive genius plucked from the Andy Reid coaching tree.
Pederson comes from that very same Reid cloth, but has shown to be more effective as a play caller and head coach than Nagy has so far.
The 53-year-old former Super Bowl champion had a knack for igniting a passing offense by keeping things simple for the quarterback.
Nick Foles, who incidentally spent the last two years with the Bears, was the most notable beneficiary.
Chicago’s next head coaching hire will be tasked with developing Justin Fields, who possesses a significantly more potent physical package than does Foles.
Running an offense predicated on run-pass options with a quarterback as mobile as Fields will highlight his strengths in a way that Nagy failed to do consistently.
Bears interviewed former Eagles’ HC Doug Pederson for their head-coaching job today and Browns assistant director of pro scouting Glenn Cook for their general manager position.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2022
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
After the type of roller coaster ride the Jacksonville Jaguars just experienced with Urban Meyer, the franchise will be looking for a presence to help settle things down moving forward.
While it certainly seems like they won’t go the college coach route again, it also probably wouldn’t benefit them to bring in a first-time head coach.
Jacksonville will need someone established, who has led a team before, and there are few candidates out there who have done it better than Pederson from a resume perspective.
General manager Trent Baalke will be tasked with acquiring talent to put around Trevor Lawrence, but Pederson has shown he can do a lot with fringe weapons.
Doug Pederson expected to meet with the Vikings #Skol pic.twitter.com/8c4iFq2M6T
— Rick Sosa (@sosarick) January 11, 2022
Installing a scheme that Lawrence feels comfortable with, and gets the ball out of his hands quickly, is something Pederson should be able to contribute right away.
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