NFL Rumors: Jaguars Eye Rams OC Kevin O'Connell for HC Role to Replace Urban Meyer

Kevin O'Connell is said to be a key candidate in the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search.

If the Rams are eliminated from the playoffs, the Jags are hoping to have an in-person interview with O'Connell, according to Ian Rapoport. O'Connell was not on the initial round of candidates.

The Jacksonville job has been shrouded in uncertainty due to concerns over working with general manager Trent Baalke. The favorite for the job had fallen back to the pack due to the reservations of Baalke.

When Harbaugh was with the 49ers, he clashed with Baalke. The 49ers made a major mistake when they chose Baalke over Harbaugh.

It is not clear if O'Connell is willing to work with Baalke.

The former quarterback has been an assistant coach for seven years. Sean McVay did not have an offensive coach on his staff in his first three seasons as a head coach, but he has had one since 2020.

McVay remains the Rams play-caller, meaning O'Connell is a candidate for head coaching jobs without ever calling plays at the NFL level. The plays for the Washington Football Team were called by Jay Gruden.

The Jaguars have seemingly torn up their initial list of candidates to start anew with O'Connell.

Urban Meyer was a failure in his attempt to transition from the college game to the NFL, and Jacksonville spent the 2021 season mired in a state of disarray. Meyer's mistakes as a head coach hurt the development of the No. 1 overall pick as a passer, despite a lack of talent and poor scheming.

The next head coach needs to be a home run to fix the mess of the Meyer era, and it doesn't appear that their search is headed in a promising direction.