Atlanta Falcons

Jacksonville Jaguars: Possible Gus Bradley Replacements

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:38 p.m. ET

Fansided, Erik Lambert/FanSided via NFL Mocks

Dec 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley watches the action during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at EverBank Field. The Vikings won 25-16. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars appears to have one of the most talented young rosters in the NFL. So how are they still losing so many games?

Honest reality say it starts with the head coach. Gus Bradley came in with plenty of confidence and success from the turnaround he helped orchestrate in Seattle. Given enough time he was certain he could rebuild this team into a winner. Four bad seasons later and fans are still waiting. Bradley talks a good game but for whatever reason he just can’t find a way to get the most out of his players. The answers elude him.

Sometimes that’s just the unfortunate case of the job. Great coordinators don’t have the capacity to run an entire team. It’s a completely different animal. If anything the Jaguars ownership deserves blame for letting it last this long. It was apparent after three years that Bradley wasn’t going to get it done. Now he’s got the team almost back where it started back in 2013.

It’s no longer a question of “if” he gets fired, but how fast after the season ends. ESPN made it quite clear what his fate will be.

“Is five the highest? Actually, there really isn’t any pressure on Bradley any longer, as he is expected to be fired regardless of what happens in the final three games. Owner Shad Khan said a winning record was “everybody’s reasonable expectation” in 2016, and the Jaguars are 2-11. Bradley’s career record of 14-47 is the worst in modern NFL history. The only question now is whether Khan will fire or retain general manager Dave Caldwell.”

The only question remaining is who the team seeks out to replace him. It’s a monumentally important one. This roster has a chance to be not just really good, but exceptional if the right person is put in charge. Who might that person be? Here is a short list of names expected to be available that might be a good fit for the personnel involved.

Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz during the second quarter against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field. The Washington Redskins won 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Shanahan (Falcons OC)

Without a doubt he’s going to be among the top targets in 2017. Kyle Shanahan is a second generation coach, son of the two-time Super Bowl winner Mike Shanahan. He’s also learned at the hip of Jon Gruden and Gary Kubiak. The pedigree is obvious, and his run as an offensive coordinator has been a success as well. Matt Ryan is in the running for league MVP this year and the Falcons are looking at a division title. If anybody can fix the Jaguars offense, it’s him.

Mike Shula (Panthers OC)

This is a bit of an unorthodox idea but one that makes plenty of sense. Mike Shula is the son of the great Don Shula. So already he has an understanding of what a head coach looks like. He’s enjoyed a long run of success as an offensive coordinator, most notably in Carolina where he turned Cam Newton into league MVP. Newton shares a number of physical similarities to Blake Bortles. That makes Shula uniquely qualified for that job.