Mike Caldwell, the former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, might be on his way to the NFC East. Caldwell will interview with the Philadelphia Eagles for the second time this summer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. This time, it’s for the empty linebackers coach position on Vic Fangio’s defensive staff.
Caldwell was fired the day after the Jaguars’ 2023 season ended, joining other defensive staff members such as defensive line coach Brentson Buckner, defensive quality control coach Sean Cullina, inside linebackers coach Tony Gilbert, safeties coach Cody Grimm, defensive quality control coach Tee Mitchell, senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton, and passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Deshea Townsend. All coaches except Sutton and Gilbert were hired by Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson in 2022. Sutton and Gilbert were retained from previous coaching staffs.
After starting the season on fire through the first eight weeks, the defense allowed 30 points or more in four of the Jaguars’ six losses during the second-half of the season, including two such games to Jake Browning and Joe Flacco. Pederson lamented missed assignments and missed tackles on the defensive side through the Jaguars’ 1-5 streak over the last six games. This culminated in the Jaguars allowing 28 points to the Tennessee Titans in their season-ending loss, including 21 first-half points and over eight yards per carry. “Not until I really dive into the tape. But obviously, we had missed tackles again, and some of the same self-inflicted gap integrity, rules, things like that. I would venture to say it would show up today. But until we really dive into the tape, it’s hard to fully comment on that,” Pederson said after the Jaguars’ 28-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 18.
“We had the players and the men, and it was the same staff and crew. It was just a fresh experience, similar to one we had last year. We have to win those remaining games. “Games are meaningful in December; that was our main focus last year: play meaningful games from December to February,” Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen said after the season.
