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The Jacksonville Jaguars are embarking on a wide-ranging search for a new head coach. That makes the recent report surrounding Jim Harbaugh rather interesting for the franchise.
The latest information comes as Harbaugh is considering a return to the NFL. While other jobs will open up, the Jaguars are in prime position to offer the man whatever he wants.
Jaguars fans may be loving the idea. Unfortunately, it's just not a good fit, and the team will be wasting their time sitting around hoping they can land Harbaugh. They cannot afford to waste any time and must continue on and hire the best candidate as soon as possible.
Let's look at why waiting for Harbaugh would be a bad idea.
Jim Harbaugh and Jaguars GM have history
There is one glaring red flag when it comes to hoping Harbaugh will come to Jacksonville. That is the fact that Trent Baalke is the general manager. He held the same position with the San Francisco 49ers when Harbaugh was the coach there.
The two clashed and Harbaugh ended up heading to Michigan. Jaguars owner Shad Khan has made it clear that Baalke is sticking around, and that already limits potential coaches from the search.
So barring a change of heart and yet another firing, Harbaugh will probably tell Khan there is no way he is working with Baalke again. Khan cannot afford any more clashes within the leadership.
The head coach hiring process goes fast
The Jaguars are already in talks with top candidates such as Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell. More interviews are still to come as the Jaguars have a head start on the rest of the NFL.
But next Monday is when openings are going to show up in rapid succession. Harbaugh might say he is interested, but he could want to wait around and see what jobs open up.
Even in an ideal world where he and Baalke don't have history, Harbaugh's holdup could mean that other candidates find other jobs. The Jaguars cannot afford to lose out on their top choice, whether that is Pederson or someone like Nathaniel Hackett.
Sitting around and waiting for a home run hire is just not an option.
Additionally, Jaguars fans may revolt if the team hires another coach out of the college ranks. Yes, Harbaugh has NFL experience. But it is much easier to hire someone with NFL experience over a recent college coach.
Keeping it simple is the best strategy for Khan and the Jaguars at this point. That means sticking with the interview schedule and not making any special amends for Harbaugh. If he wants an interview soon, that is one thing.
But there is also the history with Baalke to consider. Khan needs to avoid getting too fancy with the situation and simply rule out Harbaugh from the start. Otherwise, more drama may come to Jacksonville at a time when the team needs stability.
