It turns out former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden will assume the same role with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gruden, who spent 2014-2019 as head coach of the Washington Redskins before getting canned during the season last year, is more than a familiar with a few current Bengals stars.
Namely, A.J. Green and Andy Dalton.
Both names come to mind because they might not be with the Bengals much longer. Dalton has one year left on his deal but could be on his way out the door after the Bengals use the first pick on Joe Burrow or otherwise address the position. Gruden oversaw Dalton’s entry to the NFL and helped him to some successful early campaigns, including a 33-touchdown season.
And Gruden’s new team could use the help. The Jaguars had some encouraging play from rookie quarterback Garnder Minshew after the failed $94 million Nick Foles experiment. But it might not be something a win-now team wants to hang its hat on, especially if a capable veteran like Dalton might become available.
And given that Foles contract, it’s clear the Jaguars front office isn’t afraid to bust open the checkbooks and pay up for a player of Green’s caliber — or perhaps even cough up trade assets in a sign-and-trade scenario.
If nothing else, the Jaguars just became a bigger name to keep in mind when thinking of potential Andy Dalton or A.J. Green destinations. This doesn’t mean the Bengals would necessarily receive compensation in either scenario, but it’s interesting to consider nonetheless.
