NFL News: Christian Kirk Reportedly Released by Jaguars Ahead of Free Agency
Doric Sam
Mar 5, 2025
After spending the last three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk reportedly will be searching for a new home this offseason.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jaguars plan to release Kirk ahead of the start of free agency.
Schefter added that releasing Kirk will clear $10.4 million in salary cap space for the Jaguars, who currently have a salary cap of $260.6 million, per Spotrac.
After spending the first four years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, Kirk had signed a four-year, $72 million contract with Jacksonville before the 2022 season. He was originally set to make a base salary of $15.5 million in 2025 while counting for a $24.1 million cap hit, which would've been the highest on the team.
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In his first year with the team, Kirk proved why he was worthy of such a big-money deal. He appeared in all 17 games in 2022 and recorded career highs across the board with 84 catches, 1,108 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. It was the first and only time that he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in his now-seven-year career.
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Since his stellar 2022 campaign, Kirk has struggled to stay on the field. He missed the final five games of the 2023 season due to a core muscle injury. He was limited to eight games in 2024 after suffering a broken collarbone in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers that forced him to miss the remainder of the year.
If healthy, Kirk can be a reliable option on the outside for a team that needs a veteran presence on offense. He should command a solid market in his second career trip to free agency.
Jaguars' Arik Armstead Named 2024-25 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year
Feb 7, 2025
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 29: Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead (91) warms up before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans on December 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday.
The award is given annually to the players who "excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game." This year was the first time Armstead has won the award, and he also earned his fifth nomination in 2024.
Arik Armstead wins Walter Payton Man of the Year. His community work in Sacramento and the Bay Area, started during his long tenure with the 49ers, was heavily featured at the NFL Honors
Arik Armstead just gave such a beautiful, empowering speech. Truly embodies what someone who wins the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Congratulations @arikarmstead
Armstead, a 10-year veteran, had a commendable year on the field, picking up 29 tackles and two sacks in his first year in Jacksonville. What was more impressive is what Armstead did off the field this year.
His organization, Armstead Academic Project, has raised more than $2 million for STEM opportunities for children in the Sacramento and Bay Area since its inception in 2019.
"What inspired me to start the Armstead Academic Project - I was a kid who struggled in school at a young age and if it wasn't for people who poured into my life, I wouldn't have had a shot at being successful," Armstead said, via NFL.com. "There's a lot of kids who are just like me, who just need some nurturing and some resources to be poured into; their potential is endless. Those are the kids we're trying to reach and serve."
This season, Armstead donated $50,000 to the Department of Sound, which helped create a "Sound Mind" production workshop for 60 young people to "explore STEAM education and social emotional wellness." He also donated $100,000 to Teach for America and Square Root Academy.
Armstead's reading program, "Storytime with Arik Armstead," aims to help improve literacy rates. After joining the Jaguars this year, he also participated in the EverBank Touchdowns for Tomorrow program, which focuses on the importance of financial education to kids from Duval County Public Schools.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is one of the most prestigious recognitions a player can earn, and now Armstead has earned that honor.
29-Year-Old Grant Udinski, Jaguars Agree to OC Contract for HC Liam Coen's Staff
Feb 6, 2025
PHILADELPHIA, PA - September 19: Minnesota Vikings assistant to the head coach/special projects Grant Udinski stands on the sideline against the Philadelphia Eagles during a game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Youth and inexperience aren't hindrances to joining the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff this offseason.
The team announced Wednesday night they're hiring Grant Udinski as their next offensive coordinator. At 29, he's the second-youngest assistant in that role after the Chicago Bears tabbed 28-year-old Declan Doyle as their next OC.
We have agreed to terms with Grant Udinski to become our Offensive Coordinator. pic.twitter.com/5PKBOOynrm
"Grant will bring a wealth of knowledge, energy and a winning mindset to help lead our offense here in Jacksonville," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. "He is a rising star in this league that has been a pillar of success for the Vikings organization and we can't wait to have him lead our offense."
The Jaguars also agreed to bring on former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron as their new pass-game coordinator, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The team will also hire John Van Dam as a pass-game specialist, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Udinski has had a quick rise up the coaching ranks.
ESPN's Michael DiRocco noted he was briefly living out of his car as a graduate assistant at Baylor in 2019. His first NFL gig came a year later as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers. He followed Matt Rhule from Waco, Texas, to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Udinski had been on the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff since 2022, moving his way up to become the assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach last season.
His hiring, along with that of Doyle, isn't unprecedented in the NFL.
Sean McVay was 28 in his first year as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator in 2014, while Kyle Shanahan was a year older when he accepted the Houston Texans OC job in 2008.
Udinski's work with Sam Darnold likely played a big role in Coen's decision to bring him aboard. Darnold had a career year in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to 12 interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl.
The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling profiled Udinski in November and wrote how he also worked closely with rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy, who missed the entire year due to a torn meniscus.
"Their communication this spring was so frequent that McCarthy said he sensed Udinski was 'a little disheartened when I didn't give him that 11:30 p.m. phone call,'" Goessling wrote. "They sit together in meetings, both furiously typing notes into Google spreadsheets. Now that McCarthy can attend practices again following knee surgery, Udinski drills him on reciting play calls like he's the starter."
As the Jaguars offensive coordinator, getting Trevor Lawrence's development back on track will be one of Udinski's top priorities.
Lawrence's production has pretty much plateaued after he made the Pro Bowl in 2022, and that's not what Jacksonville wants to see from a player it signed to a $275 million extension.
Perhaps Coen and Udinski will help the 25-year-old make his breakthrough. If that happens, the Jaguars' long-term outlook is drastically different.
NFL News: Anthony Campanile, Jaguars Agree to DC Contract Under Liam Coen
Jan 31, 2025
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 19: Miami Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile enters the field during the preseason NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans on August 19, 2023 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
New Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen has made the first major hire to his staff.
The Jaguars and Anthony Campanile have agreed to terms on a deal that will make him their defensive coordinator.
Before the San Francisco 49ers got word from Robert Saleh that he was returning to the organization as their defensive coordinator, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted they were "impressed" with Campanile when they interviewed him as a potential alternative candidate.
Campanile spent the 2024 season on Matt LaFleur's staff with the Green Bay Packers, serving as linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
The 42-year-old Campanile has an extensive coaching background. He began as an assistant coach at the high school level in 2006 before moving to the college ranks at Rutgers from 2012 to '15.
Steve Addazio, then-head coach at Boston College, added Campanile to his staff in 2016. He spent two seasons as defensive backs coach before adding the title of co-defensive coordinator in 2018.
Jim Harbaugh brought Campanile to Michigan for the 2019 season as linebackers coach. He has been working in the NFL since 2020 when the Miami Dolphins hired him to be their linebackers coach.
The Jaguars will mark Campanile's first stint as a solo defensive coordinator at any level. He could have a lot of freedom in his role to mold the defense as he sees fit since Coen has said he intends to call plays for the offense.
Jacksonville finished 28th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed this season. The defense has ranked in the top half of the NFL in points allowed just once since 2019.
Liam Coen: Jaguars Gave 'An Opportunity That You Just Can't Pass Up' amid Bucs Drama
Jan 27, 2025
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JANUARY 27: Liam Coen, new Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is introduced to the media at the Miller Electric Center on January 27, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Perhaps no hiring was more dramatic during the ongoing cycle than the Jacksonville Jaguars' decision to bring Liam Coen in as head coach, and he made it clear Monday he didn't want to miss out on the opportunity ahead of him.
"The opportunity to coach in Tampa was a phenomenal one to get my feet wet in the NFL as the offensive coordinator and I thank them so much for that opportunity," Coen told reporters during his introductory press conference.
"As you continue to do more research and gain more information as you go, it started to become more clear with every hour that this was an opportunity that you just can't pass up, for so many different reasons. And you, ultimately, want to do truly what's best for you and your family, and that's what this came down to. I will always love and remember those guys in Tampa."
Coen was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past season, and it appeared as if he may stay at one point this offseason.
Nick Shook of NFL.com detailed the entire ordeal, noting the new head coach initially pulled himself out of consideration in Jacksonville and agreed to remain with Tampa Bay with a pay raise. However, the Jaguars fired general manager Trent Baalke shortly after that, and Coen ended up reengaging in discussions with the AFC South team even as the Buccaneers tried to contact him.
Coen stressed that the general manager situation did not factor into his decision-making process:
Liam Coen was set to return to the Buccaneers as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Instead, he was introduced as the Jaguars' head coach on Monday.
What changed in that time? Coen addressed the questions in his introductory news conference.
The end result is a new head coach in Jacksonville for an organization attempting to bounce back from its 4-13 record in 2024.
Whether it will be able to do so or not largely depends on whether quarterback Trevor Lawrence can live up to expectations as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. The 2022 Pro Bowler had 11 touchdown passes to seven interceptions and was 2-8 as a starter in 10 games in 2024, but working with Coen should help fully unleash his potential.
"How do we make @Trevorlawrencee and this offense as dynamic and explosive as we can be? We've got to build it around him...
After all, Baker Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns this past season in Tampa Bay's offense and could be something of a blueprint for the strides Lawrence can make under Coen.
And Monday's comments made it seem as if the new head coach is fired up to work with his new quarterback.
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 05: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen calls the play along the sidelines during the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 05, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The saga that resulted in Liam Coen reportedly leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job has left NFL observers stunned.
Dan Graziano of ESPN reported that sources are "in shock" that the Jaguars fired general manager Trent Baalke before hiring Coen. He added the Jaguars "apparently felt (Baalke) was too big an impediment" to hiring the best head coach:
This one is wild, if only for the way it went down. People I'm talking to are in shock that the Jaguars finally went ahead and fired Baalke, and that they apparently did it because they believed Coen wouldn't go there otherwise. This is the second hiring cycle for Jacksonville in which we've heard chatter about candidates not wanting to go there because of Baalke. The Jaguars ended up with Pederson last time, who was fine with the idea of working with Baalke. But this time they apparently felt he was too big an impediment for them to get their guy.
ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported that someone in the NFL said they had "never seen anything like it in my life" in reference to the sequence of events that saw Coen drop from consideration from the job and reportedly agree to a contract become the NFL's highest-paid coordinator to Baalke's firing and Coen's eventual move to Jacksonville.
As one person said about the two-day saga that saw the Jaguars lose their GM, the Buccaneers lose their OC and Coen accept two jobs - one that made him the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator, and another to become Jacksonville’s HC: “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”
Coen spent one season as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator after Dave Canales left to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers saw excellent production offensively under Coen's tutelage, with a career season from quarterback Baker Mayfield being a major highlight.
Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2024, exceeding his previous career highs. This helped the Buccaneers go 10-7, win the NFC South and clinch a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season.
Jacksonville will hope Coen's influence can result in a similar jump for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lawrence threw for 2,045 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 games in 2024, with the Jaguars eventually going 5-12.
This regression came after the Jaguars had consecutive 9-8 seasons in 2022 and 2023 and Lawrence exceeded 4,000 yards each year. Coen could be the influence that helps Lawrence and the Jaguars return to form.
Liam Coen's Rumored Move to Jaguars Stuns NFL Fans After Bucs Contract, Baalke Firing
Jan 24, 2025
TAMPA, FL - JUL 25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen smiles during Training Camp on July 25, 2024 at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
There's reportedly a new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Jaguars are "expected" to hire Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.
Liam Coen is expected to be named the next head coach of the Jaguars, pending final negotiations, per sources.
He’s now headed home to Tampa while his representatives finalize the details with Jacksonville. pic.twitter.com/UPkSEm3a3D
Coen was considered a candidate for the vacancy, but he initially informed the Jaguars on Wednesday that he was staying with Tampa Bay (via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero). Per Pelissero, Jacksonville reached out again after firing general manager Trent Baalke and Coen became an option once more.
Russini previously reported that Jaguars' ownership reached out to him directly, explaining that they'd let him pick their next general manager once Baalke was let go.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Coen had an agreement in place with Tampa Bay regarding a new contract but the deal was never officially signed. He eventually stopped contacting the front office, although he informed Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles of his interest in the Jaguars' opening (via ESPN's Adam Schefter).
Coen spent the 2024 season in Tampa Bay after operating as Kentucky's offensive coordinator in 2023. He also served as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams during the 2022 season.
The Buccaneers clinched a playoff berth with a record of 10-7, owning the fourth-best scoring offense in the NFL with an average of 29.5 points per game.
Now, Coen will reportedly take over in Jacksonville as the Jaguars look to bounce back after missing the playoffs in two straight seasons.
NFL News: Bucs' Liam Coen Finalizes Jaguars Contract as New HC After Baalke Firing
Jan 24, 2025
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 05: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen calls the play along the sidelines during the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 05, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After parting ways with head coach Doug Pederson following a disappointing 2024 campaign, the Jacksonville Jaguars have found their replacement.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan announced on Friday that the team has hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen as its new head coach:
In a statement to Fox Sports and GMFB's Peter Schrager, Coen thanked the Buccaneers and said that becoming the head coach of the Jaguars "is an opportunity of a lifetime."
The Athletic's Dianna Russini previously reported the Jaguars offered Coen "Ben Johnson-level money along with multiple years." ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Coen signed a five-year deal, though financial terms were not immediately disclosed.
Coen's hiring represents a significant change of direction for both the coach and the Jaguars following a whirlwind 48 hours.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the very next day that Jacksonville reached out to Coen to see if he would reconsider, and he met with the team to begin moving toward a deal.
Coen will now have a key role in finding a new general manager to replace Baalke, as Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports explained:
Sources say #Jaguars owner Shad Khan is so impressed with Liam Coen that the two will collaborate on the team’s new GM as well.
So, in 24 hours, Coen goes from #Buccaneers OC to Jags HC — with autonomy to help Khan select his new GM.
The #Jaguars elected to go head coach first, then GM, just like the #Jets. The thought process from Shad Khan, sources say, was that an offensive innovator like Liam Coen would be able to attract the type of GM Jacksonville needs to help build a championship caliber team.
A longtime assistant at the college and pro levels, Coen spent the 2024 season as offensive coordinator of the Buccaneers. Under his direction, the Bucs ranked third in the NFL with 399.5 total yards per game and fourth with 29.5 points per game on their way to earning a fourth straight NFC South title. The team fell to the Washington Commanders in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Coen was able to bring the best out of veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield, who produced career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns and completed 71.4 percent of his passes in their first year together. Rookie running back Bucky Irving, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft, also ranked 10th in the league with 1,122 yards and added eight touchdowns with Coen dialing up plays for him.
The Jaguars fired Pederson after his three-year tenure ended with a 4-13 finish to the 2024 season.
In its first year under Pederson in 2022, Jacksonville went 9-8, won the AFC South title and earned a playoff win. However, the team fell short of the playoffs in 2023 after losing five of its last six games, and things completely fell apart this past season.
The Jaguars opened the 2024 campaign with four straight losses and never recovered. To make matters worse, star quarterback Trevor Lawrence missed time with a shoulder injury before suffering a concussion in a Week 13 loss to the Houston Texans. In all, the 25-year-old appeared in just 10 games after being signed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with $142 million guaranteed last offseason.
Jacksonville is certainly hoping that Coen will be able to maximize Lawrence's talent and help the team return to playoff contention in 2025 and beyond. The Jaguars have the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NFL draft and will have the chance to add another impact player who could boost their chances of making it back to the postseason in Coen's first year at the helm.
Report: Liam Coen in Talks for Jaguars HC Job After Baalke Firing, New Bucs Contract
Jan 23, 2025
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 10: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen stands along the sidelines before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 10, 2024 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen could become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in a stunning turn of events.
Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported the two sides are in "active negotiations" and he will become the team's coach barring something unexpected.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero first reported he spoke with the Jaguars on Thursday regarding the team's head coaching vacancy and was considered to be a "key candidate.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported the Buccaneers believe Coen will take the job with the Jaguars.
Pelissero revealed that Coen informed the Jaguars on Wednesday that he was staying with the Buccaneers on a new contract, but Jacksonville reached out to him again after firing general manager Trent Baalke.
Jaguars' ownership called Coen directly and explained that they would let him pick his own general manager and pay him "Ben Johnson level money," per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, referring to the salary of new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that an "early figure on the NFL grapevine" for Johnson's contract in Chicago is roughly $13 million per year.
Fox Sports' Greg Auman noted Tampa Bay never announced that Coen signed a new deal with the team. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Buccaneers have been unable to reach the coach:
Buccaneers have had no contact today with Liam Coen or his representation. The team has made multiple efforts to reach him and has not. Coen is in Jacksonville discussing a deal to become the head coach.
Per Schefter, Coen said that he reached out to Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles to inform him of his interest in interviewing for Jacksonville's opening.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan previously said that he would address the topic of coaching candidates expressing reservations about working with Baalke before the general manager was ultimately fired, via Schefter and ESPN's Michael DiRocco.
According to Schefter and DiRocco, Khan's comments "might have been what spurred" the move from Coen.
Rapoport revealed that Coen and Tampa Bay agreed to an extension, but it was never officially signed before the two sides lost contact.
Schultz reported that Coen was "content" with serving as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator moving forward, although Jacksonville reached out multiple times with the idea that he would "need to say no, not once, but twice."
The Buccaneers have been operating as if the 39-year-old would still be part of their coaching staff after offering him a "hefty" contract to stay, via Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Coen's decision to engage with Jacksonville once again could affect the rest of the team's potential candidates, with Russini reporting that former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was scheduled to interview with the Jaguars on Friday.
Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh is scheduled to meet with the Jaguars on Friday. Now that Bucs OC Liam Coen has re-engaged with the Jaguars to be the next head coach, there are lots of moving parts.
Saleh was planning on flying from New Jersey to Jacksonville for the meeting, but he ultimately never left as the plans are now considered "fluid" (via Russini).
Coen spent the 2024 season in Tampa Bay after operating as Kentucky's offensive coordinator in 2023. His first year with the Buccaneers was successful, as they made the playoffs with a 10-7 record.
Tampa Bay's averages of 399.5 yards and 29.5 points per game ranked No. 3 and No. 4 among all NFL teams, respectively.
As for the Jaguars, their 18.8 points each week represented the seventh-worst scoring offense in the league during the regular season.
After parting ways with Baalke, Jacksonville is reportedly negotiating with Coen once more.
