Jaguars GM Trent Baalke has “full confidence” in Doug Pederson

The explosion of the NFL Draft’s popularity has caused a myriad of rumors and noise to swirl about what teams with the top draft picks will decide to do. For Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke, while he doesn’t mind guessing who others might use their valuable draft picks on, he prefers to stay focused only on what the Jacksonville Jaguars plan to do.

“I think you just try to get a good understanding of what the team needs are for the other teams,” Baalke said at the annual NFL Combine. “But the bottom line is worrying about you – making the best decision for you.  It helps to have a good feel for what other teams are going to do, but it’s impossible to know what every team is thinking.”

Baalke insists on not reading any news ahead of the draft, preferring to stay focused on the Jaguars with making draft day decisions.

“I tend not to read much,” Baalke said.  “If I did, I’d be hanging from a bridge somewhere.  You just try to do the best thing you can do for your team and keep the focus on you.  That’s the best way to approach it.”

The Jaguars are coming off a disappointing 9-8 season in 2023, which saw them watching the NFL playoffs from the couch. Nevertheless, Baalke expressed total confidence in head coach Doug Pederson heading into 2024.

“I’m on the personnel side,” Baalke said. “I let the coaches talk about coaching. I sit in with Coach (Pederson) on interviews and stuff like that, but I have full confidence in Coach to make the right decisions for this football team.  Whatever decision he makes, I support.”