Jaguars Can't Afford Hated Rival Texans to Land Chip Kelly

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen's first official battle with Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans won't come on the field.

Instead, there appears a real possibility Coen and Ryans are going to compete for one of the top names on the coaching market in Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, the Jaguars have generated interest in Kelly as an option for Coen's offensive coordinator. The two each have a close relationship with Mark Whipple, who coached Kelly at New Hampshire and employed Coen at the University of Massachusetts.

But, Jones says, Kelly is also a logical option for the Houston Texans after Bobby Slowik's firing.

"Sources indicated the Jaguars had interest in pairing new head coach Liam Coen with Kelly. Coen is thought to be a play-calling head coach, so it's unclear how involved Kelly would be in calling the plays in-game should that match come to fruition," Jones said.

"But after the Texans fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik following two years in that role, sources pointed to Kelly as a logical successor. He was DeMeco Ryans' coach in Philadelphia during his playing days, and he would call the offensive plays without interference considering the head coach comes from the defensive background."

The two jobs, of course, would likely offer very different paths for Kelly. Coen is expected to call plays in Jacksonville after owner Shad Khan had to deal with former head coach Doug Pederson stepping back from the role after just one season.

Taking a coordinator job without play-calling responsibilities wouldn't be a direct demotion for Kelly, but he is an offensive mind who has always had play-calling as one of his trump cards. Going from a play-caller at one of the best programs in the country is enticing, even if the Jaguars would offer a jump back into the NFL for the former head coach.

The Texans, meanwhile, will be hiring a play-caller regardless of who they hire at offensive coordinator. Ryans has full control of the defensive side of the ball, but he needs to trust that his coordinator will be able to navigate the offense. Kelly would likely have more direct control in this case.

Whatever stops the Jaguars need to pull out to bring Kelly to Jacksonville, they should use them. Whether that has to do with salary, game-day responsibilities, title -- whatever.

Kelly might not have panned out as an NFL head coach, but he is a top offensive mind and would give the Jaguars the most offensive firepower from their head coach and offensive assistant that they have perhaps ever had.

If the Texans grab him, then the Jaguars will have to face his offense twice a year as he gets paired with CJ Stroud and a Texans offense that still hasn't reached its potential.

Kelly would be a home-run hire for the Jaguars, and losing him to a hated rival would do plenty of damage to what so far has been a positive offseason.

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