Jaguars Reportedly Interview Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman For Front Office Role

The Jacksonville Jaguars could actually be looking to add to the front office after all.

According to a Tuesday report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the Jaguars conducted an interview with former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman earlier this week. While it does not appear the veteran front office executive was interviewed for the general manager role, Spielman was reportedly talked to about a "high-level front office position."

The #Jaguars interviewed former #Vikings long-time GM Rick Spielman for a high-level front office position in-person yesterday, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. One of the more respected GMs over the last decade, Spielman would be a key addition in Jacksonville.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 1, 2022

If hired, Spielman would give the Jaguars an experienced front office member to either work with or above Baalke. Spielman, 59, started in the NFL as a scout for the Lions from 1990-1996 before becoming the Director of Pro Personnel for the Bears from 1997-1999.

Spielman was vice president of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins from 2000-2001 before being named senior vice president of football operations for the following two seasons and then finally general manager in 2004.

After taking a year out of the NFL in 2005, Spielman was hired by the Vikings as vice president of player personnel in 2006, a role he held until he was promoted to general manager.

During Spielman's 10 seasons as general manager, the Vikings made the playoffs four times and compiled an 87-72-1 record.

Spielman is the first executive the Jaguars have interviewed for a front office position. The Jaguars have been led by embattled general manager Trent Baalke in the front office this offseason, though Baalke's presence has reportedly played a large role in the Jaguars' now month-long search for Urban Meyer's replacement.

The Jaguars first interviewed Doug Pederson for the head coach role on Dec. 30, making him the first of what would be 10 ultimate candidates. Since then, the Jaguars have held second interviews with Matt Eberflus and Byron Leftwich, scheduled a second interview with Nathaniel Hackett, and are now set to interview Pederson for a second time on Tuesday.

The Leftwich saga has been a whirlwind to this point and now very well could be over, with Spielman potentially having say in the Jaguars' next choice of head coach.

The team's brass had a positive second interview with him last Tuesday in Tampa Bay, but Leftwich has yet to be named head coach as other coaches such as Nathaniel Hackett and Matt Eberflus have been hired by Denver and Chicago. Since last Tuesday, there has been little progress in the Jaguars' search as they have scheduled more interviews since and have even shown an interest in Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell.

Mike Jurecki of AZCardinals.com reported Thursday that the Jaguars were close to hiring Leftwich as head coach and Arizona Cardinals exec Adrian Wilson as general manager, but no pairing has yet taken place in Jacksonville.