Tag: Keenan McCardell

Podcast: Reviewing the 3 best and worst free agent signings in Jags history

This week, the @TDJaguarsPod took a trip down memory lane and discussed the three best and worst free agent signings in Jags history.

When looking at their recent history, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been labeled offseason champions frequently because they’ve often found themselves spending a lot of money in free agency. The reason for that is because they’ve struggled in the draft and it’s put them in a situation where they needed some of the top veterans on the free agent market to bolster the team.

At times, it worked, as we saw in 2017 when the Jags nearly went to the Super Bowl. There were also some good additions made in the earliest years of the team’s history when the Jags had some of their best consecutive seasons. There have also been times where they missed big on players, and it set the franchise back longer than expected, like in the Gene Smith era.

In Episode 16 of the “Touchdown Jaguars!” podcast, Jags Wire’s Phil Smith and I took a trip down memory lane and ranked the three best and worst signings in team history. For the most part, our respective lists were almost identical, but we shared our opinions on why each player made the list and what were the most memorable moments to come from their respective tenures.

To listen to the full episode, hit play below:

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Vikings WR coach Keenan McCardell comments on players going to bat for his job

McCardell speaks on the offseason push to keep him in Minnesota

A new regime was sure to bring about major change for the Minnesota Vikings, but there was at least one thing the team wanted to remain the same: Keenan McCardell staying on as the wide receivers coach.

The bond created between McCardell and the players has been immediate on the football field. So it’s understandable why there were serious concerns he’d be lost in the mass exodus of coaches that followed the Mike Zimmer firing.

However, the incoming regime made the decision to keep McCardell on staff after multiple players spoke up for him and his job on social media.

When speaking with media members, McCardell commented on what it felt like to have his players go to bat for him at a time when he could have easily been the next coach shown the exit.

“It meant a lot to me,” said McCardell. “I called them all and said, ‘You guys didn’t have to do that.’ I think my resume would have spoke for itself, and if it didn’t, it was just part of the process because you know in this coaching business you’ve got to do your job, and then hopefully, other people see it and see how hard you work.

“But I appreciate all of those guys going to bat for me. It shows you what kind of room we have. We take care of each other. We look out after each other. We make sure that it’s a family in there.”

It’s certainly one talented family with one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.

The willingness of ownership to actually listen to the players and take their opinions into consideration is significant as well. One of the most popular words that has been thrown around in recent months is collaboration.

The players and organization made a collaborative effort to keep one of their best coaches on staff for another season. It’s a happy ending for the Vikings that hopefully leads to continued productivity on the football field.

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Players get their wish, Vikings keep Keenan McCardell as receivers coach

The Vikings listened to the players on this one.

The regime shift for the Minnesota Vikings has already brought about much-needed change with not only the coaching staff but the front office as well. However, there was one change players were adamant about not seeing happen, and that was Keenan McCardell being removed as the receivers coach.

Well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the players will get their wish with the Vikings retaining McCardell’s position on the staff.

“The #Vikings are retaining wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, per source,” Fowler posted on social media. “He will stay on with Kevin O’Connell’s new staff to continue his work with Justin Jefferson and Co.”

McCardell joined the Vikings this season after spending the previous four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The impact he had on the team was obvious given the success so many players had on the field.

Justin Jefferson was named to his second All-Pro team in a year where he came within 17 yards of breaking Randy Moss’ single-season receiving yards record (1,632).

K.J. Osborn went from not having a single catch as a rookie to hauling in 50 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns. Adam Thielen was still effective when healthy, and rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette showed flashes of greatness when he had his opportunities.

Back in January, some of the receivers took to social media to convince the team to keep McCardell on staff. Thielen, on the other hand, spoke publicly about it during an appearance on Unrestricted with Ben Leber.

“[Coach McCardell] really made me a better football player this season. If you did something really well, he expected that out of you,” said Thielen. “…I’m standing on the table for him because he made us, as a receiving unit, better football players.”

The players got their guy, and incoming head coach Kevin O’Connell has another great football mind to pair with a new staff that’s finally coming together in Minnesota.

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Former Jags WR Dede Westbrook to work out for Vikings Saturday, expected to visit Seahawks Sunday

Former Jags receiver Dede Westbrook appears to be fully recovered from the ACL tear he sustained last season.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Dede Westbrook appears to be fully recovered from the ACL tear he sustained last season and will begin making stops to find a new team this weekend. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, he’ll be working out for the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, then afterward, he’ll be making a trip to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks on Sunday, according to NFL reporter Josina Anderson.

Westbrook’s meeting with the Vikings makes sense because former Jags receivers coach Keenan McCardell now has the same title with Minnesota. And though the group is led by Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, the team seems to believe there could be room for some speed at the position. They could also be looking at him for help on special teams as Westbrook has return experience, too (47 punt returns for 461 yards and a touchdown).

Westbrook was drafted by the Jags in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Throughout his tenure, he was decently productive in Duval accumulating 160 catches for 1,720 career receiving yards and nine touchdowns. His career-high came in 2017 when he accumulated 66 catches for 717 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

If Westbrook doesn’t sign with either team, there could be other opportunities on the table as Anderson reported that players from the Kansas City Chiefs reached out to him about potentially signing back in May. Anderson reported that the Cincinnati Bengals also had preliminary conversations with Westbrook.

Jimmy Smith says Keenan McCardell couldn’t coach WRs how he wanted to as a Jags assistant

The former Jags receiver said his old teammate Keenan McCardell couldn’t coach Jacksonville’s receivers the way he wanted to.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Keenan McCardell spent the last four years as the team’s receivers coach, but after head coach Doug Marrone was fired following the 2020 season, McCardell wasn’t retained.

But his former teammate with the Jaguars, fellow star receiver Jimmy Smith (who talked to McCardell when he was a Jags assistant), said that McCardell wasn’t able to coach the receiver group how he wanted to during an appearance on 1010XL Primetime.

“The previous coaching staff didn’t want a No. 1 receiver and I know how bad that bugged Keenan …,” Smith said. “Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach like he wanted to. Let me say it again. Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach the receivers the way he wanted to.”

According to Smith, that especially impacted the development of D.J. Chark. The former second-round pick from LSU had a breakout season in 2019 after having one of the league’s worst drop rates as a rookie. He finished with over 1,000 yards, but his play dropped off during his third season in 2020, and he finished with just 706 yards and five touchdowns, three fewer than he netted the year before.

Quarterback play certainly played a role in that, as injuries to starter Gardner Minshew II led to Jake Luton and Mike Glennon starting a combined eight games. But Smith said the way that Marrone wanted receivers to be coached also didn’t do Chark any favors.

“Why are the receivers standing straight up at the line of scrimmage? We know that’s not Keenan,” he said. “We know that’s not the way we played and I know that’s not the way that he wants to coach. Because the route running begins by your stance as a wide receiver. … That’s just like football route running 101.”

“Those who know the game knew that Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach those receivers and it affected DJ Chark’s development because Keenan was not allowed to coach those receivers the way he wanted to.”

New receivers coach Sanjay Lal is a seasoned veteran when it comes to coaching the position group, though he spent the last season in an offensive analyst role with the Seattle Seahawks. His pedigree speaks for itself, but if Smith is right, it will be crucial that Meyer doesn’t micromanage the group the way the last staff did.

Keenan McCardell thinks Justin Jefferson ‘can be there with the greats’

The Vikings wide receivers coach has high praise for the Pro Bowl rookie.

Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in 2020, as a rookie.

Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell thinks that Jefferson’s ceiling is higher than just being one of the best receivers in the league right now.

“Justin is a guy that has a big ceiling,” McCardell said via the Star Tribune. “He can be there with the greats. And the thing I love about him is he’s a competitor and he loves to play football. You can see the energy in him and it’s pretty infectious, too.

McCardell had five 1,000-yard seasons during his 16-year career, so he’s no slouch himself.

In his second season, Jefferson’s skills should only improve and it helps having a player like Adam Thielen opposite as well to ease some pressure off of him.

In a 2020 draft class that was loaded at wide receiver, Jefferson was the only receiver to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark.

Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell talks about Thielen and Jefferson

Minnesota Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell gets to mentor some of the better wide receivers in the league: Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell was once a part of a menacing wide receiver duo himself.

McCardell, alongside fellow wideout Jimmy Smith, made the Jaguars passing attack lethal in his former NFL days.

Now, McCardell is coaching a position group that has a similar duo: Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. McCardell can see the similarity:

“I had this conversation with Adam [on Tuesday], and I was just like, ‘You guys are similar to myself and Jimmy Smith.’ I think you guys push each other,” McCardell said, via Vikings.com. “You guys have fun playing with each other. I said I want you guys to continue that, because I’ve been a part of that. I understand that.”

Thielen and Jefferson made the passing attack effective last season, but if the Vikings offense wants to make strides, the unit has to rely on the passing game more. Let’s see if McCardell and newly promoted offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can make that happen.

Report: What the Vikings hiring Keenan McCardell as WR coach could mean going forward

What does the Minnesota Vikings hiring Keenan McCardell as WR coach have to do with the team as whole?

Despite Minnesota thriving at the wide receiver position in 2020, the Vikings elected to hire a new wide receivers coach this offseason: Keenan McCardell, as Eugene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union reported.

On the surface, this hire might look confusing, considering wide receivers coach Andrew Janocko is still on the staff. However, with offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak officially retired, this move suggests that the team is making some internal changes.

Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reported that everything he continues to hear is that Klint Kubiak is the front-runner to be the offensive coordinator, with Janocko shifting from WRs coach to QB coach in that scenario.

Goessling reported earlier that many expect Klint Kubiak, Gary’s son, to take over as the offensive coordinator. The move would be an inside hire and most likely be a sign of continuity for the offense. 

Minnesota has to hire its sixth offensive coordinator of the Mike Zimmer era. From Pat Shurmur to Kevin Stefanski, there have been some sound offensive minds in that role. The Vikings will hope to find another one this offseason.

Our friends at Jaguars Wire said that McCardell was the coach who Jacksonville fans wanted to retain the most this offseason. The Jaguars fired both their general manager and head coach in 2020.

Report: Keenan McCardell expected to join Vikings’ staff

The Jags’ WR coach from 2017-20, Keenan McCardell, will not be retained on the 2021 staff.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ staff will look dramatically different this season as most, if not all, of their coaches from 2020 aren’t expected to be retained. Per The Florida Times-Union, one coach who won’t be returning is Jags legend Keenan McCardell, who had been coaching the receivers since 2017. Instead of returning under Urban Meyer, he’ll be heading to Minnesota to join the Vikings’ staff.

McCardell, 51, was the coach fans wanted to retain the most, but Meyer seemingly wanted to make a change. In the process of conducting a search, Meyer decided to bring longtime receivers coach Sanjay Lal aboard, who will likely replace McCardell and has coached in the NFL since 2009.

McCardell, who has six years of coaching experience in the NFL and played in it for 16 seasons, did an excellent job with the Jags’ young receiving corps while in Jacksonville. Notables like Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, D.J. Chark Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Keelan Cole, and Collin Johnson all had the luxury to learn under him. Of the group, Chark became a Pro Bowler under the tutelage of McCardell and registered over 1,000 yards in 2019.

The good thing about McCardell’s unfortunate departure is that he’s going to coach one of the league’s best receiving duos as the Vikings have Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen atop their depth chart. Both accumulated totals of 1,400 and 925 yards, respectively, and combined for 21 touchdowns.

Report: Keenan McCardell expected to join Vikings’ staff

The Jags’ WR coach from 2017-20, Keenan McCardell, will not be retained on the 2021 staff.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ staff will look dramatically different this season as most, if not all, of their coaches from 2020 aren’t expected to be retained. Per The Florida Times-Union, one coach who won’t be returning is Jags legend Keenan McCardell, who had been coaching the receivers since 2017. Instead of returning under Urban Meyer, he’ll be heading to Minnesota to join the Vikings’ staff.

McCardell, 51, was the coach fans wanted to retain the most, but Meyer seemingly wanted to make a change. In the process of conducting a search, Meyer decided to bring longtime receivers coach Sanjay Lal aboard, who will likely replace McCardell and has coached in the NFL since 2009.

McCardell, who has six years of coaching experience in the NFL and played in it for 16 seasons, did an excellent job with the Jags’ young receiving corps while in Jacksonville. Notables like Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, D.J. Chark Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Keelan Cole, and Collin Johnson all had the luxury to learn under him. Of the group, Chark became a Pro Bowler under the tutelage of McCardell and registered over 1,000 yards in 2019.

The good thing about McCardell’s unfortunate departure is that he’s going to coach one of the league’s best receiving duos as the Vikings have Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen atop their depth chart. Both accumulated totals of 1,400 and 925 yards, respectively, and combined for 21 touchdowns.