Hackett to Interview for Vacant Jaguars OC Job

The Jacksonville Jaguars are continuing the search for their next offensive coordinator, this meeting with Nathaniel Hackett, formerly of the Buffalo Bills.

Earlier this week, the Jaguars Gus Bradley met with Doug Marrone – who was head coach in Buffalo with Hackett serving under him as offensive coordinator. It is possible the two met, not so much for Marrone to interview for the open job in Jacksonville, but to pitch the idea to Bradley about his former coordinator.

If the Hackett’s name sounds familiar, he is the son of Paul Hackett, a long time NFL assistant coach.

Hackett, who served as Doug Marrone’s play-caller at Syracuse and then the last two years with the Bills, is available after new Bills coach Rex Ryan hired Greg Roman as his offensive coordinator earlier this week.

According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, Hackett, 35, joins Kirby Wilson, Roman, Marrone and Greg Olson has confirmed interviews to replace Jedd Fisch, who was fired Dec. 30.

Since graduating from Calif.-Davis, Nathaniel Hackett has worked at his alma mater, Stanford (three years), Tampa Bay (two years), Buffalo (two years), Syracuse (three years) and the Bills again (two years).

His last year in Tampa Bay (2007) was Jaguars coach Gus Bradley’s first year on the Buccaneers’ staff. Hackett was offensive quality control and Bradley was defensive quality control.

Buffalo ranked 26th in yards per game and 18th in points per game this past season.

The Jaguars just averaged over 15 points per game this past season.

IN OTHER NEWS

Smith may land a job

The Florida Times-Union reports that former Jaguars general manager Gene Smith may be hired by the New York Jets to work in their front office.

Both CBSSport.com and ESPN.com reported that new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan is interested in hiring Smith.

Smith was one of the original members of the Jaguars front office in 1994 and was promoted to the general manager’s job in 2009 after Shack Harris resigned with one game left in the 2008 season as vice president of player personnel.

Smith’s four years at the helm were marked by too many draft picks that were busts, notably quarterback Blaine Gabbert on the first round in 2011.

Smith was let go in 2012 by team owner Shad Khan, who hired current general manager Dave Caldwell to replace him. Caldwell in turn hired Bradley to coach and help rebuild the Jaguars from the ground up.