Hue Jackson expected to be Cincinnati Bengals next OC
Cincinnati Bengals runnings backs coach Hue Jackson in the first quarter of a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The Cincinnati Bengals will definitely miss defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer if he is hired as the head coach of another team, and he is currently reported to be the favorite to win the Minnesota Vikings head coaching gig. It will be a well-deserved promotion for one of the game’s best defensive coordinators, and the Bengals will have to find someone to ably replace him. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden has already been hired away, as the Washington Redskins have tabbed Gruden to be their next head coach. While Gruden is a solid offensive coordinator, the Bengals won’t be missing him due to a talented man who is about to get his promotion.
Bengals fans already love Hue Jackson for grossly overpaying for Carson Palmer in a trade, and that ill-fated deal led to Jackson’s time with the Oakland Raiders organization coming to a close. Jackson did some great things as the Raiders head coach and led a team that was much more successful than expected, but Jason Campbell’s season-ending injury and the horrific decision to acquire Palmer ended up costing Jackson his job and the momentum he built.
Jackson is still highly respected in the league and by the Bengals organization, and he definitely deserves a promotion. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Jackson is expected to get his promotion, as a source informs Schefter that the Bengals “plan” to make Hue Jackson their next offensive coordinator.
He would probably be an upgrade over Gruden, and there is little doubt that Jackson knows what he is doing and has an excellent track record to boot. He’s done a great job on the coaching staff thus far as the Bengals running backs coach, and I’m sure he deserves some credit for Giovani Bernard’s incredibly promising rookie year. If hired as the offensive coordinator, Jackson would have a lot of say, call plays, and he would do a better job of getting the Bengals to assert their ground game more often.