Jaguars notebook: Former 49ers executive Ethan Waugh hired as assistant GM; more roster moves
In March, the Jacksonville Jaguars scrapped plans to hire an executive vice president of football operations because owner Shad Khan liked how the collaboration that had developed between coach Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke.
However, the plan never changed for hiring an assistant general manager.
After month of speculation that former San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Ethan Waugh would be reunited with Baalke, the Jaguars hired him as assistant general manager that was first reported by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
Waugh spent 17 years with the 49ers, working in a variety of roles, including senior player personnel coordinator for three seasons (2015-17) and senior personnel assistant (2012-14).
Baalke spent 12 seasons with the 49ers (2005-16), including six as general manager, from 2011-16.
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'Blessed' free agent given chance
Trey Smith III does not know if he will get more opportunities to compete for a roster spot with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.
But Smith, the son of Jaguars' legendary wide receiver Jimmy Smith, considered it a blessing to land a tryout opportunity this past weekend during the team's three-day rookie minicamp.
He was not given any assurances other than having an opportunity to compete and be evaluated by Doug Pederson and his staff.
"It's just a beautiful place and a beautiful time for me and I'm just enjoying it," Smith said. "I've been receiving endless love from all the Jacksonville fans, and it's just been a blessing."
If Smith has any shot of landing a training camp invite, he will need to be stellar starting Monday when the entire 90-man roster participates in on-field work.
"We’re always looking to develop our roster and to add talent and value to our roster," Pederson said. ''If someone catches our eye that way and you want to make a move, you make a move. It’s not out of the question for a tryout guy to do that only even if it is three days to do that and to go and give that guy an opportunity.”
Smith hasn't played since 2020 at Wyoming as a graduate student. In the COVID-19 season that reduced the schedule to six games, he appeared in all six games and ranked second on the team in both rushing and touchdowns. He rushed for 488 yards and scored six touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 164 yards against UNLV and scored a touchdown.
"My dad has just been asking me how practices have been going, how it feels and giving me advice along the way," Smith said.
Roster moves
The Jaguars roster continues to be a revolving door with various moves over the past few days. The Jaguars announced Monday the release of wide receivers Terry Godwin and Josh Hammond, safety Sean Mahon and offensive lineman Marcus Tatum, a Daytona Beach native who played at UCF who was signed as a undrafted free agent.
Taking their spots on the roster, the Jaguars signed tight end Naz Bohannon, wide receivers Marvin Hall, Willie Johnson and Ryan McDaniel
Bohanon, 6-foot- 5, 232 pounds, played college basketball at Clemson in 2021 after playing four seasons at Youngstown State (2017-20). He finished his collegiate career with 1,425 points and 1,124 total rebounds. He last played football at Lorain (Ohio) High School.
Hall, 5-10, 192 pounds, has played in 47 career games with the Browns, Falcons and Lions. In 2020, he totaled a career-high 18 receptions for 302 yards and two TDs with the Lions (11 games) and Browns (one game). The Los Angeles native played at the University of Washington from 2012-15 and caught 25 passes for 409 yards in his four-year career.
Johnson, 5-10, 183, played collegiately at Marshall and a Fort Myers native, and had 114 receptions for 1,846 yards and 13 TDs, including a career-high 32 receptions for 625 yards and three touchdowns as a senior in 2021.
McDaniel, 6-2, 204, played in 34 games with North Carolina Central from 2018-21 and caught 100 passes for 1,208 yards, highlighted by a career-best 52 receptions for 680 yards in 2021.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars hire former 49ers executive Ethan Waugh as assistant GM
