Former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is back in the NFL

TL;DR

Trent Baalke, former general manager of the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, is returning to the NFL as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns. His past tenure included mixed results, with one playoff appearance in four seasons with the Jaguars.

Key points

Trent Baalke returns to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns
Previously served as general manager for the Jaguars
Jaguars made playoffs once in four seasons under Baalke
Baalke's hiring is consistent with Browns' history of bringing in failed executives
His decisions in Jacksonville led to fan discontent

Mentioned in this story

San Francisco 49ersJacksonville JaguarsCleveland BrownsTrent BaalkeTrevor LawrenceUrban Meyer

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 15: Jim Tomsula (C) stands with San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York (R) and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke following a press conference at Levi's Stadium on January 15, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. The San Francisco 49ers announced Jim Tomsula as their new head coach to replace Jim Harbaugh. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | Getty Images The last time former San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke was in the NFL, he served as the Jacksonville Jaguars general manager from 2021 to 2024. The Jaguars made the playoffs once in four seasons. Baalke got it right at quarterback with Trevor Lawrence in a forgettable 2021 QB class. Jacksonville won three games during Lawrence’s rookie season. In Baalke’s final season, the Jaguars won four games. Sandwiched in between those seasons were two nine-win seasons. Two coaches were fired during Baalke’s tenure. One of them was the worst head coach of this century in Urban Meyer. Despite all that, and how his time ended with the 49ers, Baalke has found himself back in the NFL. After seemingly every draft analyst labeled the Cleveland Browns winners, the optimism that followed was downplayed after the team added Baalke over the weekend in a “consultant-like capacity.” The Browns have a history of bringing in failed executives, so this is on brand for Cleveland. Jaguars fans were optimistic about Baalke in the early years. Still, his decisions in Jacksonville, between roster choices and coaching hires, made it easy for them to turn on the same guy who could not say no to a prospect recovering from an ACL injury. After all of these years, it’s not surprising to see what Jim Harbaugh has accomplished compared to Baalke since they departed from the Bay Area.

Q&A

What teams did Trent Baalke manage in the NFL?

Trent Baalke served as the general manager for the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Why did the Cleveland Browns hire Trent Baalke?

The Cleveland Browns hired Trent Baalke in a consultant-like capacity, despite his controversial past and mixed success in previous roles.

What was Trent Baalke's record with the Jacksonville Jaguars?

During his tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baalke's team made the playoffs once in four seasons, with two nine-win seasons and a total of 19 wins across four years.