The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After annual postseason turnover, NFL likely to see five or six new faces next season.
There were seven head-coaching changes in the NFL last offseason, and not all of the newcomers have found instant success.
Brandon Staley has the Los Angeles Chargers on the verge of the playoffs, and Nick Sirianni is already in with the Philadelphia Eagles. But the remaining five will be shut out of the postseason, with four of them having won four games or fewer. (And one of those, Jacksonville’s Urban Meyer, didn’t even last the full season.)
We don’t yet know how many coaching changes we’ll get this year, but I could see the total being five or six. Let’s take a look at how each of the potential openings stacks up.
Las Vegas Raiders: At 9-7, they enter the final week with a chance to make the postseason. If they beat the Chargers on “Sunday Night Football,” they’re in. That is a testament to this team’s resilience; it has been able to overcome the midseason resignation of coach Jon Gruden and other challenges.
It also is a testament to the team’s talent level, most notably its pass rush and at quarterback, where Derek Carr has had a strong season. The presence of a reliable QB is a major asset for the next coach; the Raiders could continue to build around Carr or trade him for a package of draft picks and/or players.
It’s unclear whether general manager
Mike Mayock will be back, and the roster has room to improve after some questionable draft choices in recent years. But the Raiders remain a popular team with plenty of fans. That, plus the fact that they have the best QB situation of any team on this list, is enough to earn the Raiders the top spot.
Minnesota Vikings: It’s not a guarantee that Mike Zimmer will be fired, but after Sunday night’s loss to Green Bay eliminated the Vikings from the postseason, there is a good chance. He has been good over eight seasons, but the Vikings have missed the playoffs the past two years, and the defense — Zimmer’s specialty — has been a disappointment.
There is a lot about this job that would be attractive to a coaching candidate. The Vikings have good, stable ownership. They have a dedicated fan base and a strong home-field advantage. There is plenty of talent, including wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Dalvin Cook.
Whether Kirk Cousins is viewed as a positive might depend on the candidate. He brings more stability than many teams have at quarterback, but his contract is expensive and his longterm future with the team is uncertain. Regardless, Minnesota should be one of the more enticing jobs if Zimmer is let go.
Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio is unlikely to last another season, and there should be plenty of interest among candidates to replace him. GM George Paton has done a good job of building the roster, which includes 2021 draft picks Patrick Surtain II at cornerback and Javonte Williams at running back. The secondary is one of the best in football, and the receiving corps is young and talented.
The biggest issue is at quarterback, with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock both struggling, but the Broncos can address that in the offseason. They have lots of salary cap room and draft choices if they want to sign or trade for a veteran. Or they could select a QB in the draft.
This is a good team in a great football city. It shouldn’t have any trouble fielding a strong pool of candidates.
Jacksonville Jaguars: They would be higher on this list if it weren’t for their poor talent level; they are in line to pick first in the draft for the second straight year.
The presence of 2021’s No. 1 pick, quarterback Trevor Lawrence, is a plus, even though he has had a rough rookie year. He has the talent to make a leap in his second season, similar to how Joe Burrow did for Cincinnati. The Jaguars also have a ton of cap room, which could allow them to address needs such as the defense and the offensive line in free agency.
They have supportive ownership and more resources than many teams in the league. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they went with an offensive-minded coach to develop Lawrence, which is why former Eagles coach Doug Pederson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coordinator Byron Leftwich are possible candidates.
Chicago Bears: This isn’t a bad job by any means, but there are a few barriers to winning right away. The roster is an issue, with help needed along the offensive line, at wide receiver and on defense. They have plenty of salary cap room, but they’re without their firstround pick this year after last year’s trade up to draft quarterback Justin Fields.
Fields showed flashes during his rookie season, even as the Bears struggled, and his presence makes the job more desirable. Candidates who believe in his ability to become a high-level starter should be interested, and for that reason it seems likely that the team would want to find a strong offensive coach to aid in his development.
Houston Texans: At this point, it appears likely that the Texans will retain David Culley beyond his first season. But if this job does come open, it will be the least desirable.
The Deshaun Watson situation still doesn’t have a resolution, handcuffing the team on how to move forward at quarterback. The roster lacks talent. There has been turmoil in the organization over the past year, including at the ownership level. This team would be better off sticking with Culley for at least one more season, given how much else remains unresolved.
Raiders could continue to build around Carr or trade him for a package of draft picks and/or players.