Carolina Panthers

The Panthers job opening is the least luxurious option for head coaching candidates from an outside perspective thanks to the erratic behavior of owner David Tepper. The firing of Frank Reich in less than one season, plus the lack of a first round pick in the upcoming draft puts this head coach position on hall of fame difficulty. I think they want a coach who’ll unlock their potential franchise quarterback in Bryce Young. Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson and Texans OC Bobby Slowik are the premier first-time coach candidates, and I believe they’ll have the agency to land a more desirable job. An interesting prospect would be Bengals OC Brian Callahan, who’s been the coordinator for QB Joe Burrow his entire NFL career. Even though he’s not the play caller , he’s been vital in Burrow’s development. Bucs OC Dave Canales is the other option I’d be intrigued by, as he knows the NFC South and is the mastermind of the Bucs offense. He’s led QB Baker Mayfield into one of his best seasons as a pro, and as a QB with a smaller frame, he can help play to the 5’10 Bryce Young’s strengths. I’ll predict Canales to land the job and stay in the nfc south.

 

Atlanta Falcons

 

Falcons Owner Arthur Blank wants to win now, which is why he’s gone full throttle in attempting to acquire legendary coach Bill Belichick. It’s hard to believe that Belichick would be anywhere besides the Patriots, but his desire to coach hasn’t died. He’s 15 wins away from passing Don Shula as the winningest coach in NFL history, and the Falcons have the pieces to do it barring they find the right quarterback. If they don’t land Bill, then I could see Raheem Morris landing there as a leader of men style coach that could change the culture, but I’ll be brave enough to predict Belichick to Atlanta.

 

Seattle Seahawks

 

The surprise firing of longtime coach Pete Carroll puts Seattle in an interesting position. They could go with an young offensive mind or they could go with a defensive mind, or they could stay with the CEO type of coach. I believe the goal of the firing was to get a young mind to relate to the locker room, and by all accounts, it seems as if Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald fits the bill. He led the Ravens defense to averaging only 16.5 points per game allowed and has been praised by the Ravens players. I predict the Seahawks going after him as the young Pete Carroll that can adapt to the modern NFL.

 

Washington Commanders

I believe this is Ben Johnson’s spot to land. The Commanders have the second overall pick which will likely be either one of quarterbacks Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels (whoever Johnson would prefer) that have the tools to be molded into the franchise quarterback. The Commanders are also under new ownership which means they want to make an early impact, and signing on a top coaching candidate will put the league on notice. Bobby Slowik would also fit the bill, however Slowik only has one season as a coordinator under his belt and I could see teams holding off from signing what they may see as a one-year wonder.

 

Las Vegas Raiders

 

The coach the Raiders should hire has already coached for them in 2023. Antonio Pierce changed the culture for the Raiders midway through the season, which is nearly impossible to do. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby has publicly said he would demand a trade if Pierce wasn’t coach of the raiders, which shows how much Pierce has won the locker room over. He finished with a 5-4 record as interim coach including a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs which I believe cemented his case. The Raiders hopefully learned their lesson from 2021 with Rich Basaccia and will give Pierce the keys for a full season.

 

Los Angeles Chargers

 

It’s essential to pick out which rumors are real and which are just speculation. The rumors from people in legit NFL camps is that Jim Harbaugh is the guy for the Chargers. The Chargers are in a similar boat as the Falcons as a team ready to win, but the bonus for the chargers is QB Justin Herbert. That offers a level of stability that can entice Harbaugh to leave the stable Michigan job. Harbaugh also has west coast ties with his past as head coach of Stanford and his successful run as 49ers head coach, so Los Angeles shouldn’t be too much for him. This is a slam dunk hire but if not then I could see the previously mentioned Ben Johnson as a coach that helps the efficiency of the offense, or Raheem Morris as a culture setter.

 

Tennessee Titans

 

The most controversial firing in the league in Mike Vrabel has led the Titans to an unpredictable situation from the outside looking in. The firing of the leader of men in Vrabel leads me to believe they want to update the personnel and scheme, which leads to Texans OC Bobby Slowik. He’s part of the Shanahan tree that has invaded the league, and his work with rookie sensation CJ Stroud has media raving over him. The Titans offense will be moving on from Derrick Henry after this season and it’s time for them to get out of the 2000s style of smash mouth offense without the king taking charge. Young QB Will Levis has the tools to be an effective quarterback, so get him the coach that can do it. Bengals OC Brian Callahan could also fit the bill.

 

Dallas Cowboys? Philadelphia Eagles?

 

As I write this both teams haven’t made a decision on their respective coaches (Mike McCarthy and Nick Sirianni). Jerry Jones is a bold owner who’ll go after the top guy on the market, but he’s also a patient owner whether some believe it or not. Jason Garrett had a long leash in Dallas, and while McCarthy came up short three years in a row in the postseason, he’s also gotten 12+ win seasons in that span. There’s not many coaches who can do that in the parity driven NFL. If it’s true that Bill Belichick wants an underachieving team to bring up, Atlanta fits that better then Dallas to a degree. Arthur Blank will also be less of a media distraction compared to Jones which someone like Bill would like. I think Dallas keeps McCarthy for one more go. The Eagles are a bit different. It wasn’t just a bad game for them, as they lost 6 of the last 7 games in their season. Jeffrey Lurie has been known to move on from coaches in quick succession if the locker room is lost, and that seems to be the case for Nick Sirianni. I think they move on from him and go after recently fired Mike Vrabel. He did a lot with little in Tennessee and commanded respect from his players. Sirianni’s erratic style has waned on the team, his staff decisions this season have led to a decline on both sides of the ball, and having Vrabel’s stability would lead to a more consistent Eagles team week to week.