As the NFL regular season winds down, multiple teams have already begun the process of looking ahead to the 2022 season.
Tuesday, marked the first day in which NFL teams with a head coaching opening could begin to reach out to potential candidates.
The two teams that currently have a head coaching opening are the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Raiders have not officially reached out to any candidates, but, the Jaguars have. These two franchises won’t be the only ones with openings, as every season always promises musical chairs at the head coach position. Let’s take a look at some teams that could be in the market for a new head coach in the next two weeks:
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders season looked like it could have spun out of control after the Jon Gruden and Henry Ruggs situations. But, they have been able to stay in contention for a wildcard spot, fighting for a playoff spot late in the season.
A lot of the credit for the Raiders success could be given to Rich Bisaccia. A journeyman special teams coordinator who was named the interim head coach. With little to no expectations, Bisaccia has coached his way into the conversation to be the team’s head coach of the future.
Image: Sports Illustrated
But, Bisaccia isn’t the only contender for this position, as the Raiders could draw some interest from a plethora of different coaches.
I’m sure the Raiders will have interest in some other candidates, but this list feels like the initial group. Todd Bowles is the current defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and has experience as the former head coach of the New York Jets. Bowles went 24-40 in four seasons with the Jets. Leslie Frazier is the current defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, but, also has some head coaching experience. Frazier was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010-2013, compiling a 21-32-1 record. Gus Bradley is currently on the Raiders coaching staff, as he is the team’s defensive coordinator. Bradley was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013-2016, and finished with a 14-48 record.
Other than Bisaccia, all of these coaches come from the defensive side of the ball. They all have head coaching experience, which seems like a priority from Raiders owner Mark Davis. A couple other names that I could see get thrown around in Vegas would be current Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and current Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. In regard to Quinn, he already has a connection with a number of different assistants on the staff, including current defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Quinn has seemingly changed that Cowboys defense overnight.
But, Mark Davis can be a wildcard, as he’s hired five head coaches since 2011. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Davis went hunting in the college ranks. The Raiders were connected to Michigan head coach. Jim Harbaugh, but I find that to be unlikely at this current point in time.
Prediction: The Raiders hire Dann Quinn to be their next head coach
Jacksonville Jaguars
Unlike the Raiders, the Jaguars have already begun the interview process. The Jaguars have already reached out to eight candidates. These candidates include Todd Bowles, Jim Caldwell, Doug Pederson, Dan Quinn, Matt Eberflus, Nathaniel Hackett, Byron Leftwich, and Kellen Moore. However, Dan Quinn has reportedly elected to pass on being interviewed by the Jaguars.
These candidates certainly vary in a number of different ways. The Jaguars clearly cast a wide net here, early on. After the Urban Meyer debacle, it’s clear that Jaguars owner Shahid Khan wants to get this hire right.
The Jaguars could go about this hire in two different directions. I could see them focusing on finding someone that would best develop their young quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. Or, I could see them going the route of finding someone that could fix the culture in that Jaguars locker room, finding a veteran that has been their before.
When it comes to finding someone that can help develop Trevor Lawrence, former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson could fit the bill. But, the same can be said with Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Byron Leftwich was drafted by the Jaguars in 2003, and according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, “has a big groundswell of support” to be the next Jaguars head coach.
Image: Don Montague - AP
In terms of the culture element, Jim Caldwell would make a lot of sense. Caldwell has multiple years of head coaching experience with the Colts and the Lions. He has a career record of 62-50.
Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus also present as interesting possibilities. I also could see the Jaguars reaching out to Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. But, I’m really hesitant on McDaniels’ true interest in this job, especially with general manager Trent Baalke set to stay in the fold. Baalke staying in Jacksonville makes this position less-appealing for a number of candidates.
Prediction: The Jaguars hire Byron Leftwich to be their next head coach
Chicago Bears
The Bears head coaching position isn’t open yet, but it’s almost a virtual certainty that the Bears will move on from current head coach, Matt Nagy.
Nagy has failed to elevate this Bears team, and it feels like everyone in Chicago is ready to move on. With the Bears already being virtually eliminated from playoff contention, I was surprised that the Bears didn’t already cut bait, to get a head start on other teams looking for a new head coach. But, at this point in time, it feels like Nagy will coach the Bears for the remainder of the season.
I imagine that Chicago’s general manager Ryan Pace will likely also be replaced. So, this Bears team will be in need of a new general manager and head coach. Rookie Justin Fields has flashed on a couple of different occasions, so, I’d imagine the Bears would be in the market for someone that could get Justin Fields on the right path. Fields is the draw for this position. Similar to the Jaguars, finding someone that could develop a young quarterback is a must.
Some potential candidates could include former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
A lot of this position is dependent on who they bring in to be the general manager. Or, do they hire someone like Josh McDaniels and give him final say on personnel decisions?
Image: Eric Hartline - USA Today Sports
McDaniels has a long history of developing young quarterbacks in New England, and it’s not just Mac Jones. McDaniels was at the forefront of the development of Jimmy Garoppolo, and helped Tom Brady flourish during the middle of his NFL career. But, if McDaniels doesn’t get say on personnel, will he still be willing to take the job? How willing are the Bears to give give McDaniels the key to the franchise?
But, the same can be said about Doug Pederson, who also could be given personnel decisions. It was clear that Pederson had a different outlook on personnel than the Eagles did, which ultimately led to his exit in Philadelphia. But, the issue with hiring Pederson in Chicago, would be his connection with Matt Nagy. Pederson and Nagy are close friends, and both come from the Andy Reid coaching tree. Pederson even made a visit to a Bears training camp practice this summer.
Image: NBC Chicago
Getting Justin Fields the correct coach is so important for the franchise, as the future of the franchise depends on it. I think they’ll explore a number of different avenues, and select one of the most coveted offensive signal-callers in football, who has been able to lead one of the most potent offenses in football.
Prediction: The Bears hire Kellen Moore to be their next head coach
Minnesota Vikings
Mike Zimmer has had some success in Minnesota, as he has had a 71-55-1 record over the last eight seasons. But, with the Vikings set to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season, it’s time to move on. Zimmer’s go-around in Minnesota did not lead to a Super Bowl, but it did lead to relevancy, and a conference championship appearance.
The Vikings are certainly an appealing destination, especially with their offensive personnel. Kirk Cousins isn’t an elite quarterback by any means, but, he’s had arguably the best season of his career. With skill-position players in Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen, they should be able to tempt some candidates. However, it’s unclear if the Vikings will look to part with current general manager Rick Spielman. If I were to guess, I’d say that Spielman survives the transition.
Again, I can’t stress enough, about the importance of a general manager in these situations.
Image: Ion Sportswire - Getty Images
Some potential candidates to replace Mike Zimmer could be former Eagles coach Doug Pederson, current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, current Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and current Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
I think Spielman will prioritize a candidate that has experience as a play-caller, and as a head coach.
Prediction: The Vikings hire Doug Pederson to be their next head coach
Denver Broncos
Vic Fangio has the Broncos fighting for a wildcard spot, but at the end, it will likely fall short. This would mean that Fangio has missed the playoffs in all three seasons, and it would also mean that the Broncos finished with a losing record for the third-straight season under Fangio.
Fangio was hired by John Elway in 2019, but the Broncos organizational structure has changed since then. This past January, John Elway took a step back from the day-to-day operations, and the Broncos hired George Paton to be their next general manger. It’s also important to note that before Paton arrived in Denver, he spent 13 seasons in the Minnesota Vikings organization. Fangio wasn’t Paton’s hire, so I’d be shocked if Fangio survived another season.
The Broncos as an organization are really in an interesting position. They’re loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, but are only missing a quarterback. The combination of Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock are only stop-gaps, as both aren’t a long-term fix at the position. Last year, the Broncos punted on selecting a quarterback in the first-round, as they passed on Mac Jones and Justin Fields. Why did the Broncos take a pass at drafting a quarterback? Did they just not grade them high? Or, do the Broncos have another plan in-mind?
There should be a slew of veteran quarterbacks available this offseason, and as currently constructed the Broncos present as an ideal location for many of them. These veteran quarterbacks could include Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Deshaun Watson, and maybe even Baker Mayfield. But, selecting a head coach that can get the most out of a veteran quarterback is important.
Images: Rick Wood - Milwaukee Journal
Despite the current uncertainty at quarterback, this could be one of the most appealing head coaching openings.
If the Broncos want to convince Aaron Rodgers to finish his career in Denver, it would be beneficial if they hired the current Packers offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett. Or, they could look to hire a veteran with experience with veteran quarterbacks. This list could be headlined by Jim Caldwell. Maybe, Paton wants to bring in Mike Zimmer, especially with the familiarity and Minnesota connection.
Prediction: The Broncos hire Mike Zimmer to be their next head coach