Teaching Carousel: Rating the 9 NFL Head Coach Vacancies

[ad_1] At their essence, all NFL head teaching jobs are engaging. There are simply 32 of them, in spite of everything, and just a few of these spots change into obtainable every year.

However not all NFL head teaching jobs are created equal. Possession, entrance workplace construction, quarterback scenario, draft capital and wage cap flexibility are among the many many elements that decide the attraction of a head coach function.

With Mike Tomlin parting methods with the Steelers, there are actually 9 vacancies throughout the league. Right here’s our rating of them.

The Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel on Jan. 8 following days of uncertainty about his standing. Miami has one of many league’s worst cap conditions, together with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s horrible contract, to work by in 2026. Miami’s draft positioning additionally makes it powerful to draft a passer in a weak quarterback class. However the brand new coach will get to come back in with a common supervisor — Chris Grier and the Dolphins mutually agreed to half methods in October — which is a plus.

Dolphins At A Look

2025 Document: 7-10 Projected 2026 Cap Area: -$23.2M (twenty ninth within the NFL) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 11 general When requested if he would really like a recent begin in 2026, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa mentioned, "That might be dope." Will the dismissal of head coach Mike McDaniel change the calculus in Miami? (Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Photographs)

Kyler Murray’s time within the desert is likely to be over, so the Cardinals may very well be out there for a quarterback in a foul offseason to be pursuing one. However Arizona owns all of its unique 2026 draft picks, together with the No. 3 general choice, and is projected to have $21.2 million in wage cap area, which ranks 18th within the league, in accordance with Over The Cap.

Cardinals At A Look

2025 Document: 3-14 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $21.2M (18th) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 3 general The Browns’ quarterback scenario stays a multitude with Deshaun Watson’s disastrous contract nonetheless on the books and Shedeur Sanders' future with the staff in query. Common supervisor Andrew Berry by some means stays within the image regardless of the firing of coach Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland’s new coach will, nonetheless, inherit a promising 2025 draft class and two 2026 first-round picks.

Will Deshaun Watson (proper) be again underneath heart for the Browns subsequent season? If that's the case, what does that imply for Shedeur Sanders' future in Cleveland? (Photograph by Jason Miller/Getty Photographs)

Browns At A Look

2025 Document: 5-12 Projected 2026 Cap Area: -$12.2M (twenty seventh) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 6 general The quarterback scenario is way from excellent. Michael Penix Jr., the eighth general choose within the 2024 draft, has had 5 season-ending accidents since he began faculty. Contingencies should be put in place, and the staff has set March 13 because the date to decide on veteran Kirk Cousins, who performed properly down the stretch. Atlanta doesn’t have a first-round choose in 2026, however the Falcons are projected to have $28.5 million in salary-cap room, due partly to restructuring the ultimate two years of Cousins' contract.

The franchise's instant future shall be cast by a brand new president of soccer operations, who is predicted to be Falcons legend Matt Ryan. The premise of that future is the staff's nice younger expertise, together with famous person operating again Bijan Robinson and edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. on rookie contracts.

Falcons At A Look

2025 Document: 8-9 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $28.5M (fifteenth) High 2026 Draft Decide: No first-round choose Whereas there was uncertainty about his long-term job standing, Mike Tomlin nonetheless shocked the NFL world Tuesday by stepping down as Steelers coach after 19 seasons.

Pittsburgh's new coach shall be left with an enormous query mark at quarterback (will 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers retire or re-sign?) and an previous roster to type by. However the staff has some monetary flexibility — it’s projected to have round $39 million in cap area, which ranks tenth within the NFL, per OTC — and a projected 5 picks within the first three rounds of the upcoming draft. That can give the brand new coach a terrific alternative to retool the staff of their picture.

The Steelers shall be hiring simply their fourth head coach since 1969. (Photograph by Joe Sargent/Getty Photographs)

Steelers At A Look

2025 Document: 10-7 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $39M (tenth) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 21 general On the floor, there’s so much to like concerning the Titans’ scenario. They've loads of cap area — they’re at present projected to be $95 million underneath the 2026 wage cap, which ranks third within the NFL, per OTC. Cam Ward flashed as a long-term franchise quarterback as a rookie. Mike Borgonzi, who simply wrapped up an encouraging first season as common supervisor, is a well-respected soccer government throughout the league. Tennessee additionally has the No. 4 general choose.

However controlling proprietor Amy Adams Strunk’s unpredictability takes some air out of the job. She has fired two head coaches and two common managers over the previous three years. The Titans, nonetheless, made the sensible transfer of asserting a return to a extra conventional entrance workplace construction transferring ahead, which clears up some questions.

Titans At A Look

2025 Document: 3-14 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $95.6M (third) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 4 general The Giants could not have a ton of projected cap area ($11 million, twentieth), however they've promising constructing blocks on rookie contracts. These embody first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart, star huge receiver Malik Nabers, standout tight finish Theo Johnson, No. 3 general choose Abdul Carter and operating again Cam Skattebo, who missed half his rookie season after a extreme proper ankle harm.

New York additionally has the No. 5 general choose within the 2026 draft. The possible new coach would doubtless desire to come back in with a common supervisor — Joe Shoen was retained after Brian Daboll’s midseason firing — however Schoen's presence will not be a deal-breaker.

The Giants have constructing blocks comparable to quarterback Jaxson Dart and tight finish Theo Johnson, each on rookie contracts. (Photograph by Justin Edmonds/Getty Photographs)

Giants At A Look

2025 Document: 4-13 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $11M (twentieth) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 5 general Positive, issues do not look good proper now for the Raiders, who have not had a profitable season or made the playoffs since 2021. However with the No. 1 general choose and greater than $100 million in projected wage cap area (second within the NFL, per OTC), the franchise will give its subsequent head coach a super alternative to rebuild the staff alongside common supervisor John Spytek.

Having three cornerstone gamers — edge Maxx Crosby, tight finish Brock Bowers and operating again Ashton Jeanty — is a bonus. Plus, Geno Smith’s contract shall be straightforward to chop, paving the way in which for a recent begin at quarterback. The Raiders are on the clock.

Raiders At A Look

2025 Document: 3-14 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $100.8M (second) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 1 general John Harbaugh's dismissal after 18 seasons was surprising if not completely stunning. Star quarterback Lamar Jackson dismissed questions concerning the head coach after the staff's heartbreaking loss in Week 18.

Assuming the commerce rumors surrounding Jackson have zero credence, the subsequent coach inherits a two-time MVP who, when wholesome, stays one of many NFL’s biggest quarterbacks.

Baltimore is at present projected to have greater than $28 million in cap area and 11 draft picks this spring (4 compensatory picks), per SpoTrac.

John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson had their ups and downs throughout their time collectively in Baltimore. Now the two-time MVP could have a brand new voice in his ear. (Photograph by Logan Bowles/Getty Photographs)

Ravens At A Look

2025 Document: 8-9 Projected 2026 Cap Area: $28.1M (seventeenth) High 2026 Draft Decide: No. 14 general Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a yr and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to transferring to Tennessee. You'll be able to comply with Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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