As talked about earlier today, there are a few teams who could possibly be looking for a new head coach this offseason. However, those positions haven’t opened up yet… so let’s predict possible canidates for already open jobs.

Atlanta Falcons – Eric Bieniemy

Arthur Smith’s tenure in Atlanta came to an end with an ugly loss to the Saints this Sunday, with their elimination from the playoffs. However, this job isn’t unattractive. The issue in Atlanta has been the quarterback position. Matt Ryan at the end of his career, Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke, and Desmond Ridder have taken snaps behind center for the Falcons in the past 3 seasons, Matt Ryan being the only truly respectable NFL QB. This isn’t a knock on the other three, but they aren’t game changers. However, with the right coaching and offensive mind in charge, that could change – and that is where Eric Bieniemy comes in. Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson are the last three top-10 picks that the Falcons have had during Smith’s time, that he did not use effectively. With the #8 pick in this years draft, they sit in the prime position to wait and take a QB like Jayden Daniels or Michael Penix should they fall into their lap, or they could trade up from 8 and make a splash. Whoever they bring in to be the head coach needs to be offensive minded with the talent in skill positions they have on that side of the ball, and someone who can develop a QB, and Bieniemy fits the roll.

Carolina Panthers – Ben Johnson

The Lions are in the middle of prepping for the Los Angeles Rams, however that doesn’t mean that their coordinators don’t have their minds elsewhere…like potentially landing a head coaching job. This years Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Kyle Shannahan is Ben Johnson. The offensive minded young gun is a top canidate on every fans list of who they want their team to hire. Ben Johnson has found success in Detroit with an electric offense running through Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, and heading to Carolina to untap #1 pick Bryce Young’s potential would be a good fit. The Panthers traded away their future to land Young, and this season wasn’t what they wanted to see. Will the worst owner in the NFL make the right hire, or go for a flashy big name who may not be the right fit (something like the Urban Meyer in Jacksonville type of move).

Las Vegas Raiders – Antonio Pierce

Antonio Pierce has put the ball in Mark Davis’ court. Pierce may not have had great success with the Raiders when looking at it strictly from a record stand point, going 5-4 as Interim head coach, however take into consideration the situation he inherited. Mark Davis has had 7 head coaches (including Pierce) since taking over control of the raiders after the passing of his father in 2011. He has made the awful mistake of hiring Josh McDaniels over retaining the last interim head coach – Rich Bisaccia. The locker room wanted Bisaccia’s interim tag removed, however Davis believed he knew better and brought in the horrible McDaniels, and we know how that ended up. Now Davis has a chance to win over the locker room after his last hiring blunder… but will he take it?

If Mark Davis decides not to remove Pierce’s interim title, someone like Frank Reich or Raheem Morris will be rumored.

Los Angeles Chargers – Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh has nothing to prove in college football after winning Monday nights College Football Playoff National Championship. The Michigan man brought his alma mater back to relevancy and will now make the jump to the NFL yet again. Harbaugh compiled a 44-19 record during his time with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014 before “mutually parting ways” and two days later being announced as his alma maters head coach. The Chargers have struggled for too many years now, ownership is sick of being the second fiddle in Los Angeles, and cannot continue to waste Justin Herberts years. Harbaugh made Colin Kaepernick relevant, he’ll have no problem doing the same with Herbert who is a much better player.

Tennessee Titans – Bobby Slowik

Ran Carthon, the Titans General Manager spent 2017 through 2022 as a memeber of the 49ers front office staff. Do you know who else spent 2017 to 2022 in the 49ers organization…the 36-year old Texan offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Similar to Ben Johnson who we talked about above, Bobby is working on a playoff team with hopes of becoming an NFL head coach. Slowik has brought CJ Stroud into the NFL with a bang as the leader for Offensive Rookie of the Year, while working with a very questional cast of supporting skill position players. The familiarity between Slowik and Carthon makes him the immediate logical answer for the roll.

Washington Commanders – Bill Belichick

I can’t see a world where Bill Belichick isn’t the New England Patriots head coach, but here we are…listening to all the rumors and media outlets prediction that he is leaving Foxborough. The Commanders are in a weird position of tanking, but not fulling tanking, having a couple good players but not many. For Bill to be intrigued by this position would mean strictly he is interested in the geographical location (born and raised in Annapolis, about a hour away from D.C.), because in reality he is going into the same position he is in with the Patriots, but in a less reputable franchise. Will he really be interested in starting in a new facility, with new owners, new players, and oh yeah – a new rookie QB? I don’t know how this is a desirable job to him, but everyone seems to think this is the landing spot.
When Bill inevitably stays in New England, I can see the Commanders pursuing someone like Brian Flores who had moderate success in Miami, and is a defensive specialist… but the biggest thing is he comes from the Bill Belichick school of coaching.

Not Opened (Yet) Job Predictions:

New England Patriots – Mike Vrabel

Patriots Hall of Famer, Pro-Bowler, All-Pro, and oh yeah – 3-time Super Bowl Champion…returning to the place that made him famous. What better story could you tell? Bill Belichick’s time in New England isn’t over officially, but the next person to take the helm after the Hall of Fame coach will most likely be someone with ties to the Kraft family, and Vrabel is there for the taking. He shouldn’t have been let go in Tennessee, and now he will have his pick of HC jobs, with New England making the most sense by far.

Dallas Cowboys – Dan Quinn

Jerry Jones didn’t get the Mike McCarthy hire right, and I don’t think he will get this one right either. He should do young OC minded, someone to help Dak reach the potentially everyone seems to think he has. However, Dan Quinn has coached himself into getting another Head Coaching job, and he is in the building already for Jerry to promote. Would this be the right hire? No. Would it be an okay hire? Yes.

Who knows what teams are going to have openings, but the carousel has begun.

Till Next Time,
Trevor