If you’re looking to become an NFL coach, well this could be your lucky year. Normally there’s around four to six jobs that open every year, however 2016 could be the exception. As of right now, there are three teams that have interim head coaches. Those teams are the Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. By the start of the playoffs, we could very well see eight jobs openings.
What are those jobs? Let’s start with the obvious ones.
Tennessee Titans
Record: 3-12
Key Players: QB Marcus Mariota, TE Delanie Walker & DE Jurrell Casey
Job Description: This is an intriguing job and without question, Chip Kelly is the top target for their head coaching position. Why wouldn’t you want to reunite Marcus Mariota and Chip Kelly? However, this won’t be an easy job. There’s a lot of question marks regarding this team’s defense and offensive line. If you take a look at the Philadelphia Eagles, that’s something that Chip Kelly butchered during his three-year tenure. The most valuable name on their offensive line is left tackle Taylor Lewan and on the defensive line its defensive end Jurrell Casey. Their defense has played better over recent weeks but they lack a true edge rusher as Brian Orakpo isn’t the player he once was and their secondary has trouble forcing turnovers. Dorial Green-Beckham developed nicely at the end of the season and could become the top target for Mariota in 2016.
If you’re looking to become a head coach in Tennessee you’re in position to have about $20 million in cap space (source: Spotrac.com) and potentially the first overall pick which could be used on a variety of players like the offensive tackle from Ole Miss Laremy Tunsil or Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa.
Philadelphia Eagles
Record: 6-9
Key Players: WR Jordan Matthews, RB DeMarco Murray & DE Fletcher Cox
Job Description: The talent on this team is there. I mean just look at the names above. Their stat lines are pretty good (even if Murray looks like a free agent bust) but Chip Kelly simply lost the locker room and trust of his players.
The best thing for the next Eagles head coach is that he comes into a situation where the division is very winnable as the division winner only has a record of 8-7. The Eagles could potentially be a team picking in the top of the NFL Draft if they lose to the New York Giants or they could be just on the outside looking in. Overall, they have around $18 million in cap space going into the 2016 season (source: Spotrac.com).
The biggest question with this team going forward is what do they do at the quarterback position? In 2008, I called Sam Bradford a bust and he did himself no favors for me to think otherwise. In all likelihood Bradford is done in Philadelphia and will only get a spot on an NFL roster as backup. Therefore, the Eagles could be looking to get a quarterback like Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook.
Miami Dolphins
Record: 5-10
Key Players: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Jarvis Landry & DE Cameron Wake
Job Description: Dan Campbell has done a decent job as the interim head coach but I don’t think he’s done enough to become the head coach of the team. The Dolphins clearly overpaid Ndamukong Suh as they are going to have clear up a lot of cap space to retain any of their players who are set to become free agents. Two of those players are Oliver Vernon who will probably be moving to a new team and Cameron Wake who like Vernon also could be playing elsewhere in 2016. Unfortunately though for Wake he will be recovering from a knee injury and could become a cap cut or be involved in some kind of trade for draft picks to clear up some cap room.
Between bonuses and his base salary, Suh is scheduled to make just north of $28 million dollars (source: Sportrac.com) next season. That’s too much money for a guy who couldn’t even finish a Monday Night game against the New York Giants and couldn’t generate a single turnover this season. The nice thing about the Dolphins is that they have offensive weapons in Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker. However like Olver Vernon, Lamar Miller is set to hit the free agent market and he probably won’t re-sign with the team. Not to mention Ryan Tannehill doesn’t look like the quarterback of the future as he’s still making a lot of rookie mistakes.
Out of the three openings in the NFL, currently, this is the least intriguing job. As move into week 17, we now look into the jobs that could become available depending on what kind of finish these teams have. There have been reports that some of the names below will in fact, be fired after the season.
New York Giants
Record: 6-9
Key Players: WR Odell Beckham Jr., QB Eli Manning & FS Landon Collins
Job Description: Without question, Tom Coughlin should be fired at the end of the season. Not only is he almost 70 but he lacks the ability to close out games. Too many times this season the Giants had the lead going into the 4th quarter and they let it slip. Mind you, he punted the ball to DeSean Jackson during the closing seconds of a game against Philadelphia Eagles a few years back and well, we all know what Jackson did once he got the ball — touchdown.
The secondary is atrocious as they allow the most yards per game and it makes no sense as they have Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara as their corners.
Either way, they need to go in a new direction with their head coach.
Get someone who can close out games and do a better job at developing players. The talent is on this roster from defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, defensive end Robert Ayers and free safety Landon Collins to wide receiver Odell Beckham.
The G-Men also need to get better on their offensive line as Ereck Flowers isn’t the offensive tackle they thought he’d be in year one and Will Beatty isn’t getting any young. Meanwhile Rueben Randle is set to hit the free agent market but the New York Football Giants have about $37 million in cap space (source: Spotrac.com).
Should Coughlin get fired, the Giants have some interesting pieces to the puzzle.
Cleveland Browns
Record: 3-12
Key Players: WR Travis Benjamin, TE Gary Barnidge & OL Alex Mack
Job Description: Looking at this team just gives me an upset stomach. There are so many cancers in the locker room and players that simply aren’t developing.
Take Barkevious Mingo for example.
He doesn’t have a recorded sack on the season and only has seven sacks during his entire tenure with the team. Their defense has been compiled of injuries and aging veterans like Donte Whitner, Tramon Williams and Karlos Dansby.
Then we dive into the quarterback position.
Josh McCown is a career backup who Cleveland took a chance on because they didn’t feel comfortable with Johnny Manziel which I don’t blame them for. Manziel is still at the College Station doing keg stands.
The Browns will have about $16 million in cap space (source: Spotrac) going into 2016 which should allow for someone to sign with them but they might have to move players like Joe Haden and Alex Mack if they want to re-sign players like strong safety Tashaun Gipson and wide receiver Travis Benjamin.
Overall, the Browns should fire Mike Pettine for the way he’s handled his quarterback situation and the locker room. Once again this team is eyeing the first overall pick and will be aiming for their 90th starting quarterback in like eight years.
Indianapolis Colts
Record: 7-8
Key Players: QB Andrew Luck, WR T.Y. Hilton & CB Vontae Davis
Job Description: As good as a story Chuck Pagano had with overcoming cancer, his time with the Colts is coming to a close. He hasn’t been able to win meaningful games and really struggled without Andrew Luck this season. Not to mention this team hasn’t been able to develop a consistent and healthy defensive line and their secondary is getting older as we speak. Mike Adams is going on 35 and D’Qwell Jackson will be 33 going into 2016.
This will be a good job though for someone, if it becomes available.
Why? Andrew Luck.
He’s struggled with turnovers but he’s got a lot of potential and if you can build this team right, you’ve got a potential Super Bowl candidate. They’ll be drafting in the mid-teens of the NFL Draft and should be aiming for a linebacker like Alabama’s Reggie Ragland.
San Diego Chargers
Record: 4-11
Key Players: QB Phillip Rivers, WR Kennan Allen & OLB Melvin Ingram
Job Description: If there will be a scapegoat to a disappointing season, Mike McCoy will be that guy. He’s struggled to develop this team into a playoff contender an unfortunate aspect because they have a lot of talent. They traded up for running back Melvin Gordon who didn’t record a single touchdown (shout out to every unhappy fantasy football owner) and was being outplayed by Danny Woodhead.
Injuries began to plague this team as well when Keenan Allen went down for the season after suffering a lacerated kidney. It also sounds like this team will be moving forward without safety Eric Weddle as he got benched and sent to the IR for watching his daughter perform at halftime during one of their games.
McCoy isn’t a terrible coach but it’s clear that he isn’t the guy in San Diego, a franchise that is eligible to move to Los Angeles. Whoever the next coach may be, they’ll have Phillip Rivers, a decent amount of weapons on offense and a defense that will have three to four players hit the free agent market. It will be a tough job for whoever the next coach is but the best thing is that the coach will have about $31 million (source: Spotrac.com) and a top 10 draft pick. They could look at players like Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley or Florida State corner Jalen Ramsey.