On the NFL teaching carousel, when one door closed, one other opened.
Sooner or later after the Patriots employed Mike Vrabel, the Cowboys joined the 5 different groups nonetheless looking for a brand new head coach by parting methods with Mike McCarthy greater than per week into the interview course of for high candidates.
Will Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn — the one candidate to be interviewed by all the Jets, Saints, Raiders, Jaguars and Bears — ultimately get a sixth interview request from the Cowboys?
Will Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson — who’s being selective in taking interviews — have a brand new enticing choice to think about?
Might McCarthy — who interviewed with the Jets in 2019 earlier than Adam Gase was employed and is on the Saints’ and Bears’ radar — shortly pivot elsewhere earlier than the Cowboys can change him?
Right here is how the NFL’s six vacancies examine in 4 main classes. On the six-point scale, the upper the rating, the higher.
1. Cowboys
Quarterback scenario: 5
Possession: 5
Non-QB property: 5
Path to success: 4
Whole: 19
The most important problem is managing win-now expectations: The final two coaches have been let go regardless of successful percentages of .559 (Jason Garrett in 10 seasons) and .583 (Mike McCarthy in 5 seasons).
However Jerry Jones isn’t the quick-trigger proprietor he was within the Nineteen Nineties, letting each Garrett and McCarthy depart on expired contracts relatively than firings. He nonetheless creates occasional complications by talking out repeatedly on how the workforce is run.
The NFC East hasn’t had a repeat champion since 2004, so it’s up for grabs. However the rising Commanders have elevated into making it a three-team race with the Eagles.
QB Dak Prescott, 31, is just one yr faraway from a second-place end within the MVP vote and is signed by 2028.
The roster is in peril of getting too top-heavy with WR CeeDee Lamb, CB Trevon Diggs and RT Terence Steele signed to massive offers and EDGE Micah Parsons due for a top-market extension.
2. Jaguars
Quarterback scenario: 4
Possession: 4
Non-QB property: 4
Path to success: 6
Whole: 18
Even when Trevor Lawrence, 25, isn’t the can’t-miss prospect or $50 million-per-year stud he was marketed to be, he has the instruments that the suitable quarterback-minded coach can unlock.
If Lawrence clicks, all the things falls into place for an offense with homegrown younger items at WR (Brian Thomas Jr.), RB (Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby) and OT (Walker Little and Anton Harrison). The protection might be superb with EDGEs Josh Allen-Hines and Travon Walker, LB Devin Lloyd and a No. 1 CB in Tyson Campbell.
The AFC South — perhaps the NFL’s worst division — is constructed for fast turnarounds, because the Texans confirmed. The Jaguars have the second-best 2025 weighted draft capital of all groups (5 top-105 picks), per Tankathon.com.
Proprietor Shad Khan saved embattled GM Trent Baalke however sounded open to empowering the pinnacle coach with personnel enter. He’ll write the massive checks essential to lure free brokers to one of many NFL’s smallest markets.
3. Saints
Quarterback scenario: 2
Possession: 6
Non-QB property: 2
Path to success: 5
Whole: 15
Proprietor Gayle Benson’s popularity is to supply help from afar, leaving the franchise within the fingers of trusted longtime GM Mickey Loomis.
The Saints might be a pair good strikes from competing atop the mediocre NFC South, particularly because the Falcons lick their wounds from the Kirk Cousins mistake and head coach Todd Bowles holds again the Buccaneers.
The drawbacks start with the roster: A lot of the Saints’ most efficient gamers (RB Alvin Kamara, EDGE Cam Jordan, LB Demario Davis) are close to the end line. The makings of an excellent offensive line — Taliese Fuaga, Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz — are a place to begin. However the most effective younger playmaker, WR Chris Olave, is coming off a two-concussion season.
The 2-year Derek Carr experiment hasn’t labored, however transferring on will value a $50.1 million dead-cap cost and neither latest mid-round choose (Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener) has staked a declare to be subsequent. The Saints’ kick-the-can salary-cap-management type is a threat.
T-4. Bears
Quarterback scenario: 6
Possession: 3
Non-QB property: 3
Path to success: 1
Whole: 13
For the quantity that QB Caleb Williams was criticized, you’d anticipate a a lot worse statistical rookie season than finishing 62.5 % of his passes for 20 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in making all 17 begins. He’s the Bears’ No. 1 draw.
The McCaskeys characterize possession stability, however their monitor file of ill-timed firings creating GM-coach-quarterback misalignment is alarming. George McCaskey really simply mentioned, “I don’t imagine that’s a key issue” when requested about alignment.
In case you imagine in positional worth, the Bears have constructing blocks in key locations: Williams, EDGE Montez Sweat, LT Darnell Wright, CB Jaylon Johnson and WRs D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze.
However the path to the highest of the NFC North is (forgive the pun) a bear. The Packers are one of many NFL’s youngest groups, the Lions draft properly yearly and the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell (34-17) is a quarterback-minded rising star in teaching.
T-4. Jets
Quarterback scenario: 3
Possession: 1
Non-QB property: 6
Path to success: 3
Whole: 13
Even when the Jets go for a full rebuild and half with QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams, LB C.J. Mosley, CB D.J. Reed and different veterans, CB Sauce Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, RB Breece Corridor, LT Olu Fashanu, RG Alijah Vera-Tucker, DT Quinnen Williams and EDGEs Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson present a successful nucleus. There may be power within the trenches.
Rodgers’ future looms over the entire group. The brand new GM and coach should determine their timeline and the way a still-can-play 41-year-old with a divisive persona matches in comparison with the opposite (lower than interesting) substitute choices.
The Payments are a powerhouse, however there isn’t a impediment to annual second-place finishes when ranging from the same place because the Patriots, and the Dolphins might be a home of playing cards with a quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa) whose well being is a continuing concern.
Proprietor Woody Johnson’s desired enter into soccer choices is a complicating issue. Latest reviews of his teenage sons’ involvement, and a few of his uncomfortable options, akin to benching Rodgers after Week 5 of this season, raised crimson flags.
6. Raiders
Quarterback scenario: 1
Possession: 2
Non-QB property: 1
Path to success: 2
Whole: 6
What’s the promoting level right here? Come work underneath minority proprietor Tom Brady as a result of Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter proved that GOATs on the sector make successful decision-makers? Sense the sarcasm.
Majority proprietor Mark Davis isn’t as meddlesome as his father was. Then again, the Raiders have ranked No. 23 or worse in money spending in three of the previous 4 seasons regardless of the income from spectacular Allegiant Stadium.
The danger for criticism is excessive when matching wits six occasions a yr in opposition to the Chiefs’ Andy Reid, Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh and Broncos’ Sean Payton when quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and even rookie Bo Nix present a transparent benefit when you haven’t any apparent path to buying a long-term improve over incumbents Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.
EDGE Maxx Crosby sounds open to a commerce after supporting fired head coach Antonio Pierce. All-Professional rookie TE Brock Bowers solely counts for a lot.