Head Coaching Vacancies - 2024/2025 Edition

[FireChans]

4 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

Linked to this where are the GM vacancies?

 

Definite House Cleanings (where GM will follow coach out the door)

Jets - Joe Douglas is done IMO, house cleaning coming

Jags - How Trent Baalke ever got a second crack is still amazing to me

 

Possible - Bears - I think Ryan Poles survives because the perception is that Bears roster is solid, but he hired Eberflus and his decision to draft Odunze rather than try and fix the offensive line with his second first rounder looms large. I just think they will want someone committed to Caleb to stay and he will be told to hire an offensive Head Coach to develop him.

 

GMs who are carrying the can

Colts - A lot of the shrewd observers think Irsay is fed up of the QB carousel in Indy and that will land at Chris Ballard's door rather than Shane Steichen's.

Browns - Someone's head will roll for the decision to move off Baker and give Watson that contract. Stefanski is fortunate, because he was the driving force behind the first part of that - moving off Baker - but I think the Browns know he is a pretty good coach who isn't easily upgraded so Andrew Berry might be the one who pays with his job

 

Possible - Dolphins - they might yet make a playoff push and save everyone, but if they don't the Dolphins top brass are going to ask whether Mike McDaniel is failing to get the most out of this highly salary cap leveraged roster or if Chris Grier has pushed his chips in on the wrong bets. There is about to be serious salary cap pain coming and Grier has been GM for 8 years without a playoff win to show for it. He is the more likely casualty if the fins finish below .500

 

 

 I have heard was that Baalke may unbelievably survive again. I thought no way, but when you hear about the owner talking about how this is the most talented team in Jags history, he may view this as a coaching failure solely.

6 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

It would be dumb for the Colts to move off Steichen but it's Irsay so who knows.  On the flip side, the Raiders would be dumb to stick with Anotonio Pierce who was never qualified for the position.  

It's an interesting situation because Burrow is thriving in Taylor's offense.  This is the team where I put my antennae up for a possible Joe Brady hire going back to his ties to LSU.

The Raiders have experienced the “curse of the interim.”

 

when Gruden left, the players wanted to keep Bisacchia, who got them to the playoffs. Ownership disagreed and went with McDaniels. Then when that obviously failed, the players said you have to keep Pierce now. 
 

They really screwed themselves. Not sure Bisacchia would’ve been good or not, but he was the reason they kept Pierce even though they shouldn’t have.

[Rigotz]

My first thought seeing this list:

 

I'm worried about losing Joe Brady and/or Bobby Babich. Both ascending coaches with good backgrounds.

 

The one that would really sting is Brady. It's awful watching Josh have to work with a new coordinator every single year and spinning the roulette wheel to potentially get a Dorsey type character again.

[BrooklynBills]

3 minutes ago, Rigotz said:

My first thought seeing this list:

 

I'm worried about losing Joe Brady and/or Bobby Babich. Both ascending coaches with good backgrounds.

 

The one that would really sting is Brady. It's awful watching Josh have to work with a new coordinator every single year and spinning the roulette wheel to potentially get a Dorsey type character again.

 

There could be as many as 10 openings this offseason but the buzz is that teams are looking for "culture-builders" and I think as far as OCs go Brady isn't in the top tier of potentially available options.

 

Potentially available offensive "minds"

Ben Johnson

Kevin Stefanski

Todd Monken

Drew Pentzing

Arthur Smith

Bobby Slowik

Brian Daboll

Joe Brady

Kellen Moore

 

[zow2]

8 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

I honestly think that Cincinnati makes a move off of Zac Taylor. They missed last year, Burrow is putting up MVP numbers yet they are 4-7 and I dont think Taylor is the right guy to get them over the top. Browns maybe only because its the Brown but I would give Stefanski more time and even though Sirianni is an asshat he redeemed himself after last year.

 

For the people critical of McDermott, you don't think Cincinnati fans would like to have 'ol Sean McD?!   Someone who is capable of cobbling together a solid defense year after year and also oversee a great offense with a great QB.   The Bengals are a really talented team imo, but Taylor is doing a poor job keeping both sides of the ball together.

[Cray51]

9 minutes ago, BrooklynBills said:

 

There could be as many as 10 openings this offseason but the buzz is that teams are looking for "culture-builders" and I think as far as OCs go Brady isn't in the top tier of potentially available options.

 

Potentially available offensive "minds"

Ben Johnson

Kevin Stefanski

Todd Monken

Drew Pentzing

Arthur Smith

Bobby Slowik

Brian Daboll

Joe Brady

Kellen Moore

 

I dont see Daboll going to another HC role.  He was brought in to improve Jones, and he didnt do it.  I find it hard that another team would give him the HC role with a young QB.  Maybe an OC role, but HC I dont see happening

[BrooklynBills]

23 minutes ago, Cray51 said:

I dont see Daboll going to another HC role.  He was brought in to improve Jones, and he didnt do it.  I find it hard that another team would give him the HC role with a young QB.  Maybe an OC role, but HC I dont see happening

 

Yeah - I agree. Thats not a ranked list but there is a glut of offensive minds who will get looks for HC jobs. I don't know if Brady is in that top tier just yet.

[GunnerBill]

59 minutes ago, FireChans said:

 I have heard was that Baalke may unbelievably survive again. I thought no way, but when you hear about the owner talking about how this is the most talented team in Jags history, he may view this as a coaching failure solely.

 

 

RapSheet on GameDay Morning was indicating house cleaning is coming. 

[Utah John]

Thinking Bills-centric as I do, my concern about HC vacancies elsewhere is the potential loss of our coordinators here, or our position coaches who move on to become coordinators for other teams when their coordinator job opens up.  During the Bills-Chiefs game, Romo said Bobby Babich is for sure a future HC. Really?  I think he and McDermott have done a great job re-engineering the Bills D, but he's been in the DC job only a short time.  Has anyone else heard that Babich might be moving up to a HC job somewhere else?  Similarly Joe Brady was considered damaged goods when he came to the Bills from Carolina, but he has the Bills offense working great.  

[gonzo1105]

I think Brady will get an interview or two but I would be highly surprised if he was actually offered a job this soon. He failed miserably in Carolina(who doesn't) and there might be some stench on that plus there are some better offensive minds out there as well as a few retreads and defensive guys. I think Brady is a year away but who knows.

 

[GunnerBill]

4 minutes ago, Utah John said:

Thinking Bills-centric as I do, my concern about HC vacancies elsewhere is the potential loss of our coordinators here, or our position coaches who move on to become coordinators for other teams when their coordinator job opens up.  During the Bills-Chiefs game, Romo said Bobby Babich is for sure a future HC. Really?  I think he and McDermott have done a great job re-engineering the Bills D, but he's been in the DC job only a short time.  Has anyone else heard that Babich might be moving up to a HC job somewhere else?  Similarly Joe Brady was considered damaged goods when he came to the Bills from Carolina, but he has the Bills offense working great.  

 

I don't think Babich will get a job in this round, but he will be a Head Coach at some point IMO. As for Joe, I think he gets interviews this year. He got interviews after one pretty average year with the Panthers and then was fired as an OC halfway through the next season. If I had to bet now I'd bet on him not getting a job this year but being one of the hot 3 or 4 names next year and getting a job in that round. I'm not as convinced as others that there will be 8-10 jobs. I see 5 or 6 and I think a) Belichik and Vrabel being FAs and b) teams thinking primarily about culture builders in this round means that there will only be 1 or 2 offensive hotshot type hires this year and if we work on the assumption Ben Johnson is one then it only leaves one of those spots. 

 

[Saxum]

On 11/19/2024 at 8:59 AM, GoBills! said:

Bengals need to cut ties and find the best coach available. Bill Bellicheck would be dying to coach them, I’m sure Ben Johnson would take it if he wants to move. Vrabel as well. 

 

Beli-CHEAT would hate working for Bengals - how would he find the money for all of the under the table stuff he does!

[thenorthremembers]

I dont foresee Brady getting a job this offseason.  However, if he does, I would serious hope the Bills consider Kevin Stefanski as an OC candidate. 

[stuvian]

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys and Bears are permanent jokes. How bad do these teams look now in light of Detroit's turnaround? 

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I really think we have to think Tom Brady will end up coaching a team. Definitely not the Raiders, but maybe the Jets or Saints? Of course, he will continue to be an owner of the Raiders, obviously. He will also continue to work games for Fox.  He will coach the team and call the game simultaneously. What the hell are they doing on those headsets anyway? Look, teams have to ask themselves “Are the people getting enough Tom Brady?” And if they believe the answer is a no, then they’ll hire TB12. 
 

 

(For those of you who need it, this is sarcasm.)

[machine gun kelly]

On 11/19/2024 at 1:18 AM, Coach Tuesday said:

Crazy that it’s mid-November and already there are a ton of teams completely folding up the tent.  There could be double-digit head coaching vacancies this offseason which will, in turn, affect more stable teams as coaches get interviewed during the playoffs, some coordinators end up getting poached, and new regimes want new players to match their program.  
 

Trying to tally up the likely openings as of today:

 

Done Deals

NY Jets

New Orleans Saints

 

All But Over

Jacksonville Jaguars

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

 

Very Possibly Over

Las Vegas Raiders 

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Possible Surprises
Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Philadelphia Eagles

That is 5 near-certainties, assume 2 out of 4 from the next category and one surprise as there almost always is and you’ve got anywhere from 8-10 openings potentially in play this offseason.  Will make for a lot of turnover in the coaching world and a lot of free agents as players get jettisoned by incoming regimes.  Will be fascinating.

I don’t think the possible surprises will happen, but you never know.  Even a tool like Haslam should know his Browns mess is his fault with signing Watson.  That was a colossal blunder on the level of the Saints horrible trade with Ditka as the architect.   

[BuffaloBillyG]

On 11/19/2024 at 10:07 AM, zow2 said:

 

For the people critical of McDermott, you don't think Cincinnati fans would like to have 'ol Sean McD?!   Someone who is capable of cobbling together a solid defense year after year and also oversee a great offense with a great QB.   The Bengals are a really talented team imo, but Taylor is doing a poor job keeping both sides of the ball together.

The Bengals are modern day fools gold IMO. They always had an explosive offense because of the weapons they have. That's what makes the highlights and people believe they are a good "team"

 

But their defense is devoid of talent aside from one or two guys. They have no depth. Burrow and Chase are playing out of their mind but they can't stop a nose bleed. Their DC was a HOT Head Coach candidate a couple years ago, and slowly as they have lost players because they won't pay them...the D has got worse and his start has faded.

[BuffaloBillyG]

8 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

I dont foresee Brady getting a job this offseason.  However, if he does, I would serious hope the Bills consider Kevin Stefanski as an OC candidate. 

You haven't figured out what happens in the off chance Brady get a HC job?

 

We "interview" 2 minority candidates to meet the Rooney Rule...then promote from within.

2 hours ago, stuvian said:

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys and Bears are permanent jokes. How bad do these teams look now in light of Detroit's turnaround? 

Detroit's turnaround makes me laugh at the Dolphins more than anyone. The had Campbell in house as their interim HC and pushed him out to hire Flores (I believe). That didn't work out well 

18 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

I don’t think the possible surprises will happen, but you never know.  Even a tool like Haslam should know his Browns mess is his fault with signing Watson.  That was a colossal blunder on the level of the Saints horrible trade with Ditka as the architect.   

Depends on how hard KS may have been pushing for the Watson trade behind the scenes. Remember, they had Baker and Baker had shown well in the system. 

 

And let's face it, at some point when a team underachievers there has to be a sacrifice made to the roar of the fans. An owner isn't going to fire himself, so the HC is next to go. It's why I still think Mike McDaniel isn't fully safe in Miami even though they just signed him to a new deal. If Miami crashes from here on our his seat may be boiling hot.

[ganesh]

On 11/19/2024 at 8:18 PM, Rigotz said:

My first thought seeing this list:

 

I'm worried about losing Joe Brady and/or Bobby Babich. Both ascending coaches with good backgrounds.

 

The one that would really sting is Brady. It's awful watching Josh have to work with a new coordinator every single year and spinning the roulette wheel to potentially get a Dorsey type character again.

If Brady leaves, i think there will be some good coaches available for OC..including Stefanski from the Browns 

[thenorthremembers]

35 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

You haven't figured out what happens in the off chance Brady get a HC job?

 

We "interview" 2 minority candidates to meet the Rooney Rule...then promote from within.

Detroit's turnaround makes me laugh at the Dolphins more than anyone. The had Campbell in house as their interim HC and pushed him out to hire Flores (I believe). That didn't work out well 

Depends on how hard KS may have been pushing for the Watson trade behind the scenes. Remember, they had Baker and Baker had shown well in the system. 

 

And let's face it, at some point when a team underachievers there has to be a sacrifice made to the roar of the fans. An owner isn't going to fire himself, so the HC is next to go. It's why I still think Mike McDaniel isn't fully safe in Miami even though they just signed him to a new deal. If Miami crashes from here on our his seat may be boiling hot.

 

66% of the time yes.   Daboll was hired from outside of the organization.   I think they are running out of Daboll guys though.  I highly doubt Ronald Curry is the next hire.  Maybe Rob Boras?   

[BuffaloBillyG]

10 minutes ago, thenorthremembers said:

 

66% of the time yes.   Daboll was hired from outside of the organization.   I think they are running out of Daboll guys though.  I highly doubt Ronald Curry is the next hire.  Maybe Rob Boras?   

Curry is thought of in many circles as a future OC. That wouldn't shock me actually. And remember, Brady wasn't technically a "Daboll guy". But he was on the coaching roster being brought in from the outside to learn the Bills Way. Similar to how Curry was brought in.