Finding the next Sean McVay: 20 NFL coaches in waiting

Serving as the Cardinals' most prominent defensive voice for three seasons, Bettcher coordinated three straight top-10 units – a Cards first since the AFL-NFL merger. After an Arizona regime change, he’s reorganizing the Giants' longtime 4-3 defense into a 3-4 look. If that ends up reinvigorating a New York unit that still has talent left from the 2016 playoff season, expect Bettcher to be a hot name on the 2019 market.

The NFL's longest-tenured OC, the 46-year-old Carmichael is entering his 10^th season in this role. Amid the most prolific passing stretch in NFL history, Drew Brees has posted four of his record five 5,000-yard seasons during Carmichael's tenure. One of those came in 2012 with Sean Payton suspended. The Saints' rushing dominance further bolstered their attack in 2017, continuing to make it logical that a team will soon look into hiring Payton's right-hand man. 

Just 33, Cooter has already been an offensive coordinator for nearly three years. His rise to Lions OC in 2015 coincided with Matthew Stafford's resurgence. The QB and his former position coach have played key parts in two Detroit playoff seasons – enough so that new Lions head coach Matt Patricia retained Cooter. Stafford’s passer ratings shot up under Cooter, and his completion percentages have improved significantly. With offensive minds in demand, Cooter is a likely head coach candidate soon.

The four-year Badgers leader runs a ground-and-pound attack in a spread-happy era and is riding back-to-back Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Chryst delivered a 13-win season in 2017 to up his record to 34-7 at Wisconsin. The 52-year-old coach is the younger brother of longtime NFL assistant Geep Chryst and was a Chargers assistant in the early 2000s. A pivot back to the pros seems like a logical step at some point in the coming years.

The Eagles’ quarterbacks coach the past two years, DeFilippo played a key role in Carson Wentz’s development from North Dakota State prospect to MVP frontrunner. The 39-year-old assistant then oversaw the Eagles’ Super Bowl run behind backup Nick Foles, parlaying it into head coach interviews with the Bears and Cardinals. DeFilippo now presides over a Kirk Cousins-led offense, and the Vikings are already preparing for a possible one-and-done stay from their new OC.

Defensive coordinator of top-three units the past two seasons, Edwards was named as one of the NFL career development advisory panel’s head-coaching candidates going into 2018. However, the four-year Minnesota DC didn’t receive any head coach interviews. Mike Zimmer calls the Vikings' plays. That could be an issue for teams regarding the 51-year-old Edwards, as could a 2016 DWI. But more Vikings success could make Edwards difficult to ignore.

At 59, Fangio is not at the ideal point of his career for a head-coaching opportunity. But he has the pedigree. Beginning his career as a USFL assistant, Fangio's been a sideline mainstay for 30-plus years. He led the dominant early-2010s 49ers defenses before going to Chicago. In 2017, Fangio coaxed an undermanned Bears defense to a top-10 ranking before interviewing for the HC job that went to Matt Nagy. He's an outside-the-box hire waiting to happen.

With Josh McDaniels effectively radioactive after spurning the Colts, the 37-year-old Flores may be the next Patriots assistant in line for a big job. Flores has spent his entire 14-year career with the Pats, and he'll succeed Matt Patricia in calling plays this season. While the Patriots have benefited immensely from Bill Belichick’s mind, his coaching tree has sputtered. But Flores booked a Cardinals interview in January and will be a big name soon.

A 15-year Bengals staffer, Guenther left to work for Jon Gruden in January. Despite his four-year contract, Guenther will surely be a candidate in continuity-centric Cincinnati when Marvin Lewis retires. He steered two top-10 scoring defenses in four seasons as the Bengals’ DC, and if a long-moribund Raiders defense improves this season, expect Guenther to be firmly in the 2019 hiring mix.

The nine-year Notre Dame coach has been connected to the NFL before. Kelly's rebuffed such advances because of the power he holds in South Bend. The 56-year-old HC guided the Fighting Irish to a BCS championship game and three 10-win seasons after they only had two in the previous 17 years. Kelly has no NFL experience, but unlike the other college coaches listed, he's not leading his alma mater. Time is running out for Kelly to give the pros a go.

The top offensive staffer in an organization for the first time, LaFleur earned this chance by working under two of the hottest coaching candidates in recent memory. The Falcons’ QBs coach under Kyle Shanahan and OC under Sean McVay with the 2017 Rams, the 38-year-old LaFleur is in prime position to be a key name on the 2019 coaching carousel. If Marcus Mariota enjoys a bounce-back season, expect to hear more LaFleur buzz come 2019.

Although the 38-year-old Richard was not asked back as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, he acquitted himself well in an iconic defensive nucleus’ final years. The Seahawks finished with top-five defenses in 2015 and ’16. Despite losing Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril in 2017, Seattle still ranked 11 ^th in total defense. Dallas' new DBs instructor interviewed for the Colts' head-coaching job and is primed for an opportunity soon.

This will be all about how Deshaun Watson builds off his dominant rookie year. A 46-year-old assistant who coached the Giants’ wide receivers during Victor Cruz’s 2011 breakout season, Ryan received interest from the Browns in their offensive coordinator search this year. The second-year Houston QBs coach could be a dark-horse name to monitor come January if the Texans continue to deploy diverse looks for their multidimensional quarterback.

Jim Harbaugh’s successor in Palo Alto runs a pro-style system and has been linked to past NFL jobs. The 45-year-old Shaw was an NFL offensive assistant from 1997-2005 before helping Andrew Luck become a No. 1 overall pick. Shaw led the Cardinal to a Fiesta Bowl, three Rose Bowls and three Pac-12 titles from 2011-15 and is 73-22 in eight seasons. Although Shaw is a Stanford alum, this feels like a “when” not “if” situation.

Doing more with less consistently turns heads in the coaching world, and Stefanski is on the rise as a result. Minnesota's QBs coach helped Pat Shurmur drive upper-echelon play from journeyman Case Keenum. Just 35, Stefanski’s viewed as John DeFilippo’s likely offensive coordinator successor after the Vikings blocked him from interviewing with the Giants. It’s not hard to imagine another strong Vikings season generating greater Stefanski interest.

Special teams coaches are not often promoted, but Toub has a good chance at a career leap. Both the Broncos and Chargers interviewed him in 2017, and he was linked to the Colts’ post-Josh McDaniels search this year. Toub oversaw Devin Hester's Hall of Fame-caliber work, and the Chiefs have reeled off an NFL-high 10 return touchdowns in Toub's five-year Kansas City tenure. Well-respected in NFL circles, the 55-year-old Toub could be a unique hire soon.

Wash’s name has yet to come up in head-coaching searches. But since he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2016, the Jags have rapidly progressed. They finished as 2016’s No. 6 defense, and 2017's No. 2-ranked group almost dragged Blake Bortles to a Super Bowl. Potential employers could view this as more of a product of talent than scheme, but another season of this defense limiting Bortles’ damage and the 49-year-old coordinator could be considered for a better job.

Carolina’s defensive line coach over the past seven years, Washington helped his charges consistently produce. From 2012-17, no group of defensive linemen registered more sacks than Washington’s batch (219). And the Panthers' defensive success helped key four playoff berths in this span. Sean McDermott and Steve Wilks used this position to land head-coaching jobs the past two years; the 48-year-old Washington may not be far behind.

Woods’ first Broncos unit fared much better against the run than Wade Phillips’ final group. The Broncos rose from 28 ^th to fifth. The former coach of Denver’s historically dominant No-Fly Zone secondary from 2015-16, the 47-year-old Woods has a chance to stand out in 2018. If the Broncos ride their veteran defensive core and Bradley Chubb back to the playoffs, expect Woods’ name to come up in coaching searches.

The 34-year-old son of Mike Zimmer has been an NFL assistant since he was 22. Entering his fifth year running the Vikings’ linebackers, the younger Zimmer has consistently seen his Anthony Barr-led group thrive. This makes four Vikings assistants on here, but perhaps no staff has been as impressive as Minnesota's; the Vikings annually contend despite lower-tier starting quarterbacks. In a few years, Adam Zimmer might be a bold choice.