NFL Coaching Carousel: Ranking the 5 head coach openings

Other jobs could become available shortly, as much attention is being paid to the Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick situations. Matt Eberflus in Chicago is another situation to monitor.

For now, we know there will be 5 new head coaches for the 2024 season. Today, let’s rank these openings from the least to most desirable.

5. Carolina Panthers

Not only were the Panthers the worst team in football, but they don’t even have a first-round pick in 2024. The team traded up to land Bryce Young last year, and the results thus far have been uninspiring. Granted, Young has a terrible supporting cast and the coaching situation has been a disaster, but still, not many positives to take away from Young’s rookie campaign.

Another factor that hurts this job’s favorability is ownership. David Tepper has shown an extreme amount of impatience, having fired 3 coaches in 6 years. This is bound to turn off some candidates. Add it together and you have a terrible roster, no top draft pick, and a volatile owner. This is the least desirable opening.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are looking for a coach after the Josh McDaniels experiment ended miserably. The team has a chance to bring in a head coach and general manager who are aligned this offseason.

The Raiders have the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and have plenty of cap space. Both of these are positives, but there is one major thing holding this job back- the lack of a young QB. Whoever takes over will have to decide what to do about Jimmy Garoppolo and find the signal-caller of the future. It’s also a tough sell when you have to play against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs twice a year.

The Raiders have some interesting pieces and some money to spend. However, the lack of offensive building blocks and a tough division take away from this job’s desirability.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are that team that just never seems to get it together. Despite years of quality QB play and star-studded rosters, the Chargers have not had anywhere near the level of success you might think.

However, there are a couple of positives this job has going for it. For one, you have a young franchise QB in Justin Herbert. You also have the allure of Los Angeles and all the perks that come along with that. The team will also have a new GM, so that could turn the tide as well.

However, there are also negatives. For starters, the team is in cap hell. The Chargers are currently projected to have around -$34 million in cap space. The team will assuredly have to cut solid players just to get under the cap. The team does have a top 5 pick, great weather, and a star QB, though.

2. Washington Commanders

Typically, this job would have been near the bottom due to ownership issues. However, the Commanders have a new owner and he’s not afraid to spend money. The Commanders are projected to have the most cap space in the league with around $79 million. The team also has the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, setting up for a franchise-altering player to be added.

Unlike the Chargers, the Commanders do not have a franchise QB. However, the team could easily add one of the top available passers in the draft. A ton of money, new ownership, and a top pick make this job much more desirable than some of the others.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have a ton of young talent that should interest head coaching candidates. Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts are all stars in the making who would thrive under the right offensive mind.

The team has the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and also has about $34 million in cap space. Combine those factors with the young talent previously mentioned, and this job should have coaches salivating. The one drawback would be the QB position. After Desmond Ridder was benched multiple times in favor of Taylor Heinicke, it seems apparent that the young QB is not the answer.

However, with the No. 8 pick, the team could draft one of the top QB prospects. The team also has enough money to entice a veteran like Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins if they choose to go that route instead.