Top 5 candidates for Los Angeles Chargers head coach opening

Brandon Staley is out. The Los Angeles Chargers need a new head coach. 

It's a situation with plenty of positives and negatives. The Chargers are negative in cap space in 2024. Although, they have their franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. On the other hand, many of their impact players are aging, and they don't have an excess in draft capital in coming years. 

Who are the top candidates for the Chargers head coach opening?

Ben Johnson, OC, Detroit Lions

The Chargers will have a lot of competition for Johnson. He's the most coveted offensive mind in the scene right now. For good reason, the Lions are a top offense in the league in 2023, and they've showed consistent growth since he grabbed a notable role on their staff.

Johnson was on the verge of becoming a HC last offseason, but he chose to stay in Detroit. He won't be cheap, either. Johnson is expected to potentially land the most expensive deal of the coaching cycle this year. An opportunity with a QB like Herbert may be too much to pass up for the 37-year-old guru, though, so the Chargers cannot write him off. Dan Campbell loves the guy. He is probably going to do well as a HC in the league.

Bobby Slowik, OC, Houston Texans

Slowik is getting buzz for many reasons similar to Johnson. He's a youthful offensive mastermind that has been a coach in the NFL for a decade. As the Texans OC, he's been key to the development of rookie C.J. Stroud, who has looked like a top ten QB in his first season.

The current Texans OC may not get quite as much attention as Johnson, but his performance this year has been no joke. With an oft-injured offensive line and unproven weapons, Houston has the 7th-ranked offense in the NFL in total yards per game. They're 13th in points per game and 4th in passing yards per game.

Mike MacDonald, DC, Baltimore Ravens

If the Chargers surprise folks and go with a defensive HC, Macdonald will top the list of candidates. Don't let the flashbacks of the Staley hire haunt you too much, LA fans. Macdonald will be a legit candidate for any team, and the Chargers can't overlook him because of their prior mistake. 

Like Johnson and Slowik, he's a younger option at 36 years old. His defense has played like he's been their coordinator for twenty years, though. Baltimore is leading the league in yards allowed per play, boast the most sacks in the league (49), and rank second in points allowed per game. The Ravens are suffocating on defense, a trait that no Chargers/Staley defense had in his tenure.

Jim Harbaugh, HC, Michigan Wolverines

Ah, then there's the trusted veteran option at HC. Harbaugh is 44-19-1 in his NFL coaching career. Harbaugh reached the NFC Championship and Super Bowl in his first two seasons during his San Francisco 49ers coaching tenure. Having him work with the talent of Justin Herbert is a match made in heaven - compared to the QBs he churned out previously in the NFL. 

Think of the Denver Broncos last offseason with Sean Payton. That decision looks pretty great after their team's recent hot streak. Payton made a ton of sense for LA last offseason, but the Chargers wrongly chose to stick with Staley. Now, they can make good on that mistake. Plus, he won't cost the draft capital it took to land Payton. 

Frank Smith, OC, Miami Dolphins

Finally, another offensive option that is becoming more known as the weeks go by. The Dolphins have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and Smith is a major contributor to that. He runs a lot of the behind-the-scenes alongside HC Mike McDaniel. He's incredibly respected in that building.

Smith has also been an NFL coach for fourteen years now. He knows the league well and has spent a ton of time working with offensive lines. The Chargers need help in that area on offense. If Los Angeles does not land a more expensive option, Smith may be the best fit at their price tag. 

There's plenty of qualified candidates for Los Angeles. That being said, the Chargers need to make a splash that works out during this hiring process. We'll keep you updated on their search.