Recently fired Ravens HC John Harbaugh is the ultimate coaching free agent

He's also a proven culture builder, something many downtrodden NFL franchises need. Before he became Ravens HC in 2008, Baltimore had missed the playoffs in three of its previous four seasons. The Ravens subsequently made five straight playoff appearances in their first five seasons with the HC. 

The success of many coaches hinges on their QBs. Look at future Hall of Famer/former Patriots HC Bill Belichick, who won one playoff game without QB Tom Brady. (That came during the 1994 season when he was still coaching the Cleveland Browns.) 

Harbaugh, however, doesn't fall into this category. He won with Jackson and Joe Flacco, who are on opposite ends of the quarterbacking spectrum. 

Flacco, who has rushed for 925 yards in 18 seasons, is a traditional pocket passer. Conversely, Jackson, who ran for 1,206 yards when he won league MVP in 2019, is a dual-threat QB. 

With that in mind, Harbaugh could develop and succeed with teams that feature quarterbacks entering their second seasons in 2026. We're looking at Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants and Cam Ward of the Tennessee Titans. 

The Ravens' firing of Harbaugh has to sting for the coach, but he shouldn't be unemployed long. Many teams would love to have him if he wants to coach next season.