Breaking down the pros, cons of each NFL head-coaching vacancy

With seven NFL teams in search of a new head coach and numerous prominent coaches available, the coaching carousel is assured to be an interesting aspect of the offseason. No matter what happens, the landscape of the league is assured to look a lot different next season. 

Being the head coach of any NFL team comes with a sense of notoriety for how rare a position it is — there are only 32 such jobs. However, every job is not created equal, and some come with more pros than cons, while others are heavier on the risk side.  

Below is a breakdown of the pros and cons of each open job, taking into account everything from roster, front office, history, fan base and even geographic location.  

1. Baltimore Ravens 

Even though some Ravens fans are excited to turn the page from John Harbaugh, there's no denying his track record of success over the past 18 years. Harbaugh set the standard, and if not for a missed field goal, the 2025 team would've made the playoffs. 

Pros: The offense is led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Conversely, the defense isn't as imposing as it was years ago, but it still has talent. 

The front office wants to win, will do everything possible to try to win every year and has a history of drafting well. 

Cons: The expectations will create instant pressure — it could be Super Bowl-or-bust for the next coach. Jackson may take convincing to lock in on another extension based on how difficult the negotiations were last time around. 

Add all that together, and considering the AFC North is often wide open, and leading Baltimore is easily the top job, at least as long as whoever is hired has a personality that fits the blue-collar city. 

2. New York Giants 

Some may argue that the Falcons are the second-best job, and some may have been even surprised that the job is open at all, but the head coach of the New York Giants comes with a certain cachet. 

Pros: Regardless of their record, the Giants will always be one of the NFL's marquee organizations. And unlike in recent years, Jaxson Dart provides a potential franchise quarterback already on the roster. It's also pretty easy to convince free agents to come to New York (New Jersey). 

Cons: The rest of the roster is suspect and New York has only reached the playoffs twice since its last Super Bowl title after the 2011 season. 

Every coach isn't cut out for dealing with the New York media, and even the national media is often located within the same region. New York could be a sleeping giant (pun intended) if it can find the right fit. 

3. Atlanta Falcons 

Despite ending the season on a high note, the Falcons still decided to move on from Raheem Morris. 

Pros: The obvious pros are skilled players like running back Bijan Robinson and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. when healthy. It's a team with a budding core and youth on its side. 

Cons: The offense performed slightly better under veteran Kirk Cousins down the stretch, the franchise seems to be in a constant state of flux and has a fan base that's forever scarred by blowing the biggest lead in Super Bowl history. 

4. Tennessee Titans 

Pros: The Titans' job does have some upside at the most important position. Cam Ward is entrenched as the team's starting quarterback, making the roster-building strategy of building around him obvious. 

Cons: Tennessee has only won a combined six games in two years and hasn't been to the playoffs since 2021. There's just not nearly enough around Ward to sniff contending. 

The competitiveness within the AFC South lends itself to a team rising the ranks out of nowhere, kind of like what the rival Jacksonville Jaguars did this season. 

5. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders franchise is far from what it was under John Madden or even Jon Gruden, for that matter, but it's still the Raiders. 

Pros: There's just something about the Raiders that means something. They have a rabid fan base, but attendance in Las Vegas has been a problem at times. And if you win with the Raiders, you're their king forever. 

Cons: However, they play in a loaded AFC West, have a roster that lacks talent and needs a complete overhaul, one that should include trading the best player. 

Mark Davis needs a young coach, and he needs to be patient with him. 

6. Cleveland Browns 

2025 will be remembered in Cleveland as another miserable season for the Browns and also the historic nature of Myles Garrett breaking the single-season sack record.

Pros: There are few fan bases as loyal, though, win or lose. Cleveland is a great sports city that truly cares about its teams, and there's no true world-beater in the North. 

Cons: No coach lasts long in Cleveland, free agents usually need to be overpaid to want to play there and there could be a debate about who the Browns should build around. The first question any coach interviewed will be asked is if they are sold on Shedeur Sanders or would prefer to look to the draft once again.  

7. Arizona Cardinals 

Pros: The weather? In all seriousness, the Cardinals defense has stepped up at times in recent years and does have some nice young players like Dante Stills, granted he regressed from his rookie year to his third season. 

Cons: Any excitement that once existed about Kyler Murray has evaporated after another injury-plagued season, lacking any progress from Arizona's former first-round pick. 

A playmaker like Marvin Harrison Jr. may be enticing, but he's far from enough to turn the team around quickly. The Cardinals' job is likely going to be a long journey and has the challenges of a tough division and a stadium atmosphere that can feel like a road game for the home team, depending on the matchup.