This coaching cycle was filled with big-time names and the candidate pool was large. There were some surprises along the way (see Ben Johnson) and some interesting hires. With that said, let’s break down each new coaching hire and offer grades for them.

Raheem Morris – Atlanta Falcons

It’s a full-circle moment for former Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris. Morris spent 5 years in Atlanta and filled in as head coach when Dan Quinn was fired in 2020. He spent the last three years in Los Angeles as the defensive coordinator for the Rams. Morris was part of the Rams Super Bowl winning season in 2022.

No matter where he has been one thing is certain, the players love Morris. Over the years he has had several endorsements from players including this year when cornerback Jalen Ramsey praised the hire. The offensive staff will be key for Morris in Atlanta and the Falcons recently hired Zac Robinson to fill that role. Robinson worked with Morris in LA and was the quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator.

For Morris to have success in Atlanta it will come down to the quarterback position. The Falcons will likely look at the draft to address this but it appears Desmond Ridder‘s time in Atlanta is over. This is a solid hire for the Falcons as Morris is already familiar with the organization and we already know he will get the best out of his players.

Grade: B

Dave Canales – Carolina Panthers

One of the first coaches to be hired this offseason was former Buccaneers OC Dave Canales. Although raw, Canales was excellent in his role coordinating the Bucs offense. He also helped resurrect the career of quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield is now likely to sign with the Tampa Bay long term thanks in large part to Canales.

In Carolina, Canales will look to do the same for former #1 pick Bryce Young. Young had a disappointing rookie season but due to the coaching turnover and turmoil, it’s tough to judge his on-field performances. Next year will be different for Young. Canales will work with his strengths and get the most out of his talent. If Young fails again then it won’t be on coaching more so his limitations.

For me, this is an underrated hire for the Panthers. They didn’t go after the big name but instead found the next great offensive mind. The only part I didn’t like about this hire was the 6-year contract. It’s likely that Panthers owner David Tepper needed to add the extra year to seal the deal.

Grade: B+

Antonio Pierce – Las Vegas Raiders

When Antonio Pierce took over for the fired Josh McDaniels he wasn’t given much of a chance to keep the job long-term. As the season went on though it became clear Pierce was an excellent leader and he led the Raiders to a 5-4 record down the stretch. That was good enough for 2nd in the AFC West and once the season ended it was up to ownership to make the move.

Like Raheem Morris, Pierce received several ringing endorsements for current Raiders players. None bigger than Maxx Crosby who essentially stated he would want to be traded if the Raiders didn’t bring on Pierce long term. Las Vegas ownership heard the chatter loud and clear and decided to bring on Pierce full-time.

This is another solid hire and I give credit to the Raiders leadership for listening to their players. Pierce is a natural leader and will get the most from his players. There are also indications that Las Vegas will bring in Kliff Kingsbury as their OC which is a smart move.

Grade: B+

Jim Harbaugh – Los Angeles Chargers

Perhaps the biggest name on the market this offseason was former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh had just won the National Championship and there were many indications that this was the year he would jump back to the NFL.

No matter where he’s been, Harbaugh has proven to be a winner. From Stanford to San Francisco and eventually at Michigan, Harbaugh has been successful at each stop. The former Chargers quarterback will now get a chance to coach one of the best young quarterbacks in the league Justin Herbert. Herbert still has untapped potential and Harbaugh will teach him how to be a winner.

To me, this is the best hire of this coaching cycle. Harbaugh and the Chargers are the perfect match and I expect them to compete for Super Bowls. The only downside is how long he will last in LA. Harbaugh has a tendency to not stick around long at any of his stops. If the Chargers can get a Super Bowl out of him it won’t matter in the end.

Grade: A

Jerod Mayo – New England Patriots

After it became clear Bill Belichick would not be back in New England owner Robert Kraft had a choice to make. He could either go out and find a fresh face in the coaching pool or stick with the Belichick tree and hire within. Kraft ultimately decided to hire within and promote Jerod Mayo to head coach.

Mayo spent the last 5 seasons in New England as the inside linebackers coach. Like Antonio Pierce, Mayo was praised by former Patriots players including Tom Brady who called him an excellent leader. At just 37, Mayo is still young and if he works out the Patriots will be set long term.

What’s interesting about the New England situation is that Mike Vrabel wasn’t considered. Vrabel seemed like the perfect successor to Belichick. For whatever reason the Patriots decided not to pursue him and it may come back to bite them. By all accounts, Mayo seems like a solid hire but I fear the Patriots will once again be looking for a new coach in just a of couple years.

Grade: C

Mike Macdonald – Seattle Seahawks

One of the hottest names of this coaching cycle was Ravens DC Mike Macdonald. He did wonders for Baltimore’s defense and shut down some of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL this year. Before his stop in Baltimore, Macdonald spent 1 year as defensive coordinator at Michigan.

Although only 36, Macdonald has also been praised for his leadership qualities. He will have big shoes to fill in Seattle taking over for Pete Carroll. The Seahawks have a bunch of young talented players on defense and solid pieces in place on offense. The question for Macdonald will be if he decides to keep Geno Smith.

In all, I am a fan of this hire for the Seahawks. Seattle targeted him early on and eventually got their man.

Grade: B+

Brian Callahan – Tennessee Titans

In Tennessee, it’s the end of the Vrabel era. This was perhaps the most surprising of the offseason firings. Although they had a down year the Titans were respectable with Vrabel at the helm. Former Bengals OC Brian Callahan will step in his place.

Callahan has been with Cincinnati since 2019 and helped to tutor quarterback Joe Burrow. He is somewhat of a quarterback whisperer as he was able to do wonders for Jake Browning who filled in for the injured Burrow this season. If the Titans decide to stick with Will Levis I expect to see a big improvement in his game.

I am somewhat neutral on this hire. It’s not flashy by any means but Callahan will come in and elevate the Titans offense. The big question is if he is a good leader as he will be replacing Vrabel who is known for his leadership.

Grade: B-

Dan Quinn – Washington Commanders

For Washington Commanders fans this offseason got off to a perfect start. The new ownership group led by Josh Harris was now fully in control and they took no time hiring new GM Adam Peters. Peters knows how to build NFL teams as he helped build the 49ers into a championship contender.

Many expected the next move for Peters and the Commanders was to hire Ben Johnson as their head coach. As we all know that didn’t happen as Johnson decided to stay in Detroit. We don’t really know what happened behind the scenes and perhaps Johnson was never their preferred choice but in the end, Washington decided to hire former Cowboys DC Dan Quinn.

Now Quinn was not the most popular candidate on the market but it’s hard to ignore what he has done for the Cowboys defense. Quinn completely turned around that side of the ball and will need to do the same for the Commanders. Like the other defensive coaches that were hired, Quinn will need to pick the right staff to run his offense. So the next few hires will be key.

By all accounts, Quinn seems like a great leader of men and should help change the culture in Washington. I am just not sure about the fit. I would’ve liked to see the Commanders go after a young offensive mind. Washington is going through a full rebuild and I think they should’ve gone outside of the box on this hire.

Grade: C+

The post Grading the NFL Coaching Hires of 2024 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

So far there have been 3 head coaches fired in-season (Frank Reich, Josh McDaniels and Brandon Stanley). You can expect about 4-5 more coaches who will be fired after the season. Let’s take a look at 5 potential NFL head coaches who will get plenty of interest to fill these vacancies.

Jim Harbaugh (Michigan HC)

The last thing on Jim Harbaugh’s mind right now is the NFL. The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a thrilling overtime victory over the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl. All the focus will now be on the Washington Huskies who Michigan will play Monday night for the National Championship. This however won’t stop the rumors of Harbaugh bolting to the NFL after the season is over.

For the most part, Harbaugh has done little to squash the NFL rumors when asked. He sticks to his script of one game at a time and doesn’t offer much insight into what could happen next. It’s smart for him to do this as his team seeks its first championship since 1997. If the Wolverines finish the job expect the rumors to intensify as Harbaugh can go out on top.

Harbaugh recently added fuel to the fire when he hired agent Don Yee. Yee is a well-known agent who has worked with Sean Payton and former Wolverine Tom Brady. There is also the sign-stealing scandal that could draw more penalties for the Michigan football program this offseason. If Harbaugh is indeed interested in the NFL you can expect every team with a vacancy to be interested.

Mike Macdonald (Ravens DC)

Speaking of Michigan. Former Wolverines DC Mike Macdonald is quickly becoming a hot name on the coaching scene. Macdonald has built a defensive juggernaut in Baltimore and the 36-year-old will have plenty of suitors this offseason.

The Ravens defense currently ranks 1st in the NFL in points allowed holding opponents to just 16.4 points per game. They are also coming over impressive defensive performances against two high-powered offenses. Baltimore held both the 49ers and Dolphins to just 19 points both coming in blowouts. The Ravens also lead the NFL in sacks with a league-high 54.

There is no doubt the Ravens are loaded with defensive talent but Macdonald has tailored opponent game plans to perfection. Ultimately it will come down to how GMs perceive hiring defensive coaches in today’s NFL. The track record isn’t great but if Macdonald brings in the right OC he could be successful for many years.

Bobby Slowik (Texans OC)

Slowik is another name that many will be interested in this offseason. The Texans offensive coordinator has done wonders for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud in his first year in Houston. Slowik comes from San Francisco where he worked as passing game coordinator for Kyle Shanahan. He runs a similar west coast style offense that the 49ers run with some variations.

Slowik also spent 3 years working as an analyst at PFF which is intriguing, to say the least. PFF is the go-to for NFL player grades and analytics. It’s something that we don’t see often for an NFL coach but learning the numbers game has many benefits.

If you’re looking for a possible destination for Slowik look no further than Washington. Slowik spent his first three years coaching in Washington as a defensive assistant under Mike Shanahan. The Commanders also recently hired Eugene Shen to oversee their analytics department. Slowik’s unique background will likely be intriguing for Shen and owner Josh Harris who is big on analytics.

Ben Johnson (Lions OC)

Ben Johnson is no doubt the name to watch for the upcoming coaching cycle. The Lions OC was close to becoming a head coach last offseason but decided to stay in Detroit. Johnson is a big reason the Lions were able to capture their first-ever NFC North title. He will be able to pick and choose where he wants to go next if he decides to make the jump.

The Lions are currently third in the NFL in yards per game at 395.7 and are averaging 26.9 points per game. Johnson has also helped resurrect the career of Jared Goff as the former #1 pick has excelled in this offense. It is believed by many that Johnson will decide to take the next step this offseason and he won’t be cheap. Whether or not he is head coaching material remains to be seen but in today’s NFL it’s all about offense and Johnson is an offensive guru.

Wild Card – Brian Griese (49ers Quarterbacks Coach)

Finally, there is Brian Griese. Griese is a bit of a wild card as a coaching candidate but deserves a closer look. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for San Francisco and has been there since 2022. You can’t deny the role Griese has had in Brock Purdy‘s success. Purdy was Mr. Irrelovant in the 2022 draft and is now in contention for the MVP.

Before he came to the 49ers, Griese was working at ESPN as an analyst. It was considered an odd move at the time but Kyle Shanahan has a history with Griese going back to their time in Tampa. It was an out-of-the-box move that has paid off for Shanahan and the 49ers.

Taking a chance on Griese will be risky with his lack of coaching experience but it could offer big returns. Just look at what Mike McDaniel has done in Miami. This move was also criticized at the time but now he is considered one of the league’s best.

The post 5 Potential NFL Head Coaching Candidates in 2024 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Jim Harbaugh has peaked in his time with the University of Michigan, as he exited a 2021 college football season with a record of 12-2 and an Orange Bowl appearance. It’s also worth mentioning that the Harbaugh-led Wolverines managed to edge out Ohio State University in a 42-27 thrashing of the rival, seventh-ranked squad.

We know Harbaugh has finally left his mark on the college football world. With that said, it appears that Harbaugh may take his talents elsewhere now that he’s on top of the rollercoaster in Michigan. Well, where could the former 49ers, Michigan, and Stanford coach take his talents? It appears that the Harbaugh twin could go back to his professional football coaching roots. 

According to The Athletic, there appears to be a real shot that the former NFL HC returns to the big league. Some have suggested that he could take over the reign in Las Vegas and NBC Chicago stated that Harbaugh “has really positive feelings” about the Bears.

It’s not clear if Chicago will realistically strike gold with the head coach, but it does seem like a logical fit. The Bears have a rookie quarterback with a lot of potential in Justin Fields. They also have significant talent on defense with All-Pro DE Khalil Mack and Pro Bowl snub Roquan Smith.

I can’t deny that the Bears fit well and seem to be a safe bet for landing the Big 10 coach. There are three reasons why they make sense. For 1. They will most likely have a head coaching opening. Second of all, they have the soon-to-be second-year QB Justin Fields. And the third reason would have to be there’s an emotional aspect for Harbaugh. Of course, the head coach played QB for the Bears in his NFL playing days.

Still, I believe there is a better fit talent-wise for Harbaugh and this said team could have a potential opening. This team is none other than the Carolina Panthers. I surely feel that Harbaugh would have more success and more robust, long-term potential with CAR.  

The future competitiveness of the NFC South should seem a lot more charming than that of the NFC North (even if it is dreadful now). In 2024, here is a realistic expectation of the NFC South QBs (excluding Carolina): 

Tampa Bay: Kyle Trask

New Orleans: Jameis Winston

Atlanta Falcons: a rookie or second-year QB

In the NFC North, the Packers could have their attractive ex in Aaron Rodgers for at least a few more seasons. Not to mention that he’s made it very clear that he owns the Bears. The Minnesota Vikings should be at least modest with a couple of holes filled plus the presence of two potential future Hall of Famers in Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. The Lions have no light at the end of the tunnel, but they do fight hard. I will leave it there.

The South has firepower, but they have a few more wheelchairs via the age of the elite players. Let’s face it, Tom Brady and Gronk won’t be playing longer than a couple of seasons in the NFL. The Falcons will most likely have a new franchise QB in an offense missing Julio Jones and very likely Calvin Ridley. Then the Saints have Sean Payton, Alvin Kamara, but Cam Jordan, Demario Davis, and Malcolm Jenkins will all be 33+ years old next season. It’s not clear who the future QB will be and if Michael Thomas will be in the Big Easy with his rangy nature towards the team. Although, I do feel that the Saints have an optimistic long-term outlook if they properly address the QB situation this offseason.

The Panthers could dominate the South for years if they find a spark at QB around the talent they carry. They will honestly have a bit of a fixer-upper at their own QB situation. Although, it’s worth mentioning that Fields hasn’t been close to a proven first-round pick in Chi-town. But, the Panthers have a very impressive supporting cast around their QB situation. That’s why Harbaugh should also take his chances of finding the franchise QB in the Carolinas and not in the Windy City. 

Harbaugh could have one of the best all-purpose RBs in CMAC coming off of injury. He could rightfully help him return to being an OPOY type of back. He will at least have a season to experiment with him and see how explosive his ability post-injury is. The WR group is much more talented in CAR than Chicago, as well. Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore are arguably the most underrated WR duo in all of the league, while the two leading receivers for the Bears this season are RB David Montgomery and RB Khalil Herbert. Yes, you read that correctly. 

Harbaugh should ideally have his favorite landing spot in his head, but he could be surprised by another opening. If Rhule is really out (right after his OC), then Harbaugh could acknowledge the potential in CAR and be more intuitive by selecting the better strategic empty chair.

The post Why Jim Harbaugh should go to the Carolina Panthers appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Cody Molla (@Cmolla1)

Football is back! NFL preseason is wrapping up, NCAA Football is kicking off and soon the real NFL season starts. This 2021 NFL season will feature seven coaches making their head coaching debut in the NFL. Nearly a quarter of the league will be under the new direction on the field. Many of these new guys have previous NFL coordinator experience and coaching experience in the NFL. One in particular however has none. Urban Meyer, new Head Coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Meyer has a historic collegiate coaching career. One of the most prolific coaches in recent history and ever in college football. In 17 seasons Meyer has a record of 187-32. A winning percentage of .853 across a few years at Bowling Green University, University of Utah, University of Florida, and Ohio State University. We all know his success from the last two stops. To summarize his career, he won two BCS titles at Florida, won the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship with Ohio State, became the first coach to lead a BCS non-AQ conference team to a BCS bowl at Utah, coached a Heisman Trophy winner at Florida with Tim Tebow, and coached a number one overall pick in the NFL draft with Alex Smith.

The biggest question is how will his previous college success translate to the NFL and what does it mean for future NFL coaching candidates? Meyer’s success or failure will have an impact on future coaching candidates across the NFL. Meyer is notorious for the spread offense. It’s what he ran at all of his college stops. We know the NFL game is not like the college game. Does Meyer try and force the spread offense as Chip Kelly did in his NFL tenure? Does he adapt to the NFL game? Either way, the Urban Meyer coaching experience will impact how the NFL views coaches purely from the college ranks. We will dive into three coaching candidates from the college ranks that could make the jump to the NFL in a near NFL coaching carousel.

Lincoln Riley ”“ Oklahoma

Riley has been a head coach for four years in his young career. He took over as head coach at OU in 2017. He has compiled a record of 45-8 good for a .849 winning percentage. In his first three seasons, Riley and the Sooners lost in the semifinal of the college football playoff. Last year was his first bowl win in the Cotton Bowl, it was not part of the college football playoff.

Despite his limited experience as a head coach, his hat was in the ring for becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys prior to the 2020 season. Riley is currently 37 years old. The NFL has not shied away from young coaches and Riley is one of the candidates for a future NFL job. Sean McVay took the Rams to the super bowl at age 33, the youngest age ever for an NFL coach. The Browns recently hired Kevin Stefanski who is 37 as well and went to the playoffs in his first season. The Arizona Cardinals also hired Kingsbury before turning 40 and after having a losing record as a college head coach!

The reason Lincoln has been linked to the Cowboys job was because of his close ties with Jerry Jones. The two got close after Riley had done some recruiting of Jerry’s grandson John Stephen Jones. Besides his connections, Riley has groomed some successful college players who have become bright stars in the NFL. Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray played under Riley at OU. Both of them won the Heisman trophy then became number one overall picks in the NFL draft the next year. Continuing the success at quarterback is Jalen Hurts. Not as much buzz in his NFL game as the other two but he is likely to start for the Eagles in his second year as an NFL player after playing for Riley at Oklahoma to close his college career. The Eagles were also rumored to be interested in Riley going into the coaching search knowing Hurts success with Riley in the past.

For the immediate future, Riley has the Heisman favorite as his quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Another successful college year is ahead for the Sooners and Riley which will likely leave him a top candidate for the NFL in 2022. I doubt he leaves for the NFL in 2022. However, come 2023 and the years after I can see him making the jump to the NFL. He will always be a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys.

Based on what I’ve seen in hard knocks Mike McCarthy is not going to be the head coach much longer. Even with a winning season, it’s Super Bowl or bust for Jerry Jones. If Jerry sees a way to improve the team he will do it, replacing the head coach is very easy for him.

Riley seems to be enjoying his time at OU and will likely want to win a championship before making the jump. Riley is one of the best quarterback coaches in the nation right now and seems to have a knack for coaching players to be successful at that position in the NFL.

Matt Campbell ”“ Iowa State

Campbell was a candidate that intrigued a few NFL franchises in the last hiring season. He reportedly turned down a large offer from the Lions. He was also rumored to be of interest from the New York Jets.

Campbell has never had NFL coaching experience but has been a college head coach since 2011. He was given his first head coach job at the University of Toledo in 2011. He coached there till 2015 and went 35-15. He was the head coach for two bowl game wins, one his first game as the interim head coach in 2011 and one as the official head coach in 2014. In his last two years with the Rockets he was tied for first place in the MAC.

Campbell was named head coach at Iowa State in 2015 and has been there ever since. An impressive season last year included winning the Big 12 conference, a win in the Fiesta Bowl, for a 9-3 season, and a nine by their name to finish the year. Campbell is 35-28 at Iowa State. After struggling his first year the Cyclones have had a winning season every year since.

Campbell is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year Winner. He likely plans on being at Iowa St. for some time after turning down the contract from the Lions he signed an extension through 2028 with the Cyclones. I think he will be at Iowa St. until they are the team to beat in the Big 12.

Last year was their breakout season. The roster has lots of young talent that Campbell has recruited to his program and will likely want to see that building of a program pay off. The Cyclones are a strong team and for the next few years Campbell will continue to build his resume at Iowa St. He will also continue to be a candidate in the back of NFL minds. He is likely not willing to make the NFL jump for another year or two but may soon after that.

Jim Harbaugh- Michigan

Harbaugh has had success in the NFL and college ranks as a head coach. His only tenure as an NFL head coach was in 2011-2014 with the 49ers. Harbaughs NFL experience with the 49ers may have ended sour but it was sweet the first three seasons.

The 49ers would make three straight NFC Championships, winning one in 2012 where the lost in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens. It is impressive that their season ended three straight years to the Super Bowl champs. He compiled a record of 44-19-1 in the regular season and a playoff record of 5-3.

His college head coaching career started back in 2004 at the University of San Diego. At the time a Division One FCS school where he went 29-6 in three seasons.  Following the success at San Diego, he was hired by Stanford.

At Stanford, Harbaugh struggled to win games in 2007 and 2008. The Cardinal finished in 7^th and 6^th in the conference. However, with the emergence of Andrew Luck, Stanford became a conference title contender and finished second in 2009 with an 8-5 overall record then second again in 2010 with a 12-1 record and Orange Bowl win.

From Stanford, he made the jump to the NFL. After the NFL he returned to coach at his alma mater The University of Michigan. Hired in 2015, Big Blue was expected to compete for national championships. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been that way for Harbaugh. Harbaugh has only won one of five bowl games. The lone win was a Citrus Bowl victory in 2015.

Harbaugh has been average at Michigan. Never making a conference title game appearance and an 0-5 record vs rival Ohio State. We all thought the program at Michigan would explode onto the scene yet it has yet to detonate and even flare. Three ten win seasons and four times finishing in the top 20 rankings isn’t good enough in these circumstances. A rather disappointing 2020 season left Harbaughs status in the air.

With many NFL jobs opened up the return was widely thought to happen. Jim comes with a fiery, combative, and demanding personality. Because of this, he rubs people the wrong way and his stays at his previous stops have been cut short. Is this something NFL executives are holding against him?

His football knowledge and experience certainly qualify him as a head coach candidate for NFL teams. I think a bounce back year at Michigan would be satisfying enough for Jim. He certainly would love to do it to make Paul Finebaum eat his words and keep quiet.

Harbaugh is a name we hear every coach search season I think he finally returns back to the NFL after this year. He has a wide range of connections from his own NFL playing days, his coaching days, and his brother. It would be cool to see the brothers square off in another Super Bowl down the line!

Honorable Mention  

PJ Fleck- Minnesota

Luke Fickell- Cincinnati

Pat Fitzgerald- Northwestern

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By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

It seems like every offseason since Jim Harbaugh left the NFL for the University of Michigan, his name comes up again when looking at head coaching vacancies. He was successful coaching at the pro level, making it all the way to the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers, so it makes sense why he would be a speculative candidate for job openings. He is best known for bringing a culture of toughness to a locker room and is a great choice for a team looking to turn things around. Also, being a former quarterback himself, he provides expertise with that position as well.

When looking at potential fits for Harbaugh next offseason, a team in a transitional phase at the quarterback position while also relatively close to being competitive is probably the most ideal situation. It seems unlikely that he would even be interested in a full rebuild type of scenario. It’s also important to consider what teams could actually be in the market for a new head coach. All things considered, here are three teams that should consider him for their head coaching job next year if the situation calls for it.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are an interesting team heading into this upcoming season. They have a very good roster, including a ton of young talent at the skill positions on offense to go with a solid defense from top to bottom. Their one big question mark right now is at the quarterback position. Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock have both showed flashes of hope at times, but have also shown that they may be no better than a backup at other times. In the case of Lock, who is now entering his third season with the team, it’s fair to wonder if head coach Vic Fangio is getting the most out of the young quarterback.

This is likely going to be a “prove it” year for Fangio as the head coach, especially considering the talent on the roster. He has not been good enough through two seasons, going 8-8 and 4-12 respectively. If the team does not show significant improvement and does not show signs of a solution at quarterback, the Broncos could surely be in the market to replace him. The team is built and ready for a coach like Harbaugh if they do decide to go that route. He could help them with their quarterback situation, and potentially turn a talented roster into a winning organization.

Chicago Bears

Like the Broncos, the Bears are another team in an interesting situation heading into this upcoming season. They did make the playoffs last year, but their season was more of a disappointment than it was successful. They only finished with an 8-8 record, so the postseason appearance was more about the conference being weak than the Bears being good. This lead to them releasing their starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but somehow head coach Matt Nagy survived and kept his job as head coach. He will be on very thin ice this year.

If the Bears struggle at all this year, it’s really hard to imagine any way that they will stick with Nagy. Another important factor with this team is the quarterback situation. They signed veteran Andy Dalton, but more importantly, they drafted their quarterback of the future in Justin Fields. Developing the rookie is the most important task for this team over the next couple of years, and that is where Harbaugh could bring some serious value. After all, Nagy already failed at this same mission with Trubisky, so he will need to show this year he is capable of handling a young quarterback if he wants to keep his job.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are a team that is hoping they are near the end of their full rebuild. They finally have some young talent and some reasons to be optimistic. The biggest thing they have going for them is their second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. Before unfortunately getting injured during his rookie season, he was living up to the high expectations he had after his historic season at LSU and being selected first overall in the NFL Draft. He is now highly regarded as a future star in this league.

It is yet to be seen if first-time head coach Zac Taylor is even capable of developing a young stud like Burrow. If Taylor appears to stumble at any point this year in handling this situation, the Bengals may not hesitate to move on from him and to a head coach with a proven track record. This is where Harbaugh could step in. The team is going to do whatever they believe is best for the development of Burrow. At some point, the Bengals want to transition from a rebuilding team to a competitive team, and they need the right coach to do so. Taylor has a lot to prove he is capable of this year, and he can start by improving on his abysmal 6-25-1 record as a head coach.

The post 3 Teams That Should Look at Jim Harbaugh Next Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.