It’s that time of year again. While eight teams are still alive in the NFL postseason, the other 24 have a long offseason ahead of them. Nine of those 24 have an even bigger challenge — finding a new head coach.
The Giants and Titans fired Brian Daboll and Brian Callahan, respectively, midseason. The Falcons, Raiders, Cardinals and Browns also sacked their head coaches following poor seasons. More out of the blue, the Ravens axed 18-year gaffer John Harbaugh after Baltimore failed to top the Steelers in a Week 18 battle for the AFC North, while Mike Tomlin stepped down from those same Steelers Tuesday afternoon.
Each of the nine teams have vastly different situations. Some have proven quarterbacks. Others have favorable cap space to fix needs in free agency. And a select few don’t fit in either category.
Here are my rankings of the eight head coach openings based on each team’s current outlook:
1. Ravens
This is the best scenario for anyone currently interviewing for an open position. The Ravens have two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who dealt with injuries in 2025. Even still, he was a Tyler Loop missed kick away from willing Baltimore to the playoffs.
A strong quarterback is always the key to a deep playoff run. With a new coach coming in, potentially someone with no head coaching experience, it will be helpful to have one already established. It makes free agency and the draft easier, two areas where a new coach can prove himself early.
On top of Jackson, the Ravens have veteran running back Derrick Henry, who’s shown age won’t affect him after another 1,500-yard campaign. Receiver Zay Flowers made the Pro Bowl. The defense needs upgrading, but that’s something you can live with as a new head coach.
With a healthy Jackson and even a mediocre coach, the Ravens should return to the playoffs next year, making their situation the most favorable.
2. Giants
The Giants are in an interesting spot. They went 4-13 in 2025, but with a number of close losses and a strong group of young players, it’s a core many new coaches would love to work with.
To start, Jaxson Dart looked phenomenal in his rookie season under center. He totaled 24 touchdowns (nine on the ground) and threw five interceptions. He needs to take care of himself, but the Giants can teach him that. New York also has running back Cam Skattebo and star wide receiver Malik Nabers returning from season-ending injuries. Slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson could also be retained in free agency.
One drawback of the Giants’ job is their cap space. They sit 21st in the league with only about $11 million, but that could improve if they cut the likes of middle linebacker Bobby Okereke and running back Devin Singletary.
The Giants’ new leader will also need to get New York’s defense in line. It has strong pieces like edge rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter and young corners Dru Phillips and Cor’Dale Flott, but the unit still ranked near-last in yards and points allowed per game in 2025.
3. Steelers
The Steelers are an outlier on this list. Like some teams further down, they are in a precarious spot under center. Aaron Rodgers just finished up his one-year deal after Pittsburgh’s playoff loss to the Texans, making the 42-year-old a free agent. After Mike Tomlin stepped down, Pittsburgh’s new coach will be tasked with replacing Rodgers.
However, the stakes aren’t as high due to the Steelers’ defense. It’s been one of the top units in the league for over a decade under Tomlin. Without him, there may be questions of how it’ll hold up, but with key players like T.J. Watt and Joey Porter Jr. returning, it’s likely not much will change.
Because of that, the Steelers just need someone mediocre at quarterback to be a contender. Will that lead to a Super Bowl run? Probably not. But for a head coach looking for a favorable situation that he can build on in the future, Pittsburgh is one of the safest bets.
4. Falcons
While the Falcons have put together better seasons than the Giants in recent years — going 8-9 in both seasons under Raheem Morris — they have many questions left unanswered. Most notably, who will their quarterback be next year?
Will it be the 37-year old Kirk Cousins? The Falcons recently restructured his contract, and he’s likely to be a free agent soon. Will it be Michael Penix, who tore his ACL in November for the third time in his career? Or will Atlanta turn to other options?
That uncertainty puts the Falcons behind the Giants and Steelers. Most coaches would rather have the up-and-coming Dart than an unknown at signal caller.
However, the Falcons are still ranked high because of their other pieces. They have superstar running back Bijan Robinson and another strong weapon in Drake London. Rookie edge James Pearce Jr. finished with 10.5 sacks, leading all first-year players. While quarterback is a major issue, the Falcons still have a superb supporting cast for whoever they choose.
5. Titans
The Titans are here because they have Cam Ward and a ton of cap space. Ward, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, passed for over 3,000 yards and had a 15:7 touchdown to interception ratio on a pretty awful Titans team. He’s certainly a viable option to build around for an incoming head coach.
Tennessee’s whopping $102 million in cap space, the second most in the NFL, should help it give Ward weapons. No Titans receiver had more than 600 yards last year, but they will retain running back Tony Pollard, who reached the 1,000-yard plateau for the fourth straight year.
As long as they’re aggressive in free agency and Ward comes back strong from his shoulder injury, the Titans should be trending in the right direction. While there’s a chance they remain at the bottom of the league next year, they still have a better chance to rebound than the bottom feeders of this list.
6. Raiders
The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. They’ll likely draft Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, giving them a potential franchise quarterback. Las Vegas also sits slightly behind Tennessee with $98 million in cap space, giving it the chance to add to Mendoza and star running back Ashton Jeanty.
But how good will Mendoza be in the NFL? Many have asked that question over the last few months. He’s never been an elite runner. Passing wise, he’s shown he’s more than capable over his first two games of the College Football Playoff. The Raiders’ future relies on Mendoza.
That’s why Las Vegas lies in the bottom half of this list. The Raiders contain upside due to having the top choice. But questions surround Mendoza, and star edge rusher Maxx Crosby wants to leave, too. Head coaches may be wary of heading to Las Vegas.
7. Dolphins
A few years ago, the Dolphins would’ve been toward the top of this list. They had the dynamic receiving duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looked to be establishing himself as one of the best in the league.
But Tagovailoa couldn’t stay healthy. Hill had a gruesome leg injury. McDaniel was fired. The Dolphins’ only major redeeming quality currently is running back De’Von Achane.
Their cap situation is one of the worst in the league. They don’t even have a top-10 pick. Tagovailoa is still on the team, but he was benched late in the season and hasn’t done anything recently to show he can be Miami’s franchise guy. So, the Dolphins are stuck with many enormous questions about their future.
8. Cardinals
The Cardinals’ Kyler Murray is as much of a question mark as Tagovailoa. In his seventh season in the league since being chosen with the No. 1 pick in 2019, Murray played just five games due to a season-ending injury. That comes on the heels of a campaign where he tossed 11 picks and a 2023 year where he played just eight contests.
So, the Cardinals could decide to move on from Murray in the offseason. That raises concerns no matter what. Either they’re stuck with an unreliable signal caller for the eighth straight year, or they’re left to choose from the limited free agency options.
Most likely, Arizona will stick with Murray. But is that something a new head coach wants to figure out in his first few months on the job? Undoubtedly no. While the Cardinals do have stud receivers in 2024 top choice Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson after his breakout year, a team is often only as good as its quarterback.
9. Browns
There’s one thing redeeming about the Browns — Myles Garrett. That’s it. The star edge rusher set a new NFL record with 23 sacks in 2025, yet Cleveland still went 4-13.
Garrett can only help so much with no viable options under center. The Browns drafted both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders last April, yet neither were particularly good. Sanders threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven), and Gabriel was benched in favor of him.
And after drafting two quarterbacks so recently, is that something the Browns want to attack this year? They could give Sanders another shot in 2026 and sign a veteran. Deshaun Watson is still under contract for next year, but he hasn’t played a full season since 2020. Either way, it’s not a favorable situation, putting Cleveland last on this list.0. Either way, it’s not a favorable situation, putting Cleveland last on this list.
Thumbnail Credit: George Walker IV/Associated Press
