NFL Lockout: 7 Coaches Most Thankful the Lockout Is Over

The end of the NFL lockout has finally arrived. 

For over four months, we have been waiting for this day, and football fans everywhere are rejoicing. However, there are those that are happier than us, and they are NFL coaches.

Not being able to have contact with your team must be extremely difficult. New coaches will have a shortened period to become familiar with their teams. Coaches will also have less time to develop rookies that they hoped would be key components to their teams success.

Here are the seven most thankful coaches for the end of the NFL lockout.

Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions

Very few 6-10 teams are as excited as the Detroit Lions for the upcoming season. With a healthy Matt Stafford and an improving defense, Detroit is poised to surprise some teams this year.

After finishing the 2010 season strong, Jim Schwartz hoped to build on that momentum with a full offseason. We all know that didn't happen, but Schwartz must still be ready to get some time with his team.

He needs to figure out how to best use Nick Fairley on defense and how to make Titus Young and Mikel Leshoure relevant on offense.

His main concern needs to be keeping Stafford healthy for an entire season. I'm not sure how he can go about doing this, but it absolutely needs to happen.

Detroit has a chance to sneak into the playoffs, and Jim Schwartz is excited to get with his talented team back on the football field.

Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans

I never thought I would see the day that Jeff Fisher wasn't the coach of the Tennessee Titans. When most people think about the Titans, the first name that comes to mind is Jeff Fisher.

Unfortunately, Fisher and owner Bud Adams could no longer get along, and Mike Munchak now gets a chance to lead Tennessee. Munchak has a difficult job in front of him as the Titans have struggled in recent years.

His job was made even more difficult when Kerry Collins retired. He is now left with a small amount of time to get Jake Locker into starting form. If Locker isn't ready, Munchak doesn't have anyone to act as a safety net, and things could get interesting for the Titans.

When you throw in Chris Johnson's possible holdout, it could be rough for Munchak in his first season as NFL coach.

Even with all these difficult problems, Munchak wants to show everyone he is ready for the task at hand.   

Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers

As a defensive specialist in Chicago, Ron Rivera's name has floated around the league for years as a future head coach. Rivera will finally get his chance in Carolina.

No new head coach enters a tougher situation than what Rivera has inherited with the Panthers. His offense is a mess, and his defense isn't much better. He will also have the pressure of rushing Cam Newton onto the field, whether he is ready or not.

It is also possible that his best offensive weapon, Steve Smith, could be playing somewhere else.

Rivera would have liked some more time to work with his defense to make sure they were all on the same page. Unfortunately for him, Carolina looks poised to have another top draft pick after a difficult 2011 season.

Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I think it is safe to say that Tampa Bay sneaked up on a few teams last year.

After posting a 10-6 record, but still falling short of the playoffs, the Buccaneers are going to be a dangerous team in 2011.

Had Raheem Morris had a full offseason with his team, Tampa might have been the favorites in a deep NFC South division. He would have especially liked some time with his defense where he has a very young group.

Rookies Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers appear to have a chance to start at defensive end, but both players really could have used Morris' tutelage.

Josh Freeman is coming off an exceptional year, and being such a young quarterback, his performance could be hindered by the lockout. Don't expect a huge drop in Freeman's numbers though; this kid looks like the real deal. 

Tampa should still be a good team, but if Morris had more time, they could have been a very exciting team to watch.

Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings

When the Minnesota Vikings selected Christian Ponder with the 12th pick of the NFL draft, it shocked the football world. Many felt that Minnesota reached for a quarterback that they could have gotten in a later round.

Now Leslie Frazier has a shortened period to get his new quarterback up to speed. It is possible that the Vikings look for another quarterback via trade or free agency, but Ponder appears to be the man right now. Frazier can't wait to start working with the talented Florida State product.

However, the main reason Frazier is so excited to get back on the field is because of Adrian Peterson. I mean, when you have the most dominant running back in the NFL at your disposal, who wouldn't be excited?

The Vikings play in the most difficult division in the NFL, so Frazier needs all the time he can get with his young quarterback and star player. 

John Fox, Denver Broncos

John Fox was responsible for a dramatic improvement in the Carolina Panthers' play, and Denver is hoping he can do the same with the Broncos.

The first thing Fox will have to figure out is who to start at quarterback. With Brady Quinn, Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton all viable starters, some extra time would have been nice for Fox. Now, he has less than two months to pick a starter.

Orton has been involved in major trade talks, but I don't see Denver giving up their only quarterback with starting experience. Tebow appears to be the fan favorite, but Fox has made it clear that all three quarterbacks will be given a chance to prove they deserve to start.

Picking a quarterback is never easy, but it is even more difficult without much of an offseason. 

John Fox can't wait to get back on the field and see what his quarterbacks can do.

Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

Of course, the defending Super Bowl champions are thankful to get back on the football field. Everyone will be looking to take them out, and they need practice just as much as any other team.

It appears as if Green Bay won't lose any key players of their team to free agency. That means that the Packers will be the early favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl once again. With an explosive offense and a terrorizing defense, it is easy to see why a repeat isn't such a crazy thought.

These high expectations can sometimes be difficult to live up to. This is why Mike McCarthy needs to get his team back on the field. He must make his players understand that this is a new season, and last year doesn't matter for this year.

Green Bay should have no issues getting back into form in a short amount of time, and McCarthy is thankful for that.