Ranking NFL Head Coach Openings After Pete Carroll Moves to Seahawks Adviser
And then there were seven.
On Wednesday, the most surprising coaching firing of the 2024 cycle came down. It wasn't a firing per se. Per ESPN's Brady Henderson, Pete Carroll was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks but will remain with the team in an advisory capacity.
With Carroll out in Seattle, there are now seven vacancies across the NFL. They range from a Seattle team that narrowly missed the playoffs in 2023 to a Washington Commanders team that lost eight straight to close the season to a Carolina Panthers team that had the league's worst record last season.
Each job is different. Each has its allure, whether it's a boatload of cap space, a high draft pick or a franchise quarterback. Each also has challenges, whether it's a lack of cap space or deficiencies on the roster.
With that in mind, here's a look at all seven openings, ranked from the least to most attractive.
7. Carolina Panthers
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It might seem a little odd to see a team that has a young quarterback who was just drafted No. 1 overall leading off this piece. But it was that kind of year for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers—and a rapid turnaround doesn't appear to be in the offing.
To be blunt, the Panthers were awful in 2023—a 2-15 dumpster fire of a team that finished the season dead last in the league in total offense and scoring offense and 29th in scoring defense. To say Young's rookie season was a rocky one is an understatement—he was 20th in passing yards, threw just 11 touchdown passes, was 32nd in passer rating and 31st in QBR.
The offensive line is below-average. The team's best wide receiver is 33. The defense has some pieces in edge-rusher Brian Burns and linebacker Frankie Luvu, but it has just as many holes. And both of those players are set to hit free agency this spring.
The Panthers need a lot of work—and there aren't a ton of resources to do that work with. The first overall pick belongs to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade that brought Young to Charlotte. Carolina's $34.4 million in cap space per Over the Cap is middle-of-the-pack.
Whoever takes the Panthers job is looking at a multiyear rebuild—and an owner in David Tepper who hasn't shown a ton of patience.
6. Tennessee Titans
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Not that long ago, the Tennessee Titans were in the AFC Championship Game. But it isn't 2019 anymore, and after the firing of Mike Vrabel, it's a new era in Tennessee—in more ways than one.
After giving way to rookie Will Levis partway through the season, Ryan Tannehill's days at quarterback in Nashville are all but certainly over. Derrick Henry's probably are, too—he's a 30-year-old running back who has over 2,000 career carries.
Those aren't the only impending free agents in 2024. Fresh off career highs in tackles (50) and sacks (11.5), defensive tackle Denico Autry is set to hit the open market. So is Tennessee's leading tackler in 2023 in linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
This isn't to say that the cupboard is completely bare. Levis and running back Tyjae Spears showed flashes as rookies of being able to take over for Tannehill and Henry. Harold Landry is a solid presence on the edge. DeAndre Hopkins is an excellent veteran wide receiver. And Tennessee's $71.1 million in cap space is the fourth-most in the league.
But the Titans were 28th in total offense last year. 18th in total defense. And they possess the worst offensive line in the entire NFL, per Footballguys' rankings.
There's quite a bit of work to be done in Tennessee.
5. Atlanta Falcons
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The Atlanta Falcons have been mired in mediocrity the past few years—three straight seven-win seasons under now-fired head coach Arthur Smith.
Now the Falcons are looking to shake off that funk and take the next step as a franchise. And they do so with some quality pieces.
On offense, tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson are all equal parts talented and young. Atlanta's offensive line isn't great, but it's solid. A.J. Terrell is one of the better young cornerbacks in the league. And there aren't any cornerstone players hitting free agency in 2024.
But there is no shortage of issues as well. The Falcons are a mediocre defensive team that has seemingly struggled for years to generate a pass rush. And after two seasons, it has become plainly evident that Desmond Ridder's NFL future is as a backup and not a starter.
Atlanta's biggest problem may be a lack of resources (relative to some of the other teams with coaching openings) with which to address the team's issues. Atlanta's $33.3 million in cap space ranks in the middle of the pack, and the eighth overall pick could be too late to land one of this year's top quarterback prospects.
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4. Las Vegas Raiders
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Frankly, the most attractive aspect of becoming the next head coach of the Las Vagas Raiders may be just that—being head coach of the Raiders. And there's a real chance this "opening" really isn't one—after going 5-4 as interim head coach, Antonio Pierce made a fairly compelling case to be given the job full-time.
There are some pieces in place. Davante Adams is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Edge-rusher Maxx Crosby became just the fifth defensive lineman since 2000 to log a 90-tackle season in 2023. The team has just under $50 million in cap space.
But there are also more than a few holes to fill in Sin City.
The future of running back Josh Jacobs in Las Vegas is in question after he played under a one-year deal in 2023. The offensive line is below-average. The defense was middle-of-the-pack in yards allowed.
The biggest issue is under center. The Jimmy Garoppolo experiment in Vegas ended with the veteran signal-caller riding the pine. Rookie Aidan O'Connell isn't the long-term answer at the position after a rocky first season. And with the 13th overall pick in this year's draft, getting an elite prospect at the position would require a trade up.
3. Seattle Seahawks
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There has been no more surprising dismissal in this coaching cycle than Pete Carroll's transition from head coach to an adviser after 14 seasons and a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks. And there's a lot to like about the job in Seattle.
Among the coaching openings, the Seahawks are the only team that posted a winning record in 2023. They are one season removed from a postseason trip. The Seattle offense is replete with skill-position talent in wide receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
However, there are significant issues as well. Seattle is up against the salary cap—less than two million in the black. Seattle fielded the third-worst defense in the league in terms of yards allowed and has a number of big names about to hit free agency, including defensive tackle Leonard Williams and linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks. It's going to be next to impossible to keep them all. Also, quarterback Geno Smith backslid after winning Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022.
There's also the matter of expectations. Not only will the next head coach in Seattle be following the most successful head coach in franchise history, but the Seahawks are built to succeed now—in the same division as the San Francisco 49ers, who are the No. 1 seed in this year's NFC playoffs.
2. Washington Commanders
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At first glance, it might seem odd that the Washington Commanders are listed this high. Washington won just four games in 2023. The team closed the season with eight consecutive losses. There's no quarterback. The defense ranked dead last in the NFL. The offensive line is rated by some as the worst in the NFC. This job brings with it a complete rebuild in a division where the other three teams have all made at least one playoff appearance over the past two seasons.
However, there's also the potential here for a quick turnaround.
The roster isn't completely barren. Washington's skill-position talent is actually pretty good—running back Brian Robinson Jr. and wideouts Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel. Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are a formidable duo of defensive tackles. That disastrous 2023 season has a silver lining—the Commanders possess the second overall pick in April's draft and should land one of this year's top quarterback prospects.
The Commanders are also sitting on a whopping $78.1 million in cap space—more than any other team in the league. So while the roster in the nation's capital may need a lot of work, the new head coach (and general manager) will have a lot of flexibility to craft it in a way that meets their vision.
1. Los Angeles Chargers
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Brandon Staley didn't even last the season in Los Angeles, largely because after making the playoffs (before collapsing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round), the Bolts went ahead and collapsed early in 2023.
Injuries played a part in the Chargers' 5-12 mess of a season. And there are some significant financial issues facing the team this year—Los Angeles is projected to be $35.5 million over the salary cap. There are going to be some tough decisions to be made, whether it's cuts, trades or restructures. The offensive line was a massive disappointment in 2023. The team also plays in a division that has been won by the Kansas City Chiefs each of the past eight years.
But the Chargers were labeled a Super Bowl contender going into 2023. There is no shortage of weapons on offense. Difference-makers on defense like edge-rusher Joey Bosa and safety Derwin James. But there's one prevailing reason the Chargers headline the available head coaching vacancies.
Justin Patrick Herbert.
Herbert's 2023 season was marred by injury, but when healthy he's one of the league's better young quarterbacks.
There are two types of NFL teams—those that have franchise quarterbacks, and those that do not. The Chargers have one—and that has to appeal greatly to coaching candidates.
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