Hue Jackson's Firing Is Only Part of NFL Coaching Carousel

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Oakland Raiders have fired head coach Hue Jackson. That being said, Jackson just becomes part of the pool of coaches in the 2012 free agent market.

There's also a lot going on elsewhere—aside from Jeff Fisher and Co. Here's what else is happening in the NFL coaching world.

Mel Tucker

If Mel Tucker doesn't look like an NFL defensive coordinator, then what does he look like?

How about Major Jax Briggs from Mortal Kombat? Just a thought.

Anyway, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL Network, the Minnesota Vikings are interested in Tucker for the defensive coordinator role.

For Minnesota, this is a great idea.

They ranked No. 26 against the pass, No. 11 against the rush and allowed 358 total yards per game (rank No. 21). Additionally, the Vikings allowed 28.1 points per game, which ranked them No. 31 in the league and they finished 3-13.

As for Jacksonville, this is not what they need.

Retaining Tucker is the best thing for the Jaguars: They ranked inside the Top 10 against the rush and pass, and allowed just 20.6 points per game (rank No. 11).

If Jacksonville can improve their pass offense (the ground game is stellar), the defense orchestrated by Mel Tucker would rank even higher. And for Tucker, staying in Jacksonville is the best idea.

No need to restart elsewhere when a solid foundation has been built in 2011, at least on defense.

Mike McCoy

According to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports, the Jacksonville Jaguars are interested in Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy:

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It’s not clear whether McCoy and the Jaguars will set up a time to talk on the phone this week, whether the Jaguars will wait until the Broncos’ postseason run is over, or whether the Jaguars will simply move on with other candidates.

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Still, McCoy is a great fit for the Jaguars who desperately need to improve the passing game. Blaine Gabbert developed slower than any other rookie this season.

Fortunately for McCoy, if he does end up in Jacksonville, running back Maurice Jones-Drew still resides there and the rushing attack wouldn't need to be fixed. With a top 10 draft pick also in their possession, the Jaguars can make some serious strides this offseason.

A new coach, standout receiver and the development of Gabbert only bodes well for an improved 2012 season. That being said, what happens with McCoy and Jacksonville may be dictated by the Broncos playoff run.

Hue Jackson

Now that he is on the market, what's next for Hue Jackson?

Well, there are a few teams—like the Rams and the Jets—that could use a offensive coordinator. The Broncos could be added to that list if Mike McCoy ends up elsewhere.

For the Jets, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer may go elsewhere.

In St. Louis, former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is back with New England. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, McDaniels signed back with the Patriots earlier this week:

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Josh McDaniels and the New England Patriots have agreed to a deal that will make McDaniels the team's offensive coordinator in 2012, according to a league source. The Patriots announced Sunday night that McDaniels has been hired as an offensive assistant coach for the rest of this season.

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Either team could use Jackson, and what if Mike McCoy in Denver moves whenever the Broncos season concludes? It would be a way of revenge for Jackson if he moves to Oakland—especially after being hired and fired so quickly.

Wade Phillips

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is interested in the vacancy in Tampa Bay:

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After helping the Texans make one of the most remarkable defensive turnarounds in NFL history, Wade Phillips is getting another chance to become a head coach. Phillips will interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday in Houston.

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This is an interesting move by Wade, because he's never had much success as a head coach, and in just one year with Houston's defense, he has built something extraordinary.

With stints in Denver, Buffalo, Dallas and two as an interim head coach, Phillips has a career record of 82-59 but is just 1-5 in the playoffs—never making it past the divisional round.

If Wade decides to stay in Houston, which is the smarter decision, he'll be the mastermind behind one of the NFL's best defenses for years to come. Then again, being that he has yet to really succeed as a head coach, overcoming that challenge becomes the focus of anyone with a competitive mindset.

It would not be surprising to see Wade take over Tampa—who has arguably the NFL's worst defense—and turn them around like he did Houston. However, remaining in Houston is currently Wade's best shot at a Super Bowl ring.

Marty Schottenheimer

According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, the Buccaneers are also meeting with Marty Schottenheimer. "I think it's an interesting situation they have there in Tampa with so many talented young players,'' said Marty Schottenheimer, 68, who is slated to interview with the Bucs today in Tampa.

And being that Schottenheimer has had a great deal of success as a head coach, one more opportunity to lead a team appears to be all he wants.

Cummings continued quoting Schottenheimer: "We'll see how everything goes here in the next 24 hours. I'm excited for the opportunity. Tampa has a very interesting young team.''

And it's the best opportunity for Tampa Bay to quickly turn around. Other than Jeff Fisher, Schottenheimer is arguably the best candidate on the market. His 200-126-1 record speaks for itself, and although he's just 5-13 in the playoffs, it's not like Tampa has done much recently anyway.

For both parties, it's a win-win situation and with Marty being a defensive-minded coach, the Buccaneers awful defense will certainly improve.

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