2012 NFL Draft: 15 Coaches and GMs Who Could Be on the Hot Seat After the Draft

No one ever said coaching in the NFL is a lifelong career. Each season, coaches and their staffs are evaluated for their production, the team's performance and the wins and losses during the season.

Of course, the coaches and players are not the only ones accountable. General managers, scouting teams and other player personnel are stirred into the mix and what we get is a recipe for success or one for disaster.

While there were coaches and personnel released from teams that made a world of sense, we did not see the "big" fish thrown back in the water. This season may be different.

And while Jeff Fisher signed to take over the St. Louis Rams' rebuilding project, there are still names out there like Dungy, Cowher, Billick and Miles (Les), who could all be looking at head coaching jobs in 2013.

The draft does a lot to help set the table for the team's season. Free agency seems to enhance it as well, and trades and releases signify how serious a team is about being a contender.

Having a good general manager and head coach who are on the same page always seems to help communication and continuity.

This season, there are some coaches and some general managers who could feel the heat even before the season starts. The draft will be the barometer of how a team looks to its personnel and whether changes at the top could be imminent.

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears

Lovie is still loving Chicago.

The Bears shook up their management this season but allowed Smith to remain as head coach. He endured major injuries at running back, quarterback and receiver this season.

Another season of mediocrity, however, and there will be strong whispers about his stability as a head coach.

With Jay Cutler returning and the probability of Matt Forte being signed to another contract or franchised, this team can concentrate on a receiver (Alshon Jeffery) in the draft.

Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys

How he kept his job this season is beyond me.

The Cowboys were the best team with talent not to make the playoffs. From an enigmatic passer to a kicking game that could have won the one game to make the playoffs if not for a boneheaded coaching move.

This team needs a strong defender in the draft (Courtney Upshaw) to make an impact.

Since team owner Jerry Jones is also the team's general manager, the person who will take the fall will be Garrett.

Gene Smith, Jacksonville Jaguars

When Wayne Weaver sold the Jaguars to Shahid Khan, he signed Gene Smith to a three-year contract extension. We all know he needs a good draft and free-agent period to keep his job.

Jack Del Rio is gone. Smith's hand-picked replacement is Mike Mularkey. And the draft needs to be Christmas for this team. Receivers and pass rushers and safeties, oh my.

The Jaguars need to find solid hands in free agency and then go hunting for more in the draft.

A solid pass rusher (Melvin Ingram) would also help.

This should be Smith's last season in Jacksonville if the team does not improve from 5-11.

Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings

This is one team that, despite its 3-13 record, looks like it is moving forward.

The offense is looking better with Adrian Peterson at running back, Percy Harvin at receiver and Christian Ponder throwing the ball.

Then there is Jared Allen at defensive end leading the defensive unit.

If this team cannot improve on a 3-13 record, someone has to take the fall, and Frazier seems to be the logical solution.

Jeff Ireland, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins offense was pitiful last year. Chad Henne went down with an injury and was replaced by Matt Moore, who was "serviceable" at best.

The team then parted ways with head coach Tony Sparano and replaced him with Joe Philbin, the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

The team hopes to get a shot at Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn, which would solve its quarterback issues. But the team still needs a pass rusher (Quinton Coples) a receiver (Pierre Garcon) and maybe some help on the offensive line (Riley Reiff).

This year is important for Ireland after a coaching change. If the team does not show improvement, could his head be the next to roll?

Pat Shurmur, Cleveland Browns

His team was not stellar last season, finishing 4-12 and leaving some to believe he may be a "one-hit wonder" in Ohio.

Team president Mike Holmgren gave Shurmur another season to work with the team. The Browns defense improved, but the offense was pitiful. And there lies the focus of the offseason.

Shurmur and management need to decide what to do with the running game (if they keep Peyton Hillis) and if Colt McCoy is the long-term answer behind center.

The Browns could try to move up to second in the draft to select Robert Griffin III. That would help some, but not all, of the problems.

If the defense continues to get better but the offense still falters, Cleveland will be looking for a new coach.

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills

Some of this is not Gailey's fault.

But when a team gets hot and jumps out of the gate, beats New England and their pedestrian quarterback looks like the second coming of Joe Montana, it is hard not to get excited about the team's prospects.

Gailey's future will depend on a defense that must show more improvement, the need for more line help on both sides of the ball and a quarterback who must be half of Montana.

Nothing else will help him. And a playoff charge is a must.

Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum, New York Jets

If one goes, the other must follow.

The Jets are a team that wanted a new quarterback, so they went out and got Mark Sanchez three seasons ago.

They signed players like Santonio Holmes and relied on Bart Scott and a defense that did not play as well as in years past.

The draft must bring a running back, a receiver and defensive speed. Nothing else will be tolerated.

The worst thing about the Jets is they went to the AFC Championship Game two of the last three seasons. Fans are spoiled and want a winner.

Ryan's mouth and Tannenbaum's decisions do not help if they cannot bring a winner to the Big Apple.

Mark Dominik, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers made the right move by letting Raheem Morris go. Whether bringing in someone like Greg Schiano is a good move remains to be seen.

This is a young team that can make some noise if the team continues to grow. The defense certainly looks like it can be a factor next season.

Since the Bucs have a strong-armed passer in Josh Freeman, they need to add offensive weapons around him. But with the fifth pick in the draft, Morris Claiborne will be available.

Will selecting an offensive player (Trent Richardson) over a defensive stopper be an issue that could get Dominik pushed out of the Big Sombrero?

John Fox, Denver Broncos

Yes, this is a choice based on Tim Tebow.

Even in the offseason, he is a topic of conversation, which makes the decision of finding key players to surround him with important.

The Broncos will look for quarterbacks to come in and challenge for playing time, but the draft will be for finding a strong supporting cast.

How Fox uses these components and makes Tebow and the team better will determine what happens in the future.

While the playoffs this past season was good and showed the team is on the rise, this team could still be better next season and not make the playoffs.

Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles

Do you get the feeling this is Andy Reid's last supper?

Reid has been a mainstay in Philly and is the best coach to get as much out of players like DeSean Jackson and Mike Vick than anyone else.

That said, Reid was given keys to a better team last year that needed half the season to meld together.

I don't expect them to be huge players in free agency, but the draft could bring a linebacker (Luke Kuechly) or some help on the offensive line (Cordy Glenn).

Anything else but the playoffs this season, and the fans in Philly will be cheering with each loss.

Norv Turner and AJ Smith, San Diego Chargers

They were out the door last season.

And then the Spanos family reeled them back in.

Norv Turner has more than nine lives and although AJ Smith with forever be linked to him, the two must go if the team does not get to the playoffs. And the need for the offense to open up the running game is a must.

The main priority for the Chargers in the draft will be receiver. Vincent Jackson cannot be franchised. If the team cannot sign him to a long-term contract (very unlikely) they will need to fill that void.

Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers and Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina are prime candidates.

Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins

Shanahan needs to hit a home run in finding a quarterback to run his offense.

The Redskins are sixth in the selection process this year and getting to the top of the draft (or second), would mean a huge deal to make with St. Louis to tab the Baylor passer.

If he cannot get the passer he wants, does Shanahan still add offensive weapons, like a Trent Richardson if he is available?

Does someone like a Michael Floyd further down the draft board make sense?

Can Shanahan keep his job if he gets an average passer (Alex Smith) and a possession receiver (Pierre Garcon) to help open up the running game?

All questions he and his son, Kyle, must answer.