At Quarter-Mark of Season, Who Are Top NFL Coaching Candidates for Next Season?

The season has barely started, and we're already ready to kick-start the NFL coaching carousel. 

With the Oakland Raiders' firing of former head coach Dennis Allen, it's already assured that we'll see at least one new head coach next season. It's likely that won't be the only vacancy, though, thanks to poor starts for the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills as well as a possible upheaval in the San Francisco 49ers' locker room. 

The NFL has turned over at an advanced rate in recent years, but that doesn't mean there isn't always room for a few good people to be added to the 32-large coaches club. 

I've grouped the potential candidates into categories rather than in order of potential success or hirability. These 26 picks aren't representative of the choices that I would make if someone loaned me a few billion dollars to buy a team (let's talk), but this should be a comprehensive list of all those who might appeal to teams hiring at the end of this season. 

If anyone feels that I have missed a name, leave it in the comments below along with why you think that person should be considered head coaching material. 

Too Soon, Man...Too Soon

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These candidates all have potential to garner interest or to even get deserving interviews by the end of the season. But age and a lack of top-notch experience keep them from being at the forefront of legitimate conversations...yet. 

The perfect representative of this list is former Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen. At only 42 and considered one of the smartest young defensive minds in the game, Allen will almost certainly get another shot to lead an NFL team, but he'll need a few years not only to continue to learn from whomever he coaches under but also to let the stink of the past few years wash off of him.

Then there's Adam Gase. Cecil Lammey, Bleacher Report Lead Writer and NFL Insider for ESPN Denver, highlights the league interest:

When one works with quarterback Peyton Manning as the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator has, it's almost certainly going to look good on the resume. Gase is only 36, but he is an honorary member of the NFL good ol' boys club, thanks to his father-in-law, New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Joe Vitt. Though he's had success, it would be worthwhile to see how he does with a post-Manning Broncos roster.

The Detroit Lions defense has taken some big steps forward this season, and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has found some sort of voodoo magic to hide the massive deficiencies at defensive back. He's pushing 50, but it would be best to spend a few more years in a managerial role after years as a position coach, lest he simply follow in Allen's footsteps. 

Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was probably a hotter name before the Dolphins' 2-2 start or their 25 combined points against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

That said, there's plenty of time left for him to help right the Dolphins' ship, and he's too attractive of a candidate not to draw some interest. At 42, though, the former Cornell quarterback should focus on blazing his own trail. If hired now, it'll likely be more about his connection to Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly and less about his own bona fides. 

If anyone's buzz is at an all-time high over the past two games more than Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, it's his offensive coordinator, Pep Hamilton.

He's an easy mark for Colts fans who are upset with the team's seemingly random inability to move the ball, but at only 40, he's considered one of the biggest up-and-comers in the game. At general manager Ryan Grigson's current pace of only acquiring a few worthwhile players a year, it might be best to move on when possible, but that's not for certain. 

Now hear me out on this one: Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris is still worth mentioning in discussions like these, thanks to his age (38) and the fact that the roster in Tampa Bay was never worth a darn in his time there anyway. He's still—largely—a punchline, but he's been able to do more with less in the Washington secondary, and he'll likely start getting interview requests sooner rather than later. 

Long Shots

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The names on this list should be considered very heavily favored because they are very good at what they do. In terms of buzz factor, though, each may need a number of dominoes to fall before any offers come.

The shortest of any of these long shots is Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub. The continued success of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh makes a special teams coordinator that much more attractive, and Toub has a ton of respect around the league, with a few head coaching interviews already under his belt. 

San Francisco 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula served as a one-game interim coach after Mike Singletary was fired and has developed plenty of talent over his tenure of nearly a decade. Before that, he was a head coach for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe and will likely be on lots of teams' initial lists.

Down in New Orleans, Nola.com's Larry Holder recently shared a tweet that showed Saints head coach Sean Payton's belief in his team's offensive coordinator moving up the coaching ladder:

This time last year, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael was likely a more attractive candidate. He's worked under Marty Schottenheimer and Payton and has earned the respect of quarterback Drew Brees. With the Saints scuttling this year, that may keep teams from being too enamored. 

One guy who always seems to be on the periphery of coaching rumors is Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, and the Blue Devils' continued success will only help keep that situation going. The resume continues beyond pulling Duke out of obscurity. He worked with Bear Bryant for heaven's sake! He's also worked with Heath Shuler and both Manning brothers. 

One of my personal favorites for any position is Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. He and now-Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer worked closely on the Bengals' game plan in recent years, and he's generally regarded as one of the smartest people in the game. He'll certainly be a head coach eventually. 

Caveat Emptor

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As one reads lists of top coaching candidates, these picks are probably going to be on just about every one of them between now and whenever the carousel stops. Yet, a second look reveals some reasons teams might be wary.

Their names are brought up constantly, but it's important to remember Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher are making a ton of money right now to do a job that is infinitely easier than coaching an NFL team. A job, then, would have to be nearly perfect for them to even consider it, and swinging and missing on these guys sends a clear signal that everyone else on your list is plan B.

Though the Seattle Seahawks have been successful, I'm often confused at the massive amount of love given to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. He's worked with a number of good quarterbacks, but the Seattle Seahawks offense isn't the reason that team is good, and one does not watch the Seahawks and become impressed with how well the offensive talent is utilized.

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Enquirer shared Jim Harbaugh's thoughts on his own offensive coordinator:

San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman's two biggest quarterback successes are Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. Those are starting quarterbacks, but that hardly makes his resume the best around. Notably, the 49ers went out and got a lot of help on Roman's side of the ball this offseason and are still only a middle-of-the-pack offense.

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio already had a long go-around with the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Del Rio has been—mostly—good for the Broncos defense, one has to be absolutely sure former Jaguars general manager Gene Smith was at fault for that team's struggles. Also, one has to be absolutely sure that Del Rio has a good plan for making sure those days don't repeat themselves. 

Big Men on Campus

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For years, people had reason to question the jump from college to the pros. Now, with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien having success in such a move, teams may be less reticent to look to the NCAA for aid. 

The best college candidate is Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin, period. He's considered an offensive mastermind, with NFL coaches liberally stealing play designs and tendencies from Sumlin's Air Raid attack offense. Moreover, he's considered a top-notch leader and should be one of the first requests on just about anyone's list. 

Stanford head coach David Shaw is usually the second name on most lists of college-to-pros candidates. He's kept the Cardinal on the same upper tier of college teams that Jim Harbaugh put them in, and he has almost universal respect in NFL circles, having coached with the Raiders and Ravens. 

Baylor head coach Art Briles almost ended up in Washington last year—with his former Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III—and is listed with Sumlin as one of the two big offensive geniuses of the college ranks. His style of Air Raid attack has sent a bunch of players to the NFL, and bringing Baylor into relevance was a major task that he performed admirably. 

My favorite college coach for NFL teams is Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. While other coaches are pigeonholed (at least by reputation) into their offensive scheme, Malzahn's brilliance is centered around his ability to call a game almost to perfection, setting up punches and counterpunches 10 steps ahead of the competition. 

It's a big long shot at this point, but in a copycat NFL, Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich at least has to be mentioned, especially as Oregon QB Marcus Mariota heads to the pros this upcoming spring.

Want to emulate what the Eagles and Chip Kelly are doing? Helfrich is going to be sold as the guy to make that happen. If the Eagles and Ducks both have further success this year, this move is going to make even more sense. 

Ready for Bigger and Better Things

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These picks are the cream of the crop when it comes to coordinators around the league. Some may not be the most popular or the first names fans think of when an opening pops up, but each one deserves a shot sooner rather than later. 

One of the most enigmatic coaching candidates is Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Depending on when we talk about Bowles, he's usually either considered one of the best or one of the very worst coaches in the league. Right now, with a great Cardinals defense, he's on top and should get some chances. He's overdue for his shot. 

Much like Bowles, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has been much maligned in the past, but the Panthers defense has been too effective under his watch to ignore him this go-around. The biggest question teams must ask is how much head coach Ron Rivera influences the defense and what McDermott learned from his time with the Eagles. 

With every fantastic performance by quarterback Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich earns even more potential favor from teams needing a coach. Reich hasn't been coaching as long as some on this list, but his playing career and offensive acumen is going to get him a job.

Dan Hoard compared Hue Jackson and Dennis Allen's won/lost records: 

After getting the full brunt of the end of Al Davis' ownership in Oakland, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson has bounced back and has the Bengals offense rolling this year. Not only is it more efficient but it's also more dynamic and innovative. Jackson has far too great of a track record to let Davis' many roster mistakes be held against him. 

Instead of Bevell, why not go for Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn? The defense has not missed a beat in the post-Gus Bradley era, and Quinn has a ton of fantastic experience away from Pete Carroll's scheme and leadership. Again, this is a copycat league, and the more success the Seahawks have translates to more teams trying to hire their coaches. 

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.