Ranking the NFL's Hottest Hot Seats Before 2025 Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline is less than a month away, and by the time it arrives, more than a few teams are likely to be out of the playoff mix entirely.

That could prompt significant changes on rosters, on the sidelines and in the front offices of the league's basement-dwellers.

While replacing a player, coach, or executive shouldn't be a rash decision—and should only occur in-season if viable replacements have been identified—change in the NFL usually starts with someone losing their job.

Here, we'll rank the 10 hottest seats in the NFL based on factors such as recent results, preseason expectations and any relevant team-specific factors.

10. Eagles OC Kevin Patullo

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Philadelphia Eagles lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to the New Orleans Saints in the offseason. They promoted pass game coordinator Kevin Patullo to replace him, but things have not gone well.

The Eagles have struggled to incorporate star receiver A.J. Brown into the offense, and he's been visibly frustrated by the lack of chemistry with Jalen Hurts. However, Philly has no plans to trade Brown, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Of course, Brown's lack of production hasn't been the only offensive issue in Philadelphia. Patullo has underutilized running back Saquon Barkley. This became a major talking point during the Eagles' Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Barkley carried the ball just six times despite the fact that Philadelphia spent most of the game trying to protect a lead.

There's still time for the Eagles to find their groove, and they remain one of the top teams in the NFC. However, we can't ignore the fact that, just two years ago, they demoted defensive coordinator Sean Desai in-season despite being in the playoff hunt.

9. Ravens RB Derrick Henry

AP Photo/Nick Wass

The Baltimore Ravens and their 1-4 record have been one of the biggest surprises of the early 2025 season. Of course, injuries have decimated the team on both sides of the ball, making it difficult to place too much blame on any one individual.

It's even hard to blame defensive coordinator Zach Orr for his unit's shortcomings, seeing as the list of injured starters includes Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Chidobe Awuzie and Roquan Smith.

And head coach John Harbaugh isn't interested in replacing Orr at this point in the season,.

"I do not think that that's the answer," he said, per ESPN's Jameson Hensley.

Injuries haven't been the only issue in Baltimore, though. Running back Derrick Henry has seen a huge dip in production, which has severely limited the team's offensive options, especially with Lamar Jackson sidelined in Week 5.

Since gashing the Buffalo Bills for 169 yards in Week 1, Henry has tallied 50 or fewer rushing yards in every game.

While benching Henry wouldn't really solve any of Baltimore's offensive issues, moving him ahead of the trade deadline could make a ton of sense.

The 31-year-old would be more valuable on a championship-caliber roster, and the Ravens could get out from under the two-year, $30 million extension he signed during the offseason.

8. Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

The Cleveland Browns weren't expected to be particularly good in 2025, and they've met expectations head-on.

Joe Flacco proved to be a problematic placeholder at quarterback, injuries at tackle have weakened the offensive line, and the wide receiver room leaves plenty to be desired.

Still, head coach Kevin Stefanski has an offensive background and should be able to find ways to overcome offensive issues. Yet, Cleveland's offense has been a disaster since the start of last season.

Cleveland has reached 30 points only once since the start of 2024 and hasn't topped 20 points since last December. That isn't good enough for a team to win consistently in the NFL, no matter how much talent its defense might have.

Of course, there are a couple of reasons to believe Stefanski is safer than some other coaches right now. He's a two-time NFL Coach of the Year who has helped deliver Cleveland's only playoff victory since returning as a franchise in 1999.

Stefanski has also lacked any semblance of quarterback stability, which the Browns might pursue with their two first-round draft picks in 2026.

7. Raiders GM John Spytek

AP Photo/John Locher

The Las Vegas Raiders provided some hope at the beginning of the year with a big road win over the New England Patriots. Since then, though, things have become progressively more dire.

Las Vegas nearly won its second game in Week 4, but a blocked field goal at the end of the game handed the victory to the Chicago Bears. The Raiders responded by looking lifeless against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

The 40-6 final score was bad enough, and the Raiders never felt as competitive as that score would indicate.

The reality is that Las Vegas has looked like a worse team than it was a year ago despite undergoing a substantial offseason overhaul. Head coach Pete Carroll hasn't provided the disciplined, winning culture most expected he would. General manager John Spytek took some bold swings in the offseason but has seemingly assembled one of the league's weakest rosters.

Poor quarterback play has been a big part of the problem, but the offensive line and secondary have both been bad. And Las Vegas' decision to use the sixth overall pick on running back Ashton Jeanty isn't paying off.

Carroll could be a one-and-done head coach, but a pivot away from Spytek is probably even more likely. Assistant GM Brian Stark, who previously served as Denver's director of college scouting, could fill the role on an interim basis while the Raiders search for a new GM—presumably, another with ties to minority owner Tom Brady.

6. Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll

AP Photo/Butch Dill

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll got his opportunity after helping Josh Allen become a Pro Bowler for the Buffalo Bills. However, he hasn't had the same offensive success in the Big Apple.

In fact, Daboll hasn't had much of any success since helping New York reach the postseason in his first year. The Giants have gone just 10-29 since his inaugural campaign, and offensive instability has been a theme.

Yes, he got a decent season out of Daniel Jones during that playoff run, but Jones and pretty much every other quarterback New York trotted out in 2023 and 2024 played poorly.

It doesn't help Daboll's case that Jones has gone on to look like an early MVP candidate with the Indianapolis Colts this season.

Daboll's seat likely got a little cooler when he benched Russell Wilson in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart. He should get a little time to show what he can do with "his" quarterback, after all.

However, the good vibes of Dart's first start—and the Giants' first 2025 win—are already fading. New York just lost to the previously winless New Orleans Saints while mustering a mere 14 points.

Through five weeks, the Giants rank 19th in total offense and 28th in scoring.

5. Bengals QB Jake Browning

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

The Cincinnati Bengals are in a tough situation. Their defense isn't good, their head coach won't commit to the run, they've become totally reliant on the passing game, and Joe Burrow is injured.

While Cincinnati still boasts a talented receiving corps led by star pass-catchers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it's had trouble staying competitive in Burrow's absence. This is, in part, because of an imbalanced roster.

However, it's also due to the fact that backup quarterback Jake Browning can't stop giving away the football.

In less than four full games, he has thrown eight interceptions. He's had the occasional bright moment—251 yards and three touchdowns in Week 5—but he has consistently put Cincinnati in a hole with his turnovers.

Zac Taylor recently broached the idea of making a quarterback change.

"We'll see where it goes," the Bengals head coach said, per NFL.com's Nick Shook. "Like all personnel decisions, we've got to evaluate it."

The Bengals probably aren't ready to make a move just yet. Cincinnati is a spendthrift franchise that won't be eager to pay a quarterback who isn't already on the roster. Browning and Brett Rypien are the only healthy QBs on the roster.

If something doesn't change, though, Taylor will either need to bench Browning or admit he's not interested in trying to win this season.

4. Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan

AP Photo/Samantha Chow

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan is in a situation similar to Daboll. He has a rookie quarterback in Cam Ward, but he's done little to suggest he should continue being in charge of his development.

The Titans offense has simply been atrocious this season.

Yes, Ward picked up his first NFL win on Sunday, but the Arizona Cardinals fumbled that game away more than the Titans won it. Tennessee, through five weeks, ranks 31st in total offense, 31st in scoring, 25th in total defense and 26th in points allowed.

Clearly, the Titans lack talent. However, that doesn't excuse the job Callahan has done as head coach. He's continually made things difficult for Ward by calling long-developing plays with an underwhelming receiving corps and a bad offensive line.

And the Titans probably shouldn't be surprised. Callahan got his opportunity after helping to mentor Burrow as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator. His concepts led to Burrow taking a lot of sacks, and Burrow had elite chemistry with Chase and Higgins.

Tennessee fans would love to see Ward play like Burrow, but they don't want to see him have more stints on injured reserve than playoff appearances, the way Burrow has.

If Callahan doesn't start making things easier for his quarterback soon, he will have to go.

3. Cardinals OC Drew Petzing

AP Photo/Matt Freed

While Callahan and Daboll may deserve a little more time to work with their first-year quarterbacks, Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing should already be out.

Now in his third season with Arizona, he is still struggling to form any sort of offensive identity. Quarterback Kyler Murray has shown zero growth as a signal-caller under Petzing, and second-year wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. seems to have regressed from where he was in college.

It's hard to pinpoint what the Cardinals do well offensively, aside from funneling the ball to tight end Trey McBride.

Poor play-calling led directly to Arizona's latest loss, during which the Cardinals saw a 21-6 fourth-quarter lead turn into a 22-21 loss. Petzing didn't tell Emari Demercado to drop the football before scoring a touchdown, of course, but his conservative play-calling on Arizona's final drive doomed the Cardinals.

Arizona had struggled all afternoon to run with any consistency, but needing only a couple of first downs to ice the game, Petzing called three consecutive (and predictable) run plays that went nowhere. Naturally, Tennessee got the ball back and drove for a game-winning field goal.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon made it perfectly clear, if in a roundabout way, that he wasn't responsible for the late-game approach.

If Week 5 was merely a smudge on an otherwise sterling resume, it would be forgivable. What's not forgivable is the fact that Arizona has one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in football, yet it also has one of the NFL's most boring and inefficient offenses.

2. Dolphins Front Office

AP Photo/Jim Rassol

Dolphins GM Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel

We're including Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier as one entity because they're equally responsible for the franchise's failed experiment.

McDaniel built an offense based on speed, spacing and Tua Tagovailoa's ability to make snap decisions and get the ball to where it needed to go on time. Grier built a roster that complemented the coach's scheme and the QB's strengths—he also gave the latter a four-year, $212.4 million extension after his first good season as pro.

None of it worked, and it's time for Miami to admit it.

The early results were positive. The Dolphins made the playoffs in each of McDaniel's first two seasons, and Tagovailoa was a Pro Bowler in 2023. Over time, though, problems emerged.

For one, Tagovailoa has struggled to stay on the field, and the offensive roster isn't really functional without him. Secondly, teams have learned to keep pace with McDaniel's scheme and Miami's speed. As a team, the Dolphins lack to sort of physical edge needed to win in adverse scenarios.

This year, the Dolphins are a lowly 1-4 with their only victory coming over a winless and rebuilding New York Jets squad. They couldn't hold a 17-0 lead against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and it's hard to see things improving from here.

Miami isn't good on either side of the football, top receiver Tyreek Hill is out for the year, and franchise owner Stephen Ross isn't happy.

"He was really frustrated, just like I was," McDaniel said after meeting with Ross, per ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques.

To end the frustration, the Dolphins may have to blow everything up and start from scratch, which could mean moving Tagovialoa as well, though his contract could make that difficult.

1. Raiders QB Geno Smith

AP Photo/AJ Mast

As noted, not much has gone well for the Raiders this season. Wholesale changes may have to wait until the offseason, but quarterback Geno Smith could be benched immediately—and he should be, if only for his own sake.

Smith simply isn't meshing with his supporting cast and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He's moved the ball well at times but has also thrown an NFL-high nine interceptions. He's had just one game without a turnover this season and has made staying competitive an uphill battle more often than not.

This doesn't mean Smith can't eventually return to Pro Bowl form, but he has to be losing more confidence by the week. Sitting him for a few weeks and allowing him to regroup might be the only way to salvage his season.

Las Vegas should be interested in seeing what it has in Kenny Pickett or testing the trade market anyway. The version of Smith we've seen through five weeks isn't the long-term answer.

And while benching Smith might be difficult to justify, given his recent two-year, $75 million extension, it will be the right call if he can't rebound in a big way against the Titans this week.