Ranking the NFL Head Coach Openings After Buffalo Bills Promote Joe Brady

The 2026 coaching carousel is finally beginning to slow. A total of 10 franchises parted with their head coaches during or after the 2025 season, and replacements have been named for the majority of them.

John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, was the first domino to fall when he landed with the New York Giants. Kevin Stefanski was fired by the Cleveland Browns and was then hired by the Atlanta Falcons.

Jeff Hafley joined the Miami Dolphins, the Tennessee Titans tabbed Robert Saleh, Jesse Minter returned to the Ravens, and the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Mike McCarthy.

On Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Buffalo Bills are promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to be their new head coach. That leaves just three openings left to be filled.

Let's examine the evolving coaching landscape and rank every remaining head coach opening in terms of attractiveness based on roster makeup, draft assets, cap space, front-office makeup, and any relevant franchise-specific factors.

3. Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort

There are several reasons why the Cardinals may struggle to steer their preferred coaching candidate away from other openings this offseason. The biggest might be the fact that Arizona is retaining general manager Monti Ossenfort, who will "spearhead" the coaching search, per Schefter.

Ossenfort and Gannon were both hired in 2023, yet only one of them is paying the price for going 15-36 since then. Yes, Gannon is responsible for yielding nine straight losses to end the 2025 season, but Ossenfort is responsible for assembling a roster that felt more like a collection of players than a cohesive unit this past season.

While Arizona does hold the third overall pick in April's draft, it could still miss out on landing a top QB prospect, which is another part of the overall problem.

The Cardinals have to figure out what to do with Kyler Murray this offseason. It certainly feels like Arizona is ready to move off of Murray, who has flashed playmaking ability but has lacked consistency and never won anything of note.

Arizona may not find a taker for Murray and his $53.3 million cap hit, so cutting him might be the only option. At least the Cardinals have a viable bridge quarterback in Jacoby Brissett.

The Cardinals also have $44.2 million in projected 2026 cap space. However, that doesn't quite offset an awkward front-office setup, the lack of a long-term QB plan, and one of the worst rosters in the league.

Arizona's next head coach will also be joining a division that just sent its three other teams to the postseason.

2. Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/David Richard

Browns GM Andrew Berry

The Browns may have a hard time replacing Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year, with a superior candidate. Cleveland's dysfunctional reputation may keep more than a few coaches from seriously considering the job.

It starts with ownership, which has been a meddlesome mess ever since Jimmy and Dee Haslam purchased the franchise in 2012. The franchise has experienced virtually no stability on any level since then, save for its six years with Stefanski as the head coach and Andrew Berry as general manager.

Berry is staying, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, which is another potential problem for an incoming coach. The former Indianapolis Colts scout was responsible for putting together the roster that went 8-26 over the past two years, and he's likely to maintain control of roster decisions moving forward.

Any coach hoping to have real autonomy will probably want to steer clear of Cleveland.

There's also the fact that the Browns' search for a franchise quarterback is an ongoing affair. Cleveland is stuck with Deshaun Watson for another year, and while Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders both showed some promise as rookies, neither did enough to secure the QB1 role long-term.

The Browns' two meaningless wins at the end of the season knocked them out of a top-five draft slot, though the Browns do have two first-round picks. Quarterback will remain a question mark in 2026, as will an underwhelming overall roster.

The Browns lack offensive talent, and with just $3.1 million in projected 2026 cap space, that's not likely to change in the immediate future.

1. Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Indiana QB prospect Fernando Mendoza

With Brady taking over in Buffalo, the last job that came with an established franchise quarterback has been filled.

While the Las Vegas Raiders don't have their franchise quarterback in place, they do have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft. The Raiders will have an opportunity to draft the class' QB1, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, once they're on the clock.

After a magical undefeated run toward a national championship, the Hoosiers' Heisman Trophy-winning signal-caller is the caliber of prospect the Raiders can finally build around and provide some stability.

"Mendoza is unflappable," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department said. "When that trait is combined with his accuracy and ball placement in the clutch moments, he's more than worthy of hearing his name called first."

While the Raiders' 2025 campaign was a massive disappointment, Las Vegas does have some building blocks already in place. Maxx Crosby, Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and Kolton Miller are veterans who can create a strong foundation for the future.

Additionally, Las Vegas has $110.2 million in projected 2026 cap space, second only to the Titans.

The Raiders job does carry some potential concerns, though. General manager John Spytek will return, and Tom Brady is the league's most high-profile minority owner. An incoming hire may not have total control over a roster trying to contend in the loaded AFC West.

However, the Raiders' next coach will help add to a talented core, while drafting the clear-cut top quarterback prospect.