Early NFL Coaching Carousel Predictions

The NFL offseason is looming, which means another trip to the coaching carousel, where six or more teams figure to replace the position.

A year ago, a mix of old and new dominated the hiring cycle. Mainstays such as Bruce Arians and relative unknowns who followed league trends such as Zac Taylor leapt into leading roles.

Looking ahead to this offseason, two teams already have vacancies, and at least four more figure to open up. Based on league tendencies, team needs and other factors, the same old-and-new mixture should emerge to fill the open spots.

Here's a look at the teams likely to make a change and the head coaches they'll hire.

Washington Redskins: Eric Bieniemy

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Eric Bieniemy seems like one of the next big things.

He only became an NFL offensive coordinator in 2018 but was a hot name last offseason in the hiring process. Is it hard to see why? He's an Andy Reid understudy who helped oversee the rise of Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Reid told Adam Teicher of ESPN (h/t Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams):

"I'd say hire him, right now. That's what I'd tell you. I don't want to lose him, but I mean if you're asking me is he ready to be a head coach, yeah, he's ready. He was ready last year. ... He's in the quarterback room every day, and I think if you'd talk to Patrick [Mahomes] he'd tell you how much influence he's had on him."

The Washington Redskins have to like him. Bieniemy isn't an unknown like Taylor was, nor is he a mainstay like the recently fired Jay Gruden, who had just one playoff appearance with the franchise in six years. He's shown he can develop quarterbacks, which is priority No. 1 in Washington after the investment in Dwayne Haskins, 2019's No. 15 pick.

The Redskins potentially face a lot of movement, including in the front office, but a lateral shift to another veteran coach wouldn't make a ton of sense with Bieniemy available. Don't discount his past connection to Alex Smith, either. 

Carolina Panthers: Greg Roman

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Likewise, the Carolina Panthers could use some innovation after they fired Ron Rivera following a 5-7 start—not another well-known veteran coach.

Almost regardless of what happens with Cam Newton, who's suffered shoulder and ankle injuries and has one year remaining on his contract, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman seems like a superb choice.

Roman is the guy behind Lamar Jackson's likely MVP trophy this year, not to mention solid seasons from Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo and Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco. 

That skill set will be useful if Newton remains with the team. If not, it would be equally exciting to have someone with Roman's track record leading the charge in seeking out and grooming a new franchise passer. 

Never mind that Roman's trend-setting ways would helm an offense with a rare talent such as Christian McCaffrey. Given that, Roman would be a smart short- and long-term hire.

Atlanta Falcons: Mike McCarthy

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The Atlanta Falcons don't need an offensive innovator and relative unknown to bring along players in the wake of Dan Quinn's continued downward trend in results, culminating in this year's 4-9 mark. 

The team already has plenty of matured talent in Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Matt Ryan. 

But the Falcons do need a coach who walks the experience-innovation line well, and that describes Mike McCarthy. He won 61.8 percent of his games in 13 years as the Green Bay Packers' head coach, and while he fizzled out at the end, he coached Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers and won a Super Bowl. 

Regarding that fizzling out, McCarthy has improved by teaming with former coaches and scouts to evolve as a play-caller during his season away. 

"To do it right and to be in position to win it every year, that's what I'm looking for," McCarthy said, according to NFL.com's Tom Pelissero. "So that's the opportunity; that's who I want to be paired with. And I'm not trying to just go win one; I'm trying to win them all. And I've always taken that approach."

If a team like the Falcons gets the sense the veteran coach has adapted to the ever-evolving game and can bring on a staff that will elevate the team back to contention, it's hard to find fault with the hire. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: John DeFilippo

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A promotion from within isn't unfathomable. 

Granted, it hasn't worked out for the Cleveland Browns and Freddie Kitchens. But John DeFilippo seems like he would have a smoother transition with the Jacksonville Jaguars, should the franchise move on from Doug Marrone and his 19-26 mark since his first full season as Jaguars head coach in 2017.

DeFilippo has been an NFL coach since 2005 and a coordinator since 2015. He's been notably ahead of the curve in most stops. More importantly, he played a key role in the development of young passers such as Carson Wentz with the Philadelphia Eagles and sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew II. 

Given Minshew's strides under DeFilippo, the Jaguars have already seen questions about the coach's down year in Minnesota last season answered. And Nick Foles' struggles outside the postseason aren't exactly new.

Bumping DeFilippo up for at least a year and putting him in charge of the continued development of a potential franchise passer is only savvy and would allow the team to focus its draft assets on areas other than signal-caller. 

New York Giants: Ron Rivera

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Rivera's character and leadership don't need much of an introduction.

Panthers brass might've seen fit to fire the veteran coach in the middle of a season overshadowed by Newton's injury—but for teams such as the New York Giants, that merely provided some warning.

After a franchise record nine straight losses, big changes should be in store for the two-win Giants this offseason with coach Pat Shurmur likely on his way out the door, though some of the core pieces such as quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley remain encouraging. A veteran coach with a sterling reputation in the locker room and for developing passers seems like a must.

That sure sounds like Rivera, the architect behind Newton's career, McCaffrey's evolution into an MVP contender and several elite defenses. He went 76-63 over nine years in Carolina while appearing in a Super Bowl, and he wouldn't have any problems with the pressure and media presence that come with the Big Apple.

The Giants are at a critical juncture because of the resources spent on Jones and his development. It's not the time to gamble on an unknown coach.

Cleveland Browns: Matt Rhule

Jeffrey McWhorter/Associated Press

The Freddie Kitchens experiment has backfired for the 6-7 Cleveland Browns. 

And as much as it seems like a time to get a disciplinarian head coach to fix things, that doesn't feel like a Browns thing to do. So with Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley perhaps unobtainable, they could look to Baylor head coach Matt Rhule.

Rhule has rehabbed multiple programs during his career, including Temple and Baylor. He even has a dash of NFL experience (2012 as New York Giants assistant). 

While he told ESPN's Golic and Wingo he wants to stick with the Bears, he was up for NFL consideration last year alongside Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Having developed a quarterback seems to be what separated the two candidates, but Rhule doesn't have to worry about finding one in Cleveland, with Baker Mayfield already aboard. 

Rhule's offensive slant and multiple examples of turning programs into contenders won't go unnoticed by the Cleveland brass. Call it the best of both worlds, as he's safe but trendy enough to readjust the team's course.