Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: Pros and Cons on NFL Coach Candidates

It's that time of year again, when the NFL coaching carousel spins wildly and the speculation moves even faster. This coaching edition of 10-Point Stance won't focus on the fired. It focuses on those who may be hired.

Before getting to some of the NFL coordinators, assistants and former coaches, along with the college contenders, who could end up with top jobs for next season, here are two overriding issues to keep in mind:

One difference between this coaching cycle and others, team officials say, is they believe franchises are going to be more willing to hand over head coaching positions—and perhaps even more personnel say—to college coaches.

Because there's more money than ever in owning an NFL team—the Carolina Panthers sold for $2.2 billion in 2018—some owners are more interested in taking chances on college coaches. The thinking is that the upside is so much higher than with a more predictably solid NFL retread coach. And with that upside comes the potential of maximizing profits through more winning and more buzz, selling more tickets and more merchandise.

At least, that's the theory.

Some of the college coaches to watch are Urban Meyer, Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley and Baylor's Matt Rhule.

The other thing to watch: There remains a startling lack of head coaches of color. There are just four: Mike Tomlin, Brian Flores, Anthony Lynn and Ron Rivera.

There were a record eight minority head coaches in 2018, according to a Tuesday New York Times article, which cited the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport's annual report from October: It gave the league its lowest score since it started compiling data in 2004.

Each team has a database of all the coaches of color in both college and the pros, and still they are not being hired often enough.

NFL Network's Jim Trotter—starting at the 2:25 mark in this video—reported college coaches of color are declining to interview with NFL teams because they believe the interviews are shams. He said Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott declined an interview with the Panthers.

Also, Trotter said, there are coaches not checking the ethnicity box on employment forms, because they believe it will negatively impact their chances of getting a job.

This is scarily problematic.

Now, on to some of the names to track during this hiring season...

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Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator, Bills: Has done a tremendous job with quarterback Josh Allen, mainly by getting him to be less careless with the football.

Pro: An underrated developer of quarterbacks.

Con: Could have done more in Buffalo with the offensive talent he has.

Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator, Saints: Has transformed the Saints defense into a powerhouse. The Saints offense is obviously their core, but the defense has been explosive and makes them a Super Bowl team.

Pro: He's made the New Orleans defense almost as formidable as the offense.

Con: The unit did give up 516 yards and 48 points to the visiting 49ers in Week 14.

Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma head coach: His team's getting its doors blown off by LSU in the CFP semifinals doesn't seem to have crushed his NFL chances.

Pro: Is 36-6 in three years at Oklahoma.

Cons: Is winless in three playoff games. And can he handle an NFL locker room?

Jason Witten, Cowboys tight end: Has been tapped by some in the media as a possible Cowboys coach. Yes, this is as ridiculous as it sounds.

Pros: Zippo.

Cons: Should be obvious.

Greg Roman, offensive coordinator, Ravens: Said one AFC West front-office official: "What he's done with Lamar Jackson is one of the best coaching jobs I've ever seen."

Pros: Adaptive and smart. He can take his'n and beat your'n, and then he can turn around and take your'n and beat his'n.

Con: How would he do without a galactic talent like Jackson?

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Matt Rhule, Baylor head coach: Seen as one of the brightest stars in college football.

Pros: Could bring some of the creative college schemes, and the college mindset of bold play-calling, to the NFL.

Con: Making the leap from college to the head coaching pros remains very difficult.

Mike McCarthy, former Packers head coach: McCarthy may have had a rocky relationship with Aaron Rodgers, but he's still respected by many in the league.

Pro: Won a Super Bowl.

Con: Completely lost control of the Packers.

Kris Richard, passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Cowboys: Some front-office executives will tell you that Richard should have been a head coach years ago.

Pro: Richard was instrumental in creating Seattle's Legion of Boom.

Cons: None.

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Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator, Chiefs: When you coach Patrick Mahomes, and do it exceptionally well, you get tons of interest. That's what's happening with Bieniemy.

Pro: Is seen as the glue that has connected all the extremely talented, and disparate, personalities on that offense.

Con: People in the league wonder just how much independence Bieniemy has with the offense since Andy Reid, one of the best offensive minds in history, runs the team.

Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator, 49ers: If Saleh wants a head coaching job now, one general manager told me, he could have his pick. He's viewed by the league as smart and good in the locker room.

Pro: Gets the most out of players.

Con: It's unknown how he'd handle the offensive side of the ball.

Jason Garrett, almost-former Cowboys head coach: Yes, there is interest in him, despite a great career of mediocre coaching.

Pro: Resilient.

Con: Not a good coach.

Urban Meyer, former Ohio State and Florida head coach: Meyer is the name most franchises that need a head coach are looking at. He's the hottest candidate. By far. However, few teams actually believe he wants to coach in the pros.

Pro: An offensive genius.

Con: As great as his on-field college record was, no one knows how he'd handle a locker room of professionals.

Rex Ryan, former Bills and Jets head coach: Still seen as a viable coach by some general managers (unbelievably).

Pros: Nothing comes to mind.

Cons: Too numerous to mention here.

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Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator, Vikings: He's highly regarded by assistant coaches. Many in the league believe the Browns should have hired him instead of Kitchens.

Pros: Good with schemes and excellent in the locker room with players.

Con: Hasn't been able to get quarterback Kirk Cousins from good to great, though no one has, and likely ever will.

Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, Patriots: Draws interest every year, and every year he declines to leave New England. Teams across the league believe this year will be different.

Pros: Extremely creative, and Tom Brady loves him.

Con: Some in the league believe McDaniels' success is only because of Brady.

Marvin Lewis, former Bengals head coach: Another pseudo-surprising name. But the view on Lewis in the coaching community differs from the public one of him. He's seen as a coach who did a respectable job in the dumpster fire that is the Bengals franchise.

Pro: A solid coach.

Con: He'll only be a solid coach. Not good. Just OK.

Nick Saban, Alabama head coach; former Dolphins, LSU head coach: Like every year, teams have contacted Saban to see if there's any interest. Also like every year, he's told teams to kick rocks.

Pros: Doesn't matter. He isn't leaving Bama.

Cons: See above.

Don "Wink" Martindale, defensive coordinator, Ravens: Watch this one closely. I'm hearing he's quickly becoming one of the favorites of some teams because the Ravens defense has become such a potent unit.

Pro: Gets the most out of his players.

Cons: Very few. He's seen as an antidote and puzzle-solver in an era of high-powered offenses.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Jim Caldwell, assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach, Dolphins; former Lions and Colts head coach: He took a leave of absence last year to attend to his health, but a CBS Sports report said Caldwell is ready to interview for head coaching jobs. I've heard that some teams indeed want to speak with Caldwell.

Pros: Caldwell has almost a legendary reputation as studious and professional.

Con: He'll have to address with any potential suitors if there are still any health issues.

David Shaw, Stanford head coach: His name is mentioned every year, yet he hasn't made the leap. He likely won't this year, either.

Pro: One of the smartest coaches on any level.

Con: Seems completely uninterested in coaching in the NFL right now.

Joe Brady, LSU passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach: No, not a head coach. Too young. He's just 30 years old. He's been mentioned as an offensive coordinator candidate in the NFL. But never underestimate the ridiculousness of NFL owners' head coaching hirings.

Pro: Runs extremely creative offenses.

Con: There are NFL head coaches with socks older than Brady.

The list of candidates is long, but the trick for teams remains the same: Navigate this coaching minefield, and pick the right person.

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @mikefreemanNFL.