2021 NFL: Coaching Openings and Potential Candidates
- Thread starter luckiestman
- Start date
Definitely Dallas, even if Prescott doesn't come back. They have more talent at this point than Philly does. It would probably be a pretty decent team if you could combine them together.
I agree.
Philly would be a solid team with minimally competent QB play. It’s hard to understate how bad Carson Wentz has been this season. And since he’s uncuttable until after the 2021 season (and even then only with a dead-cap hit that will hobble the 2022 team), you pretty much have to keep running him out there and hoping he can turn it around. Just three years ago, Pederson turned what most people thought was a mediocre roster into the best team in the league; I don’t think he forgot how to coach, and I don’t see anything like a lack of effort suggesting a need for change for change’s sake. The Eagles are just going to be rough for a couple years unless Wentz gets unfucked, which I don’t think will happen.
The Cowboys also have QB problems (Dak might not re-sign with Dallas, and might not be 100% if he does), but McCarthy’s teams have underachieved for years, and the Cowboys weren’t exactly setting the world on fire before Dak went down. There’s definitely reason to believe a different coach could get better results with the same flawed roster.
This analysis depends on a “Wentz forgot how to play quarterback” argument. I didn’t see that last night. I saw a real bad line. I think if you put Wentz on the Colts right now, the Colts are better.
I don’t think Pederson controls the roster so he doesn’t get the full blame for this.
I wouldn’t call the 2017 Eagles mediocre at all, and I don’t recall hearing anyone suggest otherwise at the time. They had perhaps the best line play in the league, with certainly the deepest DL. They had good players all over the place, and even some great ones (Peters, Cox, Jenkins, Ertz, Kelce all qualify).
Pederson clearly is capable. The biggest problems for them are talent attrition at virtually every position on the roster, injuries, and - in what I suspect is an interrelated development - Wentz cratering this year.
Just look at the evolution of their roster since 2017. Where are they NOT demonstrably worse in terms of top end talent and, especially, depth?
Pederson clearly is capable. The biggest problems for them are talent attrition at virtually every position on the roster, injuries, and - in what I suspect is an interrelated development - Wentz cratering this year.
Just look at the evolution of their roster since 2017. Where are they NOT demonstrably worse in terms of top end talent and, especially, depth?
I don’t have a link handy, but I believe Wentz is among the league leaders in how long he holds the ball before throwing and also has one of the worst completion percentages on passes thrown while under pressure. The O-line is clearly not good, but Wentz makes them look much worse with his ineptitude.
I’m not sure if the injuries are catching up with him or what, but Wentz is plainly not the guy he once was.
Their preseason over-under was 8.5 wins, iirc. Vegas obviously underestimated their talent, but I’d rate Pedersen’s stewardship of that team as one of the league’s best coaching performances in recent years — it’s not like he took a juggernaut like last year’s Chiefs and just managed not to fuck it up.
Football is very tough to analyze because of the interdependence. Is he holding the ball too long because the receivers can’t beat coverage? Scheme is bad etc... He could just suck now, that’s possible but only one possibility. My guy Sam has been fucking up really badly. Some dude on YouTube breaks down Jets plays and it isn’t clear Gase is designing bad stuff. So, I would need to watch a lot of tape to form a strong opinion on Wentz.
I don’t watch enough full Eagles games but it is tough for me to think someone I used to think was really good has fallen off so much.
Schwartz runs the D and Reich seems like he was important. Pederson seems like a good coach if he has good coordinators/staff and players. This is different than Belichick who could coach all phases of the game at an elite X/O level and be competitive with mediocre talent (Again, this is just my general feel on the Eagles, if someone watches every game closely and has a different opinion they are probably closer to the truth than I am).
Added Cowher to the list:
View: https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1335982538783920129?s=20
Boomer Esiason hints that his CBS on-air partner Bill Cowher could be interested in returning to coaching -- and that he could be interested in coaching the Jets
View: https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1335982538783920129?s=20
Boomer Esiason hints that his CBS on-air partner Bill Cowher could be interested in returning to coaching -- and that he could be interested in coaching the Jets
And now you can add the game against the Pats. Special Teams alone should show him the door.
I feel like Cowher has been mentioned as a head coaching candidate every year since he retired.
Maybe the appeal of Trevor Lawrence would pull him out of retirement, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
These dudes that get a good broadcasting gig normally don’t leave because it’s way less commitment and stress for equally good or better pay.
True, Boomer normally downplays those rumors but is playing them up this year.
He is not my first choice but I wouldnt mind him. Need a culture change.
Gruden went back but of course he got an overwhelming offer to do so. I don't think anyone is giving Cowher 10/100.
I think it might be time for Cowher now. When his first wife died, it seemed like his priorities (rightfully) changed, and he focused on raising his daughters. The broadcasting gig was perfect for him during these years. Now that they're grown and he's remarried, it might be his chance for one more dive back in.
A very valid point, and Gruden’s success has probably made it more feasible for a franchise to buy in to a coach being out of the game for a long time and coming back, but I still would imagine it’s a lot more likely he stays in the studio.
Why not? It's non-cap money, and in a situation as hapless as the Jets, it'd be the right kind of shot in the arm. The money and control he'd demand wouldn't appeal to most teams, but this seems plausible.
Aw, who am I kidding? They'll get Eric Bieniemy, who'll have to guide Trevor and no other decent pieces to something around 6-7 wins. I don't see that happening, so he'll be fired after a short run too.
On the counter: Bill Cowher did not marry a coach's wife. He married an artist, who connected with someone who was semi-retired and enjoying the best of living in New York City. That's vastly different than the life of an NFL coach. Only he knows what he wants. He has expressed gratitude and value to the second life the city of New York and CBS has given him. Only he knows if returning to coaching fits into it.
No other decent pieces? The Jets are a historically bad franchise but this is not accurate. They have the most money, they have 2 1s, their own 2 and 2 3s this year; 2 1s next year. Mims(rookie WR), Becton (rookie LT), and Quinnen Williams(second-year DT) can be awesome players. It is a very attractive job.
Crowder is a good slot option too. Jets also have Ashtyn Davis and Chris Herndon who could still develop into a solid TE. Do you know why, aside from health, he hasn't continued from his impressive rookie year?
The Jets don't have a ton of pieces but Mims and Crowder gives you a really good inside and outside option. Becton as a run blocker is a damn cheat code. Outside zone with him is practically unstoppable.
Herndon is a real disappointment and a bit of a mystery. He flashed early in his career got hurt and now has a bad case of the dropsies. Did make a couple of nice catches recently but had been a nightmare. The coaching staff talked him up and tried to use him, it was weird.
Bryce Hall (CB)looks good to me too. He finally got on the field. He was drafted late due to injury.
Trevor is that first #1. The second, from the Seahawks, is likely to be in the 20s. That's likely a good OL. Jury's out on Sims to contribute. This in mind...I rescind my remarks.
Thank you, the truth hurts enough.
Fair point on Trevor being 1 so 2 1s shouldn't count as additional pieces.
Really? I can’t imagine Cowher is making seven figures per year, let alone 8.
OK, Google tells me his annual salary from ESPN is estimated at $4M. Holy crap. That’s somewhere around 40% of what Gruden makes and around 2/3 as much as the average head coach, for maybe 25% the time commitment and 5% the stress?
It all depends if guys like Cowher still have the itch. He knows he has an expiration date as possible candidate ... and that he has an expiration date as an in-studio third banana.
If the Jets (which is the match Esiason cites) gives him a Gruden-like deal, he'll make more money than he would in the back end of his CBS career.
If the Jets (which is the match Esiason cites) gives him a Gruden-like deal, he'll make more money than he would in the back end of his CBS career.
That is unbelievable, he is robbing them bline. I like Cowher a lot but ESPN is just throwing away money to be paying him that much for analysis that many people could easily do. I never tune into an NFL show because Cowher will be on, that's for sure.
But I respect his ability to get the bag.
If Bieniemy is a highly sought after candidate for multiple jobs this offseason - and why wouldn't he be? - I find it hard to imagine that the Jets would be his first choice. Even with Lawrence and some of their other young talent, it's a dysfunctional franchise in an obnoxious media market that will demand immediate results.
You do get on the inside track to a gig with the NFL itself for when the Jets dismiss you.
SI with a LONG article about Easterby and the Texans' culture (players say it's like Game of Thrones)....
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/12/10/ex-chaplain-jack-easterby-houston-texans-chaos-after-power-struggle-daily-cover
I retract saying that's the best spot, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole. It's pretty clear you have an aged owner who got suckered by a con and that's not a place you want to be until Easterby is gone and/or McNair dies.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/12/10/ex-chaplain-jack-easterby-houston-texans-chaos-after-power-struggle-daily-cover
I retract saying that's the best spot, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole. It's pretty clear you have an aged owner who got suckered by a con and that's not a place you want to be until Easterby is gone and/or McNair dies.
Even worse than an aged owner is a new one that is in way over his head. The elder McNair died 2 years ago and Junior is now in charge and trying to act like the new sheriff in town.
Took Denver off the maybes. I got 5 openings and I’m wavering on Lynn. I don’t think he is good but he might be good enough for Chargers ownership.
Added Urban to candidates.
I also have a question on a candidate. Does Kubiak want to be a HC again or is his health too bad. I wouldn’t mind him for the Jets with Sam or if they draft a QB.
Found a good article from September that has a bunch of candidates:
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/09/11/head-coaching-candidates-2021
Added Urban to candidates.
I also have a question on a candidate. Does Kubiak want to be a HC again or is his health too bad. I wouldn’t mind him for the Jets with Sam or if they draft a QB.
Found a good article from September that has a bunch of candidates:
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/09/11/head-coaching-candidates-2021
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