The NFL regular season ends on January 5, 2025, with just over a month left. This could mean that some directors are entering their final days in their current positions.
Three franchises (Bears, Jets, Saints) have already made the move, and more are likely to follow.
But not all jobs are created equal. Below, we’ve ranked three current and three potential job openings from least to least attractive.
Current vacancy
3. New York Jets (3-9)
Pro: Catch a Broadway show on your day off. • Cons: Working for the Jets.
What’s the best thing about your Jets job?
The quarterback situation is a mess and Aaron Rodgers is more interested in appearing in a Netflix documentary that no one wants than winning football games. Multiple reports suggest Rodgers, who is under contract until 2025, could be released after the season, which could further confuse the situation.
Woody Johnson is on the list of worst NFL owners, making the job even more unattractive.
At least whoever gets the job will get to see “GLOW” actress Betty Gilpin. take on the title role In the hit Broadway play “Oh, Mary!,” he assumes he can get a ticket.
2. New Orleans Saints (4-8)
Pros: Front office stability, low expectations • Cons: Hellish salaries, old roster, no franchise quarterback of the future.
Longtime general manager Mickey Loomis has always tried to maximize the team’s present at the expense of the future, for better or worse. This approach was fine when New Orleans was a Super Bowl contender, but it’s hard to defend against a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020.
to Approximately $62.8 million over limit And with a league-high $48.4 million in dead money in 2025, the Saints could be one of the worst teams in the league next season.
While this may deter some candidates from considering New Orleans, it could also work in the favor of the next full-time head coach.
Anyone hired is given low expectations, giving them time to rebuild their team into a contender.
We’ve seen in recent seasons how seemingly long rebuilds for Houston and Washington can be shortened with the right quarterback and coach.
As one of the most offensive general managers in the league, New Orleans’ coach should have the resources to get the Saints back to the postseason.
1. Chicago Bears (4-8)
Pros: Quarterback Caleb Williams, projected to have $82 million in cap space • Cons: Dysfunctional history, NFL’s toughest division.
The next Bears head coach will be grappling with the franchise’s brutal recent history more than anything else. The Bears haven’t had a winning record since 2018, former head coach Matt Nagy’s first year with the franchise.
But Chicago has a promising core led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze.
The rushing attack needs to improve after D’Andre Swift failed (Ashton Jeanty, anyone?), but the Bears have the pieces to turn things around. And the projected cap space is $82 million. per over the capChicago has the financial capital to enter the free agent market.
potential opportunity
3. Dallas Cowboys (5-7)
Pros: Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, edge rusher Micah Parsons • Cons: Jerry Jones, Dak Prescott coming off season-ending injuries.
Mike McCarthy is entering the final year of a five-year contract he signed with the Cowboys in 2020. Despite the Cowboys’ difficult season, Prescott Recently Yahoo! Sports’ Jory Epstein“I think he definitely has a chance. I have another contract and an opportunity to coach this team.”
Despite having All-Pro talent at wide receiver (Lamb) and edge rusher (Parsons), the Cowboys don’t have much else to do.
If Dallas changes coaches, the next coach will inherit Prescott, who suffered a season-ending hamstring injury. Worse, they’ll have to deal with distractions while working for Jones, the Cowboys’ longtime owner.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
Pros: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence • Cons: Front office power structure
Doug Pederson’s time as Jags coach should end after this season.
Lawrence has been inconsistent through four NFL seasons, but he’s talented enough to be a long-term franchise quarterback. Any coach worth his salt should be eager to maximize the No. 1 overall pick among the strengths of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The downside to potentially opening up the Jags is the organization’s power structure.
When Jacksonville fired former head coach Urban Meyer in 2021; NFL insider Albert Breer commented: Owner Shad Khan’s loyalty to general manager Trent Baalke is negative.
“This is why there are coaches who considered the Jaguars but will not now,” Breer wrote.
If Baalke survives a terrible 2024 in Jacksonville, it will say a lot about Khan’s faith in him. If something goes wrong again, the team’s next manager could become the scapegoat.
1. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
Pros: Quarterback Joe Burrow, expected to have $64 million in cap space • Cons: Defense needs overhaul
Coaches dream of having this opportunity.
The Bengals were the league’s biggest disappointment, squandering Burrow’s MVP-caliber season with one of the league’s worst defenses.
It will be interesting to see if coach Zac Taylor, who led the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1988 in 2021 and a 23-20 loss to the Rams, retains ownership.
The easy solution for Cincinnati is that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has led the Bengals to a top-10 scoring defense only once (sixth in 2022) in six seasons.
But if the front office thinks Taylor has taken Cincinnati as far as possible, they need to find a coach worthy of Burrow.
