Power ranking the NFL’s six head-coaching vacancies

With the Tennessee Titans firing Mike Vrabel on Tuesday morning, there are now six head-coaching vacancies in the NFL.

Another could be added in the coming days if the New England Patriots do, in fact, part ways with Bill Belichick as expected. But for now here’s a look at how each job stacks up from best to worst:

1. Los Angeles Chargers

While the Commanders and Falcons both have better defenses and deeper rosters than the Chargers, they’ll both likely draft their franchise quarterbacks in April while the Chargers already have a top-five QB in place and won’t have to wait years on his development. 

In addition to Justin Herbert, the Chargers have plenty of playmakers on offense with receivers Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston, and they have a solid core of offensive linemen in Rashawn Slater and Zion Johnson, despite Corey Linsley being expected to retire in the offseason. 

However, the defense needs some serious revamping. Though there are some solid pieces to build around in edge-rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, linebacker Eric Kendricks, cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and safety Derwin James, L.A. ranked 28th yards allowed and 24th in scoring. 

With the fifth overall pick in April’s draft, the Chargers will get a premier player, but they’re also projected to be $34M over the cap and will have some tough roster decisions to make to become cap compliant.

2. Washington Commanders

The Commanders are under new ownership, which has already showed signs of going all-out to try and bring back many of the fans former owner Daniel Snyder drove away. They also have the second overall pick in the draft and will likely come away with one of USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye, giving the team a new face of the franchise to build around.

Whether it’s Williams or Maye, he’ll have a strong cast of weapons to throw to in Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson and Dyami Brown. 

The Commanders also have the most cap space in the league in 2024 (a projected $86.2M), so they should have enough funds to both bolster the offensive line and upgrade the worst-ranked defense in the league. 

Fortunately for Washington, the 2024 free-agent class has plenty of offensive linemen, defensive linemen and defensive backs to choose from.

3. Atlanta Falcons

If Desmond Ridder was even an average QB, the Falcons likely would have been a playoff team this season. They ranked ninth in rushing offense and 11th in total defense, but Ridder’s litany of mistakes and general ineffectiveness ultimately did Atlanta in. 

The Falcons have the eighth overall pick in the draft, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix are all likely possibilities for them. 

Minus the QB, Atlanta has many pieces in place offensively. It has a solid 1-2 punch at running back with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, an emerging star in receiver Drake London and a premier tight end in Kyle Pitts who’s just begging for a head coach that actually knows how to use him properly.

Defensively, the Falcons don’t have too many pressing needs outside of adding another pass-rusher and starting cornerback. After finding the QB of the future and a little fine-tuning of the defense, whoever takes the Falcons job has the least amount of work to do in terms of building a competitive roster.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

Outside of addressing the quarterback situation, the Raiders offense doesn’t need a complete overhaul. There’s a solid group of pass catchers in place with Davante Adams, Jakobi Myers and Michael Mayer, and assuming Josh Jacobs is re-signed, he and Zamir White form a solid RB rotation. 

The offensive line, which 168 pressures, 106 hurries, 40 sacks and 34 QB hits, is what needs the most work.

Defensively, the Raiders ranked ninth in scoring and 15th in yards allowed, suggesting only a few tweaks need to be made — particularly in the run defense and secondary. Las Vegas has a little north of $52M in cap space, plus the 13th overall pick in the draft and the team is in good position to address many of its key needs after deciding who’s going to be under center.

5. Tennessee Titans

There’s only three things appealing about the Titans job: they have a projected $79M in cap space, they have the No. 7 overall pick, and they have a franchise QB in place on a rookie contract in Will Levis. 

Other than that, there’s few redeeming qualities about coaching for the Titans, who fired Mike Vrabel — widely regarded as a top-10 coach in many league circles — on Tuesday because trying to trade him “would take too long.”

The Titans have the worst offensive line in the NFL and every player on the line except for 2023 first-round pick Peter Skoronski should be replaced. Additionally, star running back Derrick Henry likely isn’t coming back, the team’s best receiver will be 32 by the time next season starts and they have little depth behind him, and the secondary needs a complete overhaul.

Beyond having one of the worst rosters in the league, Tennessee also has an owner (Amy Adams Strunk) who’s fired three head coaches and two general managers since 2015 but refuses to actually speak to reporters about those decisions or answer questions that haven’t been pre-screened by the team’s PR department. 

There’s also no clear hierarchy between GM and head coach and Adams Strunk seems to be making it up as she goes.

6. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have one of, if not the worst roster in the NFL, and they have just $39M in cap space and no first-round pick to plug way too many holes. The team needs to add at least one or two receivers, one or two offensive linemen, a competent tight end, an entirely new defensive line and a ballhawk or two in the secondary.

Whoever is brave enough to take on this dumpster fire of a situation has to be OK with their fate being in the hands of 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and confident that they can improve on his underwhelming rookie season in which he threw for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

Oh, and they’ve also got to be unbothered by David Tepper, perhaps the most unhinged owner in the league right now, who’s most recent claim to fame is throwing a drink the face of an opposing fan after his team suffered its worst loss of the season.