NFL head-coach openings: Latest buzz, rumors and top candidates

And so we wait. The NFL has stood at five head-coaching openings since the Texans fired Lovie Smith and the Cardinals moved on from Kliff Kingsbury in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 season, joining Broncos, Colts and Panthers franchises that made leadership changes during the campaign. While the ensuing two-plus weeks have brought lots of confirmed interviews as well as a fair share of conjecture, the first team to make a move still remains a mystery.

To be sure, the deliberate pace does not mean nothing is happening, with all five clubs engaged in comprehensive searches. Sean Payton's name continues to loom as the key that could unlock the entire carousel season, but there are no sure things in regard to the Saints' Super Bowl winner's future whereabouts. To make sense of all the latest on both the head-coach and coordinator search front, NFL Insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler have consulted with plugged-in sources from around the league and offered the latest forecast and their own interpretations of events.

Jump to:
Cardinals | Panthers | Broncos
Texans | Colts | Assistants

Arizona Cardinals

Graziano: The Cardinals' search got going in earnest once they hired GM Monti Ossenfort, and there's some outside speculation that Ossenfort's arrival could be good news for former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, with whom Ossenfort worked for a time in New England. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and current Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph also sound like serious candidates there. I know they were interviewing Sean Payton this week, but it sounds to me like Payton is more likely to land elsewhere.

Fowler: Yeah, Dan, Payton to Arizona hasn't picked up much traction. I would be surprised if it happened. I've heard that the Flores interest is real. People who were involved in the team's general manager search got the impression Arizona is high on him (some coaches in the league expect Gerald Alexander, Flores' defensive backs coach in Miami, to be a prime contender for defensive coordinator in that scenario). But being high on a candidate doesn't always result in him getting the job, so let's see how it plays out. I'm keeping my eye on Joseph and Dan Quinn, too. Bidwill has a good relationship with Joseph, who, like Flores, has good experience and a plan to shift the culture. Quinn, one of the top candidates on the market, has a second interview with Arizona this week.

Carolina Panthers

Fowler: It wouldn't surprise if Steve Wilks is a finalist, along with at least one offensive-coordinator candidate -- think along the lines of Buffalo's Ken Dorsey, Philadelphia's Shane Steichen, Dallas' Kellen Moore or New York's Mike Kafka. People around the league are torn as to whether David Tepper will aggressively pursue Payton. Tepper is big on value, cost analysis and checks and balances. Giving up a bunch of picks for the right to pay a coach $20-plus million a year doesn't seem like his plan, especially coming off the failed Matt Rhule experiment. But Tepper is also very aggressive, and I found it interesting when the Panthers interviewed Kris Richard for defensive coordinator. Payton is known to be a fan of Richard from their days together in New Orleans. I was also told this week not to sleep on Frank Reich's candidacy. He interviewed well there.

Graziano: Yeah, I think Reich remains in the mix in Carolina, though the Panthers do seem to have a type in terms of this interview cycle -- the young offensive coordinator. They added the Cowboys' Kellen Moore to the list this week, and I do think Dorsey and Kafka remain on the radar. Wilks can't be ruled out, I don't think. The Panthers like him, and the team responded well to him as interim head coach in the second half of the season. But given how heavy the rest of their candidates list is on the offensive-minded types, it seems as if they might be inclined to go with one of them as they prioritize finally getting the quarterback situation right.

Denver Broncos

Fowler: Expect Denver to solidify finalists here soon. Yes, Sean Payton has long expected to be one. Many around the league -- including some of the candidates for this job -- have considered him a prime target. But it also feels like momentum has stalled a bit as of midweek. I continue to hear that Denver is committed to a thorough process, so this isn't an all-or-nothing courtship of Payton. But if the Penner ownership group concludes Payton is right for the job, here's to guessing they do what's necessary to obtain his rights via trade with New Orleans. Dan Quinn is firmly in the mix. He acquitted himself well during last year's interview with the franchise, he has relationships in the building and has pedigree. And I'm not discounting ex-Stanford coach David Shaw. CEO Greg Penner is a Stanford alum who covets leadership and culture, which Shaw provided the Cardinal.

Graziano: It was suggested to me early in the process that Shaw would be a candidate for Payton's staff if Payton got the Broncos job, but obviously Shaw merits consideration as a head-coach candidate in his own right. My hunch would be that Quinn, who was thought to be a favorite for the Broncos job a year ago, would be the guy if Payton doesn't end up there. But as we've already said, we thought that last year and got surprised. Speaking of Denver, its defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero, is getting a lot of interviews elsewhere. If he doesn't get a head-coaching job somewhere else, I think it's possible Denver could keep him in his current role and he could be a hot candidate again this time next year.

Houston Texans

Graziano: I get the sense Houston hasn't given up on the idea of Sean Payton, and truth be told, if I were Payton I'd think about Houston over Denver if the money and everything else is equal. In Houston, you get to pick your quarterback, instead of banking on your ability to revive a 34-year-old Russell Wilson. Plus, Houston has more draft capital with which to compensate New Orleans for Payton's services, which means the draft cupboard wouldn't be as bare when he got there as it would be in Denver. If it's not Payton in Houston, I'd expect the two defensive coordinators in Sunday's NFC Championship Game -- Philly's Jonathan Gannon and San Francisco's DeMeco Ryans -- to be strong candidates for the Texans job.

Fowler: Dan, we're agreed that Ryans and Gannon seem well-positioned here. Some people around the league believe Ryans, a former Texans standout, is the favorite. He's a fan favorite, too. Gannon earned high marks with GM Nick Caserio during last year's head-coaching search, so he figures to be a factor. It wouldn't be shocking if either candidate earned the job. Ryans can be selective. The 49ers' defense will be loaded once again next year. If he believes ownership or the Caserio dynamic isn't stable enough, he can pass on the job. But the tricky part is neither candidate can interview until Jan. 30 at the earliest, because the 49ers and Eagles are playing in the NFC title game. That provides an advantage for Kafka and Evero, who get second interviews with Houston this week. If they majorly impress, maybe Houston does something now. I'm not sensing much momentum on the Payton front here, but I totally agree with you about the job's potential on paper.

Indianapolis Colts

Graziano: The Colts have interviewed more candidates than anyone, but it sounds like they're finally moving to the next stage. Their first round of interviews wrapped up Sunday, and Monday they were in the process of deciding who would get second interviews. Team owner Jim Irsay, who was not among the group conducting the initial interviews, is expected to be a part of this round. Interim head coach Jeff Saturday is still believed to be a candidate, as are the likes of Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, but as of Monday night no second interviews had yet been scheduled.

Fowler: Lots to sort through, Dan, as the team has interviewed 14 candidates (including Lions OC Ben Johnson, who informed teams he was returning to Detroit). Word is vice chair/owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been heavily involved in the process, and some around the league believe she's open to a forward-thinking hire. That would not be Saturday. But his relationship with owner Jim Irsay looms large here. Quinn would be a natural finalist, and while Bieniemy is receiving heavy offensive-coordinator interest around the league, he's focused on head-coaching opportunities. He has history with general manager Chris Ballard. Otherwise, candidates haven't gotten word from the team on next steps just yet.

Other head-coach/coordinator rumblings

Graziano:

• Vic Fangio remains a hot defensive-coordinator name, and he's likely to land somewhere in this cycle. He has been connected with Sean Payton as a possible coordinator wherever Payton lands (though, of course, not if that's Denver). He has been connected as a possibility to go with one of the young offensive coordinators if they get head-coach jobs. But watch out for the Miami Dolphins, who are believed to be pushing hard to bring in Fangio as their defensive coordinator as they try to maximize what they believe to be the beginning of a window of contention.

• It's a coach-friendly market right now if you're an offensive coordinator. There are eight offensive-coordinator openings plus five head-coach openings, which means there are really 13 offensive-coordinator openings. Some potential candidates have been turning down offensive-coordinator interviews with teams like the Jets and the Commanders because of concerns about the long-term job security of the head coaches in those places and because there are so many other opportunities. It might be a good year to be an offensive coordinator candidate if you want to get paid.

• I've mentioned before in this space that I'm surprised teams don't want to interview Leslie Frazier, given his prior head-coaching experience and the success he has had as Bills defensive coordinator. But I'm equally surprised by the lack of interest in Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who has been a star of the past two postseasons and has shown a real knack for developing and implementing opponent-specific game plans that his players buy into week after week. Anarumo got one head-coach interview last year with the Giants, but so far this cycle no one has even asked the Bengals for permission to talk to him. Weird.

Fowler:

• The low total of head-coaching jobs this cycle already has people around the league evaluating next year's potentially loaded class. The carousel was due a market correction after 10 jobs opened last year, with buyout money approaching $1 million over a five-year span. But next year's cycle could create eight to 10 openings, including some high-profile jobs. The Rams, Chargers and Cowboys did not end up opening this time. The Packers, Browns and Jets have head coaches with tenure coming off losing seasons. That doesn't mean these franchises are looking to make a change, but they at least belong on the radar. So, if you're Sean Payton, does it make sense to wait 12 months, return to Fox as an analyst for the 2023 season and pair with a franchise positioned better for success? That's a question some people are asking this week.

• The Baltimore Ravens are immersed in an offensive-coordinator search that will include many names. A few prominent coaches, such as former Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, former Colts head coach Frank Reich and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, are firmly on the team's radar. Yes, it would be a lateral move for Bieniemy on paper, but this would be a chance to design his own offense outside of Andy Reid's shadow. The Ravens are doing interviews this week with Seattle quarterbacks coach Dave Canales, Minnesota pass-game coordinator Brian Angelichio and in-house candidates James Urban and George Godsey. Rams pass-game coordinator Zac Robinson and Browns wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea are candidates, while Buffalo quarterbacks coach Joe Brady and Philadelphia quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson could get consideration, too. Sensing a theme? Lots of quarterback expertise, presumably to work alongside Lamar Jackson. ... In Tampa Bay's OC search, Jacksonville pass-game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter is getting an interview. Eagles pass-game coordinator Kevin Patullo and Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken are names to watch, too.

• Bill O'Brien returning as Patriots offensive coordinator could be part of a bigger play for the former Texans head coach. Some around the league believe O'Brien would like a second crack at NFL head coaching, and assuming he improves the New England offense with a Year 3 leap for Mac Jones, he could be an attractive candidate yet again. His 52-48 record in Houston is solid, especially against the backdrop of the franchise's two-year free fall since he left. With New England pursuing Oregon run-game coordinator Adrian Klemm for a similar role -- he played for Bill Belichick in the early 2000s -- the Patriots would have an in-house coach O'Brien and Belichick could potentially groom for a bigger role. Meanwhile, it's uncertain what the O'Brien hire means for Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, who coached on offense last season, but here's to guessing they will have roles with the team. Judge, the former New York Giants head coach who oversaw New England's quarterbacks last year, has experience in all three phases of the game and could slide around on the staff. Patricia has done a little bit of everything in the past two years with New England. For example, the former Detroit Lions head coach has helped with free agency and contract negotiations for the team.