The 2024 NFL season is almost upon us, and it’s shaping as much as be an thrilling one. While we’re all waiting for how our groups will look and hopefully enhance this 12 months, it’s vital to recollect one of many constants of the NFL: While some groups will get higher, others will regress. Not everybody might be taking the anticipated step ahead, and a few might be taking a step again.
On that be aware, it’s an excellent alternative to verify in on a number of the most risky teaching conditions within the NFL. I delved by way of the 32 head coaches to give you my top-five hottest seats within the league heading into 2024. Many of those names gained’t be terribly shocking, as a number of have been thought of candidates to be let go this offseason, however a pair have been a little bit more difficult than others.
Mike McCarthy
I believe I communicate for many NFL followers after I say that we have been shocked when Mike McCarthy wasn’t fired after the Dallas Cowboys’ most up-to-date playoff defeat. He’s again for 2024, coming off the lack of one other key coordinator in Dan Quinn and a completely disappointing offseason marred by a failure to take motion on quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract. To put it merely, the Cowboys have been suspiciously lax in addressing veteran departures and the a number of holes on the roster.
While I believe the draft class has the potential to be good, it’s a troublesome project for any rookie offensive lineman to come back in and play straight away. Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe might be thrust into the highlight instantly to plug holes, and I’m undecided that can produce nice outcomes — no less than, not straight away. The receiving corps is extremely skinny after CeeDee Lamb, and the dearth of urgency to handle working again led to an uninspiring reunion with late-career Ezekiel Elliott.
I’m undecided any of these items are explicitly McCarthy’s fault, however everyone knows who will get the blame if Dallas regresses in 2024.
Matt Eberflus
Matt Eberflus is in an odd scenario with the Chicago Bears. In some ways, it will’ve made sense for the Bears to make a clear break and begin contemporary with a brand new head coach in 2024. The group could be very a lot within the midst of what seems like a perpetually ongoing rebuild, and Eberflus’ abysmal 10-24 file by way of two seasons doesn’t precisely encourage confidence. At the identical time, the roster has been removed from aggressive and Eberflus can argue that he didn’t get any say within the earlier quarterback resolution. Sure, honest sufficient.
All that being mentioned, expectations might be by way of the roof for Chicago in 2024 because of an aggressive offseason headlined by the addition of No. 1 total choose Caleb Williams at quarterback. If issues don’t take off fairly as quick as hoped and the Bears are as soon as once more selecting close to the highest of the NFL Draft, the pitchforks will come out — and Eberflus would be the one on the sharp finish.
Dennis Allen
Have you seen a theme to this point? The first three coaches on this listing, Dennis Allen included, are all guys who have been in peril of being fired on the finish of the 2023 season. Allen has been a largely uninspiring coach for the New Orleans Saints, clawing his approach to an under-.500 file over two seasons regardless of possessing one of many oldest and costliest rosters within the NFL and taking part in in a division that has been just about extensive open for the taking.
The costly acquisition of Derek Carr was purported to be the required transfer to get the Saints again on high within the NFC South, however the group finally fell quick as soon as once more. Allen seemingly has a Week 18 Falcons collapse to thank for retaining his job heading into 2024, however issues are wanting significantly extra dire for the Saints this season. The roster has continued to age and skinny out because of years of cap shenanigans. New Orleans has a good more durable path to the playoffs this season, and three straight misses would virtually definitely imply the top for Allen.
Robert Saleh
It looks like the signing of Aaron Rodgers, and his subsequent harm, in all probability saved Robert Saleh’s job in 2023. Perhaps Rodgers actually would have lifted the New York Jets to playoff competition and renewed religion in Saleh’s management, however his harm primarily gave Saleh a free go. While it’s clear Saleh is a superb defensive thoughts and he’s put collectively a high unit in New York over the previous two seasons, the offense has constantly held the group again.
Saleh is an abysmal 18-33 over his three seasons, and also you’d count on just about every other coach to be proven the door in that scenario. That implies that 2024 might be “playoffs or bust” time for each Saleh and the whole regime in New York. The Jets will clearly be higher with a wholesome Aaron Rodgers, however can they actually compete with the highest contenders within the AFC? Are they a greater group than the Chiefs, Ravens, Bills, or Texans? Can Aaron Rodgers really keep wholesome? Will he retire mid-season to do ayahuasca and go on darkness retreats? A playoff berth alone will not be sufficient to save lots of Saleh’s job given the expectations across the group.
Brian Daboll
It’s fairly uncommon to see a coach coming off an AP Coach of Year award simply two seasons prior coming into the season on the new seat, however the New York Giants are an uncommon group. Brian Daboll labored magic in New York to get the group to a 9-7-1 file, playoff berth, and upset victory over the Vikings in 2022, however issues fully fell aside in 2023. The Giants have been among the many league’s worst offenses and have been close to the underside defensively as properly, with Daniel Jones performing poorly coming off his extension earlier than spending the vast majority of the season on IR.
New York is in a troublesome spot heading into 2024, because the group selected to go on a quarterback improve for one more large want, a large receiver improve. That may need been your best option for the group, however it in all probability wasn’t your best option for Daboll’s job safety. I nonetheless imagine Daboll is an effective coach and wouldn’t be shocked if he bounces again this season, however he’ll have to drag out some extra of that 2022 magic to overhaul the Eagles or Cowboys within the playoff race.
