NFL Coach Power Rankings: Where Jay Gruden fits in among the 32 coaches

Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images)

DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 23: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on while playing the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 23, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

There are a lot of quality coaches in the NFL, but given the nature of the business, there are many unproven coaches as well. Here’s a look at our NFL coach rankings, and where Jay Gruden will fall.

The NFL coaching carousel is always an interesting one. More than any other league, NFL franchises get impatient with the work done by their head coaching hires, and they get the ax. Often, these coaches are given just a year or two to prove themselves. And if they don’t they’re gone. It’s just the cutthroat nature of the business.

That makes actually ranking the coaches on a league-wide scale somewhat hard to do. Every year, there are anywhere from 5-to-10 new guys taking the helm of their respective teams. And in a sport where continuity is key, that’s not ideal.

Still, there are some mainstays that have been around for many years. Some, even decades. And like it or not, Jay Gruden is about to enter his fifth season as the Redskins head coach. So, he’s starting to become one of the more veteran coaches in the league.

But, where does Gruden rank among his peers? It’s not an easy question to answer, but we have some ideas. Here’s an in-depth look at the history, style, and potential of each NFL coach and where they rank on a league-wide scale. We’ll start at the bottom with a predictable candidate.

CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 17: Head coach Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns looks on in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 17, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

It almost feels unfair to rank Hue Jackson at the bottom of the league. While he has posted a woeful 1-31 record during his first couple seasons with the Browns, it’s hardly his fault.

Frankly, the Browns haven’t had any talent during Jackson’s two seasons with the team. And namely, the lacking talent has been at quarterback where they were forced to play DeShone Kizer, Cody Kessler, and current Redskin Kevin Hogan in 2017. Since the offseason began, all three have been traded to teams where they will serve as backups or third string players.

The season before, the team’s options were Josh McCown, Kessler, and Robert Griffin III. One can hardly blame Jackson for struggling to win with those groups of quarterbacks.

That said, a 1-31 record is still ridiculously awful, and it wouldn’t have surprised anyone had Jackson gotten the ax this offseason. Now, he will be tasked with taking control of a new-look Browns squad that features Baker Mayfield at quarterback. And if anyone can be the answer to the Browns’ quarterback trouble, Mayfield could be the one.

Jackson is a good motivator, and he has seen his players fight hard even in losing efforts. In some instances, a team would have quit on a coach after losing so much. So, that is a plus for Jackson. Still, his record speaks for itself and if the Browns don’t show enough development in 2018, Jackson will almost certainly be gone. This season is a make-or-break one for Jackson. Hopefully he moves up these rankings quickly.

TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 10: Head coach Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speaks into his headset on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions on December 10, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Just over two years ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a decision to part with their head coach Lovie Smith. Though Smith had come to Tampa Bay as a respected candidate, he had only gone 8-24 in two seasons with the team. However, he had improved to 6-10 in his second year and things appeared to be trending upward. But the Buccaneers wanted an offensive mind to pair with Jameis Winston. And they had one on their staff.

At the time that Smith and the Bucs parted ways, Dirk Koetter was getting a lot of attention from other NFL teams as a potential head coaching option. Though he had spent just a year in Tampa Bay, he helped lead the team to a top five offense in terms of yardage. And in the previous three seasons, he had similar success in Atlanta. That made him an attractive option during the 2016 hiring cycle that saw 4-of-5 coaching vacancies filled by offensive minded coaches.

After Koetter’s promotion, the Bucs never really took the next step. Many expected them to make the proverbial leap that is discussed about certain teams every offseason. Instead, they stayed mostly level.

In Koetter’s first season, the Bucs improved to 9-7. However, both their offense and defense stayed mostly level during this season, and there wasn’t much growth noted from Winston. He was still struggling with turnovers and that was a bit of a dark cloud hanging over the perceived improvement.

Then, 2017 struck. The Bucs ended up going just 5-11 last year and that was a major disappointment. Koetter’s players appeared to be uninspired at times, and it was clear that Koetter’s offensive gameplan wasn’t as strong as initially anticipated. Their defense had gone from decent under Smith to awful under Koetter. And that led many to believe that Koetter might get fired following the season.

But Koetter was given another chance. One more year to work with Winston. To work on the ground game that has been non-existent during his tenure as head coach. It’s possible that Koetter could finally get the Bucs to make the leap, but at this point, they seem to have plateaued.

Perhaps the new personnel will give Koetter the talent injection he needs to fix the team. But given that he has struggled to develop Winston, who was regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects of the decade, it may be hard for him to get this Bucs team where they need to go to be competitive.

DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos walks off the field after a 27-24 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 31, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

It’s pretty amazing what Vance Joseph was able to accomplish in his first season with the Denver Broncos. And I don’t mean that in a positive way.

Despite the Broncos returning much of the core cast of characters that had notched the team a 9-7 season in 2016 under Gary Kubiak, the team regressed badly. They finished with a 5-11 mark in Joseph’s first season, and there were even some rumblings that the team could part ways with him after his poor performance. That never materialized, but it’s still clear that Joseph isn’t a great coach.

Despite having solid personnel at virtually every position save for quarterback, the Broncos were constantly out of sync in 2017. Granted, quarterback is the most important position on the field, but the Broncos were able to win the Super Bowl using their elite defense and a noodle-armed version of Peyton Manning. So, it’s reasonable to expect that they should have been close to a .500 team even with Trevor Siemian at the helm.

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The more concern part about the Broncos regression is the fact that Joseph is a defensive minded coach, but the unit didn’t particularly respond well to having him join the team. Perhaps that was because the offense often put them in compromising situations. That would explain why they ranked third in yards allowed and 22nd in points allowed.

Of course, it could also be that the Broncos defenders missed their previous defensive coordinator. Upon his arrival in Denver, Joseph elected to bring in Joe Woods to run his defense. While Woods did a fine job, he was replacing Wade Phillips who is arguably the best defensive coordinator in the NFL. That looks like it might have been a mistake.

Another mistake that Joseph made was scapegoating Mike McCoy. The Broncos elected to part with McCoy after a six-game losing streak and while the offense wasn’t performing too well, that can’t entirely be blamed on McCoy. The inconsistent quarterback play should have bought him at least another offseason to work with the squad. After all, he has a solid pedigree as an offensive coordinator. Parting with him and tapping Bill Musgrave to replace him was an uninspiring decision to say the least.

I don’t have a lot of faith that Joseph is the answer in Denver. Perhaps with Case Keenum coming into the fold, the Broncos will improve all-around and the defense will become elite once again. But pencil me in as a doubter of Joseph at this point in the 2018 offseason.

ALAMEDA, CA – JANUARY 09: Oakland Raiders new head coach Jon Gruden speaks during a news conference at Oakland Raiders headquarters on January 9, 2018 in Alameda, California. Jon Gruden has returned to the Oakland Raiders after leaving the team in 2001. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

There are occasions in which retread hires can work. The Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid are a shining example of that over the past five seasons. But bringing back Jon Gruden seems like a massive mistake by the Raiders.

There’s no doubting that in his heyday, Jon Gruden was one of the better coaches in the NFL. He famously was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then proceeded to lead that squad to a Super Bowl title. He did that with Brad Johnson at the helm, and that made it all the more impressive.

That said, the Super Bowl Gruden won was in 2003. That was 15 years ago. And the last time that Gruden was on the sideline as a head coach was in 2008. He led the Buccaneers to a second straight 9-7 season, but suffered four consecutive losses to close the year. Following that, he was fired. And he hasn’t coached since.

As many know, Gruden has spent the better part of the past 10 years working for ESPN as the Monday Night Football color commentator. He did a bit of coaching through his series “Gruden’s QB Camp,” but he primarily has been in the box. That’s what makes this move such an interesting one.

There’s no doubting that Gruden is an excellent motivator. And when he was a coach in the NFL, he did have one of the brightest offensive minds. But again, that was over a decade ago. The last time he had a top 10 offense in terms of yardage was 2003. And his last top 10 scoring offense came in 2001. It’s a stretch to wonder if Gruden will be able to find success in the modern NFL.

Because of the changes to the game, and particularly in terms of passing, older NFL coaches have been swallowed up by the new wave of young, innovative offensive minds. This is why coaches who were once thought to be good, such as Jeff Fisher and John Fox, struggled immensely in their final years in the league. I’m not saying that Gruden will fall into that category, but if he can’t keep up with the major changes that have occurred in the past 10 years, it will be hard for him to stick around.

That said, Gruden has done a solid job of surrounding himself with good coordinators and solid offensive minds to help take some of the pressure off. Notably, offensive coordinator Greg Olson has been a quarterback guru during his time in the league, and that could do a lot to help Derek Carr improve. That is a major plus for Gruden.

Still, it’s fair to be skeptical of what Gruden will be able to accomplish. He might be a good coach, but he’s definitely being overpaid and there’s no guarantee that he will work out. Watching his performance in the early going of the 2018 season will be fun. But for now, we have him ranked towards the bottom of the league, solely because he’s been out of coaching for so long.

CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 14: head coach Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on against the Houston Texans during the first half at Paul Brown Stadium on September 14, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Per usual, the Cincinnati Bengals had one of the stranger offseasons in the NFL. In the closing month of the 2017 season, it was a foregone conclusion that they were going to part ways with long-time head coach Marvin Lewis. Lewis, who had been the team’s head coach since the 2003 season, was coming off back-to-back losing seasons and the team wasn’t performing up to snuff in 2017.

But somehow, he managed to keep his job and is the second longest tenured head coach in the NFL as a result. And the reason for this is easy to see. Bengals owner Mike Brown loves continuity and didn’t want to entrust the Bengals organization with just any head coach. Once it became clear that he couldn’t have the candidate he wanted, and it’s possible that Jay Gruden was on that shortlist, Lewis was brought back for another season.

In all fairness, Lewis does have a somewhat impressive resume. In 14 seasons with the Bengals, he has posted a record of 125-112-3. During that time, he has also led the team to seven playoff appearances, which is a major achievement given how poorly regarded the Bengals were prior to Lewis’ term with the team.

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That said, there is still a lot of qualms to be had with Lewis. The first is that he has never won a playoff game during his time as a head coach. That’s right. Despite getting the Bengals to the playoffs seven times, and getting them there in 6-of-7 seasons at one point, they never won a game. Lewis definitely deserves part of the blame for this, as the squad had the talent necessary to pull off at least one victory during the time that they ruled the NFC North. But alas, they never figured out how to do it.

It also appeared that, at the end of his time in Cincinnati, Lewis had run his course. The team’s offense had badly regressed due to downgrades on the offensive line, but Andy Dalton didn’t look great either. The defense also regressed in 2017, and that could be blamed on Lewis’ coaching. After spending so much time in one place, it can get redundant hearing the same messages and hearing about the same problems. And it really looked like it was time to move on from Lewis because of the lack of effort and inability to adapt to change.

Lewis has one top 10 offense and five top 10 defenses during his 14 year tender. That isn’t enough to be considered a consistent threat, let alone a dynasty. And it still baffles me that he has been a part of three ties during his career. He is the only coach since the turn of the millennium to have multiple ties. So, it’s clear that his late, close game strategy isn’t all that good.

At this point, Lewis is what he is. A veteran coach who isn’t able to get enough out of his players to consistently win games. He deserves a low spot on this list, as it’s unlikely that he will be able to help the Bengals get back to postseason contention. He probably should have gone elsewhere this offseason.

ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 30: Head coach Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys claps on the sidelines during a football game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on November 30, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

It’s hard to believe that Jason Garrett has been the head coach of the Cowboys since midway through 2010. Over the course of his eight years as head coach, he has been pretty unremarkable and hasn’t done enough to keep the Cowboys competitive in most seasons. But, Jerry Jones is a stubborn man, and he has elected to keep Garrett on for that long.

Since becoming the head coach of the Cowboys, Garrett has posted a 67-53 record. While that may look good on paper, consider that he has only recorded a winning season three times in those eight seasons. Often, the Cowboys have been the pinnacle of average, finishing 8-8 three times during his tenure. And in his eight years, the Cowboys have only made the playoffs twice.

In the two playoff appearances that Garrett has garnered, he only sports a 1-2 record. In 2016, despite sporting a 13-3 record and earning the top seed in the NFC, the team lost to the Green Bay Packers at home. And that revealed some of Garrett’s major flaws.

Simply put, Garrett doesn’t do a lot to inspire confidence in him as a head coach. Though he has a background as an NFL quarterback, his offense isn’t anything special. At best, he’s a decent motivator with an average mind as a head coach. But frankly, that could be a bit generous.

Garrett is just an inconsistent head coach. Some years, he manages to light the fire and capitalize on the talent that his team has. Other years, he doesn’t do nearly enough to get his team where they need to be. His average at best performance over the course of eight seasons is enough to put him in the below-average echelon for coaching candidates. And it will put him on the hot seat as well.

The 2018 season will probably be Garrett’s last chance to showcase that he can lead a playoff contender. Without marked improvement over 2017, especially with most of his key personnel back, it’s probable that he will be coaching elsewhere in 2019. For that reason, Garrett falls to this low level. He just isn’t a very inspiring option.

BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 4: Head coach Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins yells from the sidelines in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 4, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

When Adam Gase was hired by the Miami Dolphins, many touted it as a great move. The young protege had done excellent work with the Denver Broncos and Chicago despite working under John Fox, whose specialty was more on the defensive side of the ball.

When Gase was in Denver, he led the Broncos to two consecutive seasons with a top five offense, including the 2013 season which saw the squad lead the NFL in yardage and points. Of course, it should be noted that he was working with Peyton Manning before his decline, but also, he did help lead Manning to his record-breaking 55 touchdown season. So, that is certainly a positive for Gase’s resume.

That said, Gase’s time in Miami has been uninspiring to say the least. Though Gase came to Miami after a time of turmoil, as the era of Joe Philbin was shrouded in a dark cloud that was the Bullygate scandal, he hasn’t done what he was brought to the team to do. And that’s bring the offense to new heights.

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Under Gase, the Dolphins’ two offensive units have been below average in most categories. In 2016, Gase did do well to get the team to the playoffs. But still, the team’s offense only ranked 24th in total yardage and 17th in scoring. That Dolphins squad had the hallmark of an overachieving team, and they did fall back down to earth the following season. In 2017, they couldn’t score and had a bad scoring defense. So, that caused them to regress to 6-10 overall.

Perhaps the most disappointing part of Gase’s first season in Miami was Ryan Tannehill‘s lack of growth. Gase was supposed to help Tannehill make the leap and become a truly solid NFL quarterback. Instead, Tannehill plateaued and despite having the highest completion percentage of his career, looked nothing more than an average quarterback. Of course, he did suffer a major injury at the end of the year, but regardless, his stat line was only decent at best.

Gase has the upside to climb higher on these rankings, but it’s hard to envision him getting this Dolphins team to new heights. It seems that he is a great offensive coordinator who may not have what it takes to be an NFL head coach. Perhaps he will change the tone during the 2018 season, but for now, he will rank in the bottom tier of these coach rankings.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts addresses the media during his introductory press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 13, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Colts ended up having a tough offseason in their attempts to hire a new head coach. Josh McDaniels was ready to take the job, but the New England Patriots then swooped in with an offer to stay on board that made him change his mind. As a result, the team was left scrambling following the broken promise, and they ended up tabbing Frank Reich as their new head coach.

There’s a lot to like about Reich. He has a wealth of experience in the NFL as a backup quarterback. He’s fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he helped develop Carson Wentz into the one of the league’s best quarterbacks and helped backup Nick Foles become the Super Bowl MVP. And in 2017, the Eagles offense ranked seventh in yardage and third in points, despite Wentz’s ACL tear late in the season. Reich deserves a lot of credit for what he was able to do with the Eagles.

It’s also worth noting that Reich got his coaching start as an intern with the Colts back in 2006 and was with the team from that time until 2011. So, he has experience working with this team and ownership group.

At the same time, there is a lot of risk in the hiring of Reich. To begin with, Reich has had an unbalanced career as a coordinator, only fielding the one above average, well-rounded offensive unit of the Eagles in 2017. He had previously been fired in San Diego after two seasons of working well with the pass offense but failing to find a run game combination that worked.

However, the minor concerns with Reich’s coaching abilities are secondary to other issues that the new head coach will face. For starters, Reich was not the top choice for this job, and everybody knows it. He was essentially the emergency hire. And while he still got the job, there may be comparisons made to McDaniels, depending on how Reich’s offense works in his first season.

Also, it’s worth noting that because of how the contracts were negotiated with McDaniels’ assistants, the Colts were obligated to keep them on staff. That includes defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. And while Eberflus is certainly a bright young mind, the fact is that he might not be Reich’s guy. So, that could be an issue if the two should butt heads.

I’m also not a huge fan of picking scheme over personnel, and the Colts did that on defense. They switched to a 4-3 defense, which could absolutely benefit them in the long run given how bad their 3-4 unit was, but they parted ways with Johnathan Hankins when they did that. It was deemed that he wouldn’t be a great fit for the 4-3. While that may not have been Reich’s call, that was the team’s best defensive lineman. And without him, the Colts front seven looks weaker than ever. So, that was definitely a questionable call.

In short, there is going to be a lot for Reich to deal with in Indianapolis that may compromise his abilities as a head coach in his first season. Perhaps he will do a great job on offense, but the uncertain nature of Andrew Luck‘s shoulder and the questions about the new defense could weigh him down. I think Reich could eventually climb up these rankings. But of the new head coaches, it seems that his hiring is the most disorganized and carries the most risk.

SAN DIEGO, CA – CIRCA 2011: In this handout image provided by the NFL, Steve Wilks of the San Diego Chargers poses for his NFL headshot circa 2011 in San Diego, California. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)

There are a lot of similarities between Steve Wilks and another head coach on this list. That would be Vance Joseph, who checked in at the No. 30 spot overall. That’s not necessarily an indictment of Wilks, as he has yet to coach a game at the NFL level, but his career trajectory to date has been similar to Joseph’s.

Before becoming the head coach of the Broncos, Joseph spent the start of his career at the collegiate level, spending six years working mostly as a defensive backs coach for various colleges. Then, he moved up to the NFL level, spending a decade as a defensive backs coach before becoming a defensive coordinator for one season with the Dolphins. Then, he was hired by the Broncos to take over for Gary Kubiak.

Wilks’ path was slightly different. He actually started his college coaching career as a defensive coordinator, and would eventually spend the 1999 season as the head coach at Savannah State. After that, he spent six years bouncing around to six different schools serving as a defensive backs coach and once as a defensive coordinator.

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Then, Wilks spent a decade as a defensive backs coach, though he did earn the title of assistant head coach in Carolina before his promotion to defensive coordinator. And after one season at the helm of the Panthers defense, the Cardinals elected to bring him on as the head coach.

In Wilks’ lone season as defensive coordinator, he led the team to a great season, finishing seventh in yards allowed and 11th in scoring defense. He was able to help develop some of the young corners like James Bradberry into solid starters while still working to establish a strong front seven. That is exactly what he will be asked to do in Arizona.

Much like Joseph, it’s hard to predict exactly what Wilks will be able to do because he has only a small sample size of time as an NFL coordinator. That said, he seems like an up-and-coming star like Joseph, and it’s possible that he could help turn the Cardinals defense around. Of course, he could struggle as he learns the ropes as well. Thankfully, the Cardinals front office tends to be patient and they will likely give Wilks a chance to prove himself.

ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 03: Assistant coach, Mike Vrabel of the Houston Texans during a preseason game on September 3, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Mike Vrabel is one of the other up-and-coming stars from the 2018 coaching hires. Vrabel is just 43 and has a year of experience as a defensive coordinator under his belt. While his coaching resume may pale in comparison to some other candidates, Vrabel learned a lot during his playing days.

Vrabel had a very good career as an NFL player. He spent 14 seasons in the league as a rush/hybrid linebacker and racked up 11 interceptions and 57 sacks. His best stretch came as a member of the New England Patriots, when he spent eight years with the squad and became a favorite of Bill Belichick. And it’s easy to see why.

Vrabel was a tough player who put forth his best effort every snap he was on the field. He embraced the chance to be a starter, and learned a great deal of the defense. He was one of the smartest linebackers out there, and he was instrumental in helping to build the Patriots dynasty. His reliability and intelligence were borderline unrivaled.

Those same traits have led Vrabel to become a sought after coaching candidate. Before Vrabel became the defensive coordinator for the Texans, he served three years as the team’s linebackers coach. He also was an assistant for three years at Ohio State. But his ascension to the top was rapid, and it began when the 49ers wanted to hire him as a potential defensive coordinator for Chip Kelly‘s staff. Vrabel declined and returned to the Texans.

Eventually, Romeo Crennell was elevated to assistant head coach to clear a path for Vrabel as the defensive coordinator. Teams don’t make that move unless they are afraid they are going to lose a top talent.

On paper, Vrabel’s lone season as the Texans defensive coordinator doesn’t look great (20th in yards allowed and last in scoring). But considering all the injuries that the squad dealt with, it was a solid first season for Vrabel as the coordinator. If he had guys like J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus, they would have had a better shot at being competitive.

There is risk associated with bringing in Vrabel, much like the risk associated with handing the job to Steve Wilks. Both don’t have a lot of top level experience, but they have a wealth of other insights that will help them to improve. Plus, both will instill discipline in their respective teams, and that’s something that the Titans will definitely need under Vrabel.

ALLEN PARK, MI – FEBRUARY 07: Matt Patricia speaks at a press conference after being hired as the head coach of the Detroit Lions at the Detroit Lions Practice Facility on February 7, 2018 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Matt Patricia is one of the new head coaches that I have the most faith in. He has a really solid defensive mind, and he comes with a boatload of experience working under Bill Belichick.

Patricia had been the defensive coordinator of the Patriots from 2011 through the 2018 postseason, and he really did a great job. He helped to master the bend but don’t break technique of the Patriots, and the team had a top 10 scoring defense every year that Patricia was the coordinator. That type of remarkable consistency is what landed him a job with the Lions.

It is worth noting that while Patricia’s defenses were good at holding teams to few points, they were erratic in terms of their ability to stop opposing teams from moving the ball. In his six years as the team’s defensive coordinator, the Patriots thrice finished in the top 13 in yards allowed and thrice finished 25th or lower. However, the scoring defense is obviously more important, but this is just something to watch in case the Lions don’t adapt to the system as well as the Patriots players did.

Speaking of the Patriots players, it is impressive what Patricia was able to do when considering the personnel he was given. Because of the Patriot Way, Belichick jettisoned a couple of talented defenders before and during the 2016 season. They were Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins. These were the two most dynamic players on the defense, and Jones was an elite edge rusher during his time in New England. Still, Patricia made do with what he had.

In 2016, Patricia fielded the Patriots’ top stop unit, ranking eighth in yards allowed and No. 1 in scoring defense. He did this despite those losses and having to deal with a banged up Dont’a Hightower towards the end of the season. So needless to say, Patricia has the ability to help coach up defensive personnel and he can get defenses to exceed expectations.

With the Lions, Patricia should be a good fit. General Manager Bob Quinn worked with Patricia in New England, and the Lions have a strong enough roster to compete in the NFC. Patricia figures to be a good head coach, and there’s a good chance he could climb in these rankings once the season starts. For now, he’s just an unproven, potential-packed candidate.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 14: Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 14, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

It’s not exactly fair to judge any head coach on their previous experience with the Cleveland Browns. But on Shurmur’s resume, the biggest gig he held was as the head coach of the Browns. In two seasons at the helm, Shurmur led the team to a 9-23 record, which is actually fairly solid considering how devoid of talent the Browns roster actually was.

For the two seasons that Shurmur was in charge of the Browns, their quarterbacks were Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden. Both were good college quarterbacks, but they struggled as starters with the Browns. Since then, McCoy has become a very good backup with the Redskins while Weeden is buried on the Houston Texans’ depth chart.

Because of the presence of these two and the lack of overall offensive weaponry, it’s no surprise that Shurmur’s offenses finished in the bottom 10 of the league each season. So, he deserves a bit of slack for that, but it still isn’t exactly an inspiring look at what he might offer as a head coach.

That said, the past five seasons have seen Shurmur serve as a quality offensive coordinator for both the Eagles and the Vikings. With the Eagles, Shurmur helped to coordinate Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense. That led to some high rankings, but the numbers were a bit inflated because of the team’s penchant for quick drives and the fact that their defense was porous as well. Still, Nick Foles had a 27-2 TD-INT ration one year under Shurmur, so that speaks volumes about his ability as a quarterback mentor.

For the past two seasons, Shurmur has worked with the Vikings and did an incredible job of helping Case Keenum to become a quality NFL starter after years of floundering when given the opportunity. That work is what helped Shurmur to land another coaching job, and he even considered bringing Keenum with him. Instead, Shurmur landed in New York and will take on a reclamation project.

On paper, the Giants have a talented roster. They suffered a lot of injuries last season, and that is part of what caused them to go 3-13. However, the biggest offensive weakness for the team comes at quarterback, where Eli Manning has badly regressed in recent seasons. Shurmur’s job will be to coach him up and get him back to being at least solid. He has a good chance to do that, especially if he can help Manning to revamp his downfield ability.

Because of this upside, Shurmur ranks near the top of the new coaching candidates. The one question mark is his previous coaching stint, but again, that was with the Browns so take it with a grain of salt. If Shurmur can improve the Giants offense and get them back towards the .500 mark, he will probably vault up this list in the near future.

LAKE FOREST, IL – JANUARY 09: New Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy speaks to the media during an introductory press conference at Halas Hall on January 9, 2018 in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Of all the new NFL coaches, who have been clustered together in these rankings, I think that Matt Nagy will have the most success. He fits the mold of the recent coaches that have had a lot of success in their early years. He’s a young, offensive minded coach with a proven track record of improving quarterbacks. And, he has a talented young player to work with.

That would be Mitch Trubisky. The Bears No. 2 overall pick in 2017 didn’t get a chance to shine as a rookie, as John Fox used an archaic, run-heavy attack to allow Trubisky to ease into the transition to the NFL. While that was a smart idea, it got a bit extreme at times and in one game, Trubisky only threw seven total passes. That changed towards the end of the season, and Trubisky flashed a strong skill set that should allow him to be a franchise quarterback.

Nagy has the skills in his toolkit to help Trubisky reach the next level. Sure, his coaching resume isn’t that long, but he was the quarterbacks coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-2017. During his tenure there, he helped Alex Smith to continue to improve and become a late bloomer at the quarterback position.

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Nagy also became the offensive coordinator partway through the 2017 season, and the changes he made to the offense helped Smith to throw more downfield and gave the Chiefs a chance to be a legitimate contender.

Pairing Trubisky with a good offensive mind was a smart move by the Bears. And it’s quite possible that the marriage with Nagy could pan out. The Bears roster has a lot of talent, and them competing for the postseason is not out of the question. The main question mark is the offense but with Nagy in the fold, they should improve. Thus, Nagy seems like a perfect fit and though he doesn’t have a ton of high-level experience, he should be able to help the Bears run a more balanced offense and improve as a result.

ORCHARD PARK, NY – DECEMBER 3: Head Coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills yells during the first quarter against the New England Patriots on December 3, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

In my initial version of this list, I had Sean McDermott ranked higher than No. 19. After all, he was able to lead he Bills to the playoffs despite having a relatively weak roster. However, I couldn’t get past one thing that he did during the 2017 season. And that was starting Nathan Peterman in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Simply put, there’s no logical reason that the Bills should have started Peterman. They were right in the thick of the playoff race with a 5-4 record. Sure, Tyrod Taylor wasn’t playing great, but he was doing enough to help the team win. Yes, he was coming off a bad outing against the New Orleans Saints, but none of the team had played well in that contest.

At the start of Week 11, Taylor had completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,684 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Those were average passing numbers, but the 5-4 record and his 237 rushing yards were aiding the offense as well. But for the Chargers game, McDermott decided to give Peterman a chance. And it was a disaster.

Peterman only lasted the first half before Taylor replaced him, and he threw five interceptions. Not all of them were his fault, but it was abundantly clear that Peterman wasn’t ready for the limelight. He had done well in garbage time against the Saints, but that shouldn’t have given McDermott all he needed to pull the plug on Taylor.

Some might say that Taylor wasn’t getting the job done and that Peterman offered more upside at the time. And that could be argued. But at the same time, the Bills hadn’t made the playoffs in 18 years and they were in the thick of the Wild Card race. Even if they weren’t going to win in the postseason, making it would do a lot to reinvigorate the fan base. And by starting Peterman, they almost threw that chance away.

McDermott does deserve credit for getting the Bills’ defense to perform well despite being made up of players who were mostly perceived as backups or journeymen. And the development of Tre’Davious White was a huge story as well. But still, the choice to start Peterman was bad enough to keep McDermott out of the top 15.

McDermott has a lot of upside and clearly is a great defensive mind. That one mistake was just such a baffling decision for many, as Taylor had been at least efficient as the starter. As evidenced in the playoffs, he wasn’t going to win a postseason game, but he could at least get the team there. And that’s what the Bills needed to get out of the season.

BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 31: Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens walks off the field after the Cincinnati Bengals 31-27 win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Perhaps this is a bit harsh, but I just am not a big fan of John Harbaugh. The Ravens long-time head coach led the team to success early in his tenure, but since their run to the Super Bowl in 2013, the team has largely failed to meet expectations. And part of that falls on Harbaugh.

During his tenure with the Ravens, Harbaugh has consistently been able to field a strong defense, as is customary of the Ravens playing style. In fact, he has only ever seen one defense rank below 12th in yards allowed and one defense rank lower than 12th in scoring defense. That’s pretty remarkable, and it speaks volumes about Harbaugh’s ability to develop talent along with the defensive coordinator.

However, at the same time, the development on the offensive side of the ball has been non-existent. And a big part of this problem has been Joe Flacco. After leading the team to a Super Bowl after a torrid January and February, Flacco has never lived up to the contract that made him the highest paid player in NFL history when he signed it. Flacco has been mediocre at best, and while that may be an indictment of his skill set, it also speaks of Harbuagh’s inability to help him develop and get the offense on track.

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Though a couple of Baltimore offensive coordinators went on to get head coaching jobs, Jim Caldwell and Gary Kubiak, Harbaugh’s hires for the position haven’t done much to help Flacco develop or find a consistent ground game. Recently, Marty Mornhinweg and Marc Trestman have struggled to develop any sort of consistent performance from the Baltimore quarterback and offensive weaponry.

That may not be directly Harbaugh’s fault, but the fact that the once decent offense has sputtered so badly is indicative of a problem with their offensive plan. They truly are one of the worst offenses in the league right now despite not having the worst personnel. Perhaps the infusion of receiving talent will help them out a bit, but the staff hasn’t shown they can do anything at that position in the past few years. That will be a point to watch.

Some may say this is too low for Harbaugh, and some will point to the ring on his finger as one of the reasons for that. And I understand that point. But, if Flacco hadn’t played at a level well above his career average for that four game stretch, the Ravens wouldn’t have won the Super Bowl. Had Rahim Moore not busted a coverage in the Broncos-Ravens playoff game that year, they wouldn’t have won. Sure, you can say this about other Super Bowl winners (we’ll dive into the Patriots a bit later), but this one was one that seemed really fluky.

Since the Super Bowl year, Harbaugh’s Ravens have gone 40-40. They have made the playoffs once going 1-1 in the postseason. Injuries have played somewhat of a role in this, but regardless, they are the epitome of average. And it doesn’t seem that Harbuagh will be able to bring them back to being the playoff contender they once were. For that reason, he comes in at No. 18 on this list.

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Bill O’Brien talks with Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans during the first half of game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Bill O’Brien is a very solid head coach. He doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, and there was even some speculation that he could be fired following a 4-12 campaign with the Texans. The team rightfully decided to keep O’Brien in the fold, and it’s possible that they could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year.

O’Brien has been able to do good work with the team since joining on as the head coach in 2014. In his four years as head coach, O’Brien has had a revolving door at quarterback that included many pedestrian players. The team’s nine starters during O’Brien’s tenure have been Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer, Tom Savage, Brandon Weeden, T.J. Yates, Brock Osweiler, and Deshaun Watson.

Of that crew, only Watson has proven to be a potential franchise quarterback, though Keenum may have blossomed into one this year. The fact of the matter is that O’Brien was able to lead the Texans to three 9-7 finishes with this crop of quarterbacks. And that is a major achievement. They made the playoffs in both 2015 and 2016 and though they only posted a 1-2 record, it proved that O’Brien has the ability necessary to overcome poor quarterback play and get the team to the postseason. After all, Hoyer and Osweiler were his primary passers in those two postseason trips.

With Watson in the fold and recovering well from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his rookie campaign, O’Brien will now be able to focus on the rest of the offense and bring that up to speed. The team has some young talent at running back, and their offensive line will need some work. But as O’Brien has proven, he knows how to successfully run an offense. And when the defense is healthy, they will be solid as well, as O’Brien has built a quality coaching staff around him.

The only reason O’Brien is ranked this low is because there was reports that he could be fired amid a rift with then Texans GM Rick Smith. Instead, Smith elected to take a leave of absence as his wife battles breast cancer. But still, the reports of tension move him down just a bit, though his coaching acumen should not be questioned.

With another trip to the postseason, O’Brien could jump into the top 10. He’s just a good coach who knows how to coach up quarterbacks and lead teams to victory.

SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Jimmy Garoppolo #10 after a one-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)

Kyle Shanahan is one of the best quarterback gurus in the league. Every year, it seems that he is able to turn a quality quarterback into a borderline elite player. Or a below average guy into a decent starter.

During his nine years as an offensive coordinator, Shanahan was able to create a lot of success stories. He was the coordinator during Robert Griffin III’s magical first season with the Washington Redskins. Sure, that didn’t end well, but Shanahan still helped lead a well-balanced attack to the Redskins’ first playoff appearance since 2008.

In two years in Atlanta, Shanahan was able to do the same thing with Matt Ryan. In 2016, Shanahan helped turn Ryan into the league MVP and almost helped lead the Falcons to a Super Bowl title. That was what got him his job with the 49ers, and he had success there in his first season.

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Now, the 49ers did post a 6-10 record in 2017. So on paper, that doesn’t look great. But, before Jimmy Garoppolo joined the team, they were on their way to a two-win season. Garoppolo was inserted as the quarterback for the final five games. All of them were wins. Shanahan made the smart choice to have him sit as long as he could and learn the playbook. And then when he had to play, he was ready to go. This was a brilliant coaching decision, as the season was already a lost cause, so keeping Garoppolo on the bench for a while didn’t hurt anybody.

That said, Shanahan does have some other question marks on his coaching resume. And one notably came during the aforementioned Falcons Super Bowl run.

In the game, the team was leading 28-3 over the Patriots and were having a lot of success passing the ball. But, instead of continuing to run in the second half, Shanahan’s offense elected to pass quite a bit and that gave the Patriots a chance to make a comeback. The question surrounding this was simply, why? Yes, they had the MVP at quarterback, but they had the Patriots on their heels. If he was responsible for abandoning the run game, he deserves to be questioned for that, as that was a major misstep.

As it stands, Shanahan is a bright star among the young coaches. He has a great resume with a long track record of developing quarterbacks. As he coaches more, his play calling ability will be evaluated more. It seemed solid during his time in San Francisco, but the Atlanta Super Bowl is still a dark cloud hanging over his head. With a strong 2018 season, Shanahan could vault into the top 10.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 15: Head coach Todd Bowles of the New York Jets and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots shake hands after the Patriots’ 24-17 win at MetLife Stadium on October 15, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Is there anybody in the NFL who has consistently done more with less than Todd Bowles has over the past three years as Jets head coach? In looking at the rosters he worked with and the records he posted, his success has truly been remarkable.

In Bowles’ first season, 2015, the Jets posted a 10-6 record and almost made the playoffs. They had a top five defense and also surprisingly had a top 10 offense. The amazing part of this? Their offense was led by Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, Chris Ivory at running back, and Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker as the wide-outs. Though the top receivers were strong, depth was lacking. But Bowles helped to find chemistry and motivated them to try hard each week. And that’s how he won the team over.

In 2016, Bowles’ team endured a decline that was expected, as Fitzpatrick came back to earth and the veteran receivers declined. Sill, Bowles found a way to win five games by playing tough defense and even got Bryce Petty to win a game.

Even more impressive, the Jets stripped their roster of talent during the 2017 offseason. They were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league. Still, Bowles got them to start strong and were in the hunt for the Wild Card early in the season. They eventually would taper off and finish 5-11 for a second season, but nobody would have been surprised to see them go 1-15. They had purged that much talent from their already mediocre roster.

What it boils down to is this. Todd Bowles is an excellent motivator. He knows what makes players tick and knows how to get the most out of them. What he has been able to do with Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown has been incredible. Now, with Sam Darnold in the fold on offense, Bowles will be able to be better off on the offensive side of the ball. And on defense, he will continue to work his magic.

Bowles’ 3-4 scheme suits the Jets very well, and before last season, they had fielded top 11 defenses in both of Bowles’ seasons. He has done well to help Leonard Williams continue to develop, completely revived Demario Davis‘ career, and also has done yeoman’s work with the young defensive backs he’s been given. With more seasoning, the Jets defense could eventually get back to being an above average unit. And Bowles will do a lot to help them continue to rise.

Bowles is an underrated head coach. He really deserves a lot more credit. If Darnold turns out to be a legitimate franchise quarterback and Bowles continues to coach up the young defensive talent, the Jets could be a .500 team and push for the playoffs in the near future.

BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images)

I think that this is the most reasonable spot to put Jay Gruden. The Redskins head coach doesn’t have the greatest paper resume, especially if you consider his decision to hire Joe Barry as defensive coordinator instead of Wade Phillips, but the work he has done with the Redskins to help them improve cannot be ignored.

When Gruden joined the Redskins, he was fresh off a season in which he had turned Andy Dalton and the Bengals into a top 10 passing offense. Gruden was a highly sought after candidate because of the work he put in with Dalton and his ability to scheme a solid offense around him. The hope was that Gruden would be able to take RG3 to the next level and make the team a contender.

However, Gruden inherited a mess when he got to Washington. RG3 was damaged goods after the injury he suffered in the playoffs. He would only start seven games in the Gruden era before being benched in favor of Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins. This was a controversial choice at the time, but it proved to be the right one.

In the 2015 offseason, Gruden officially made the switch to Cousins as the starting quarterback. Griffin III would never see action as a Redskin after that. With Cousins at the helm, Gruden secured the team’s first playoff appearance since 2008. The decision to move on from RG3 was a very tough one, but Gruden handled the situation well. And, he turned Cousins into a solid NFL quarterback for three seasons, before Cousins departed for the Vikings in the 2018 offseason.

It’s also worth noting that Gruden led the Redskins to consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 1996-1997 seasons. He created a model of sustained success, and while the team has only made the playoffs once during his tenure, they are on the right track to get there again soon.

It’s fair to question Gruden’s play calling at times. In 2017, he had a couple of baffling calls that didn’t seem to make sense. That said, he’s still a great offensive head coach and he has shown the ability to work with his players to help them improve.

What Gruden has done beyond his ability on the field is create stability within the Redskins organization. During a time that saw Scot McCloughan come on as GM and subsequently get fired, Gruden has held the fort at head coach and provided a guiding light for the team. That cannot be understated, as the Redskins organization has long been considered one of the most dysfunctional units in the NFL.

Yes, Gruden’s 28-35-1 record doesn’t look great. But consider this. Take out the first season,4-12 with a lot of uncertainty at quarterback, and Gruden has a 24-23-1 record. That’s still just average, but considering how injury prone the team was last season, he’s lucky that record isn’t worse. Leading the Redskins to a 7-9 record with 24 players landing on Injured Reserve is unbelievable. So, he deserves credit for that.

If all goes well for the Redskins in 2018 and they can stay healthy, Gruden can lead them to the playoffs. He has a strong offensive mind and should be able to use his personnel to craft a top 10 offense.

CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 10: Head coach Anthony Lynn of the Los Angeles Chargers signals in the second quarter against the Washington Redskins on December 10, 2017 at StubHub Center in Carson, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Anthony Lynn was one of the rookie head coaches from last season who doesn’t get the buzz he deserves. While many focus on the quality hired candidates from the NFC West, Lynn quietly made a name for himself during the Chargers’ first season in Los Angeles.

Last season, Lynn was able to post a 9-7 record in his first season as head coach. His offense was a top 10 unit while his defense was a bend-but-don’t-break unit focused on keeping scoring to a minimum, hence their No. 3 overall scoring defense. They just missed out on the playoffs, but that is frankly remarkable considering what they were dealing with on their roster.

Much like the Redskins, the Chargers suffered countless key injuries during the 2017 campaign. They ended the year wit 11 players on IR, but they also spent a good chunk of the season without key starting linebacker Denzel Perryman. Their offensive line was also a banged up mess, so it’s amazing that Lynn was able to field a strong offense and improve what had previously been a woeful Chargers running game.

That’s the area that Lynn really excels in. During his lone season as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, he was able to help the Bills achieve the NFL’s top run offense, and that helped to mask the passing deficiencies of then-quarterback Tyrod Taylor. With another season of working with a fully healthy Melvin Gordon, Lynn could get the offense to take the next step.

On both sides of the ball, Lynn did a great job of bringing on talented coaches to work with his players. Notably, getting Gus Bradley to run the team’s 3-4 defense was a huge get, and he worked his magic this past season. Lynn was also smart to keep Ken Whisenhunt on as the offensive coordinator, given what Philip Rivers has accomplished under his tutelage.

Lynn is a quality player caller, a good motivator, and has the quality offensive mind that should allow him to succeed with the Chargers. If he can get Rivers to continue to play well and the defense keeps humming, the Chargers could be a sleeper to make the Super Bowl in the AFC. Of course, all this depends on whether or not the team can stay healthy.

SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 31: Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll shouts from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field on December 31, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)

Pete Carroll is one of the hardest coaches to grade in the whole league. He is overrated as a coach. His ability to make quick, correct decisions on the field will always be questioned. Nobody will ever forget the decision to pass the ball on the goal line in Super Bowl 49. There are some positives to him as a coach, but that mistake will cost him a shot at the top 10.

That said, for all his strategic deficiencies, Carroll is one of the better motivators in the league. When watching the Seahawks play, they always put forth effort, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Carroll just knows how to communicate with players and he has built a solid locker room culture.

In Carroll’s early days with the Seahawks, he completely remade a team and took a unique approach to creating a stellar defense. While GM John Schneider added quality personnel, Carroll was on the field working in practice, and he introduced the team to mindfulness and meditation. That created a zen atmosphere where the players and coaches alike thrived. And that’s what led them to a Super Bowl title.

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In recent seasons, the lax attitude has led to some discord when the team hasn’t played well, but the fact of the matter is that Carroll and the Seahawks are able to let tough losses go. That’s how they are able to move on week after week and still put forth solid effort.

Carroll also deserves praise for giving his players opportunities to prove themselves. He wasn’t afraid to start undersized rookie Russell Wilson over prized free agent add Matt Flynn in 2012, and that changed the direction of the franchise. The meritocracy employed allows more unheralded players and later draft picks to earn starting roles. Aside from Wilson, names like Richard Sherman, Thomas Rawls, and Doug Baldwin come to mind.

While Carroll has a solid program in place for players, he himself isn’t great at developing talent. In recent years, the Seahawks have struggled to find talented players to sustain success, and some of that falls on Carroll and his coaching staff. In particular, the team’s failure to upgrade the offensive line and develop prospects there has hurt the Seahawks.

Carroll comes with concerns. But he also has won a Super Bowl and has qualified for the postseason in 6-of-8 years with the franchise. He is one of the better player’s coaches in the league too. He’s definitely a flawed candidate, but he belongs in the top 12 for sure. Some may just be weary of his style due to the Seahawks’ perceived lack of success in 2017.

DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers watches his team against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter at Ford Field on December 31, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

This may seem a bit low on the list for Mike McCarthy, but he has been overrated for the past couple of seasons. McCarthy’s Packers have achieved success in the regular season, and they have won a Super Bowl under his watch. But for the most part, the past couple of seasons have been disappointing.

Last year, the Packers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, which was the first year of the Aaron Rodgers era. Part of the problem was that Rodgers spent a good chunk of the season recovering from a collarbone injury. So, the Packers offense sputtered as a result.

That’s the one big knock on McCarthy. He hasn’t been able to at least get the offense to play at an average level when Rodgers is out. Granted, anytime a star quarterback can’t play a team will suffer. But, last season Brett Hundley went 3-6 in nine spot starts and couldn’t keep the Packers afloat. McCarthy didn’t do enough to help make his life easier on offense, so that’s a bit of a negative.

Also, McCarthy’s team has never really had a great defense. Save for a couple of top 10 units in 2009-2010, McCarthy’s team has largely been below average. Part of that falls on him, as he was too loyal to defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who worked with him from 2009-2017. He stuck with Capers a bit too long, and probably should have hired a guy a season or two earlier. That said, getting Mike Pettine to coach the defense was a great move by the Packers.

With those major negatives out of the way, it’s time to take a look at what makes McCarthy a borderline top 10 coach. For starters, he has posted a 121-70-1 since becoming the Packers head coach in 2006. He’s only had a total of two losing seasons, one of which came last year without Rodgers.

And most impressively, McCarthy has gotten the Packers to the playoffs nine times, including eight consecutive trips. The team’s 10-8 record is just above average, and the fact that they did beat the Steelers in the 2011 Super Bowl helped cement McCarthy’s status as a top coach.

With an improved defense this year, the Packers will have a chance to make a postseason run. McCarthy has to prove that he has what it takes to balance the offense a bit more and not rely on Rodgers so heavily. He’s great when organizing the pass game, and he has to improve the run offense. Had McCarthy made the playoffs with the Packers last year, he would have been a top 10 guy. For now, he has a bit of work to do to climb back up the coaching rankings.

PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 10: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts to a penalty flag in the second half during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on December 10, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

When Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl in his second year as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach, many thought that he was going to be the next great Steelers coach. And while Tomlin has proven to be a good head coach, he still isn’t the top tier guy that some paint him to be.

Since taking the Pittsburgh job, Tomlin has posted a 116-60 record over the course of 11 seasons with the team. The Steelers have made the playoffs in 8-of-11 years, and that has been a major positive from Tomlin.

That said, Tomlin’s abilities to adjust on the field and make critical decisions have never been that great. At times, he has cost his team in big moments, much like Pete Carroll. For example, the team blew a chance to potentially fight for homefield advantage in the playoffs last year when they let the Patriots score 11 points to come from behind in the fourth quarter. At this time, Tomlin’s play calling was questionable, and it seemed like he didn’t know how to play with the lead.

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Even worse was the team’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2018 Divisional Round. Earlier in the year, the Steelers had been embarrassed by the Jaguars 30-6. They were in position to have a revenge game at home, and the Jaguars were coming off a horrible win over he Bills in which their offense struggled.

When Tomlin’s team took the field, they couldn’t contain the Blake Bortles led passing attack and ended up losing 45-42. It seemed that his players weren’t focused on the task at hand, and they were looking ahead to playing the Patriots. This cost them a chance for a rematch with New England.

It was especially maddening to watch the game against the Jaguars solely because of how much the win should have meant to the players. And also, Tomlin is a defensive minded head coach, so allowing 45 points to the Jaguars meager offense is a major knock on his abilities.

If you comb back through Tomlin’s career, you will find several similar games that his team either had a chance at winning or should have won. They are often playoff games or important contests for the postseason race. Recently, he just hasn’t been able to win those, and it seems that he lacks the clutch coaching skills necessary to be a top five coach.

All that said, Tomlin is still one of the better player developers in the league, and he does know how to use his team’s strengths to win. He deserves a spot in the top 10, but if he doesn’t improve his 8-7 playoff record (5-6 since 2010) then he may find his seat getting warm in the near future.

PITTSBURGH, PA – JANUARY 14: Head coach Doug Marrone of the Jacksonville Jaguars asks head linesman Jerry Bergman #91 for a replay review in the first quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on January 14, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Doug Marrone has been one of the better head coaches in the NFL since he was hired by the Buffalo Bills in 2013. During his three-plus years as a coach for the Bills and Jaguars, Marrone has posted a 26-24 record. And given the state of both these franchises before Marrone’s arrival, the work he has done has been incredible.

With the Bills, Marrone inherited a team without an established quarterback that hadn’t had a winning season since 2004. While Marrone’s selection of EJ Manuel didn’t pan out as a starter, in just two seasons, Marrone led the team to a 9-7 record and almost qualified for the postseason. It seemed that things were taking a turn in Buffalo, and that they would be ready to take the next step.

However, Marrone opted out of his contract that offseason after a change in leadership with the Bills. He ended up landing with the Jaguars as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach after missing out on the available coaching gigs. After Gus Bradley was fired, Marrone took over as the interim head coach and won the heart of Tom Coughlin. He had the interim tag stripped during the 2017 offseason and took over the hapless Jaguars.

The Jaguars hadn’t had a winning season since 2007 when Marrone took over. And in 2017, he led them to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. He managed to turn the Jaguars defense into the second best unit in the league, but his work on offense was even more impressive. Despite Blake Bortles being the starter, the Jags had a top five unit in scoring and ranked sixth in yardage. This was thanks to the rigorous system Marrone put into place to challenge his players.

Marrone eventually would bring the Jaguars to the AFC Title Game where they lost to the Patriots. But the fact that the Jaguars grew so much in just one season inspired a lot of hope that their growth could continue. And Marrone should be just the tough, hard-nosed coach to get them to new heights.

Speaking of Marrone’s tough nature, it does rub some the wrong way. WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell said that Marrone is “known to be as one of the biggest jerks and meanest people in the NFL” in a recent piece.

Additionally, Marrone’s own players were upset by some of the changes he made to the locker room and commented on how tough training camp was, per the Associated Press. These may just be minor blips on the radar, especially regarding the removal of certain items from the locker room, but if the sentiment about Marrone is true, then it’s possible he could eventually lose his players if he pushes them too hard.

Regardless, it’s clear that Marrone knows how to get results. He turns underachievers into overachievers. He can scheme around weaknesses and gameplans to his team’s strengths. He may be one of the more underrated coaches in the league and with another solid season, he could establish himself as one of the next top coaches in the league.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 03: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers calls for a time out during the second half of a NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 3, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Saints won the game 31 – 21. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

It’s hard to believe that Ron Rivera has been the head coach of the Panthers for seven years already. It seems that he’s only been there for a few seasons, but come this fall, he will be starting his eighth season at the helm of the Panthers.

During his stint with the Panthers, Rivera has done a very good job of making the team relevant. He was instrumental in the process of bringing Cam Newton to the team, and his philosophy about building a strong, tough defense has worked out very well.

With players like Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Mario Addison, and formerly Josh Norman at his disposal, Rivera built a defense that nearly led the Panthers to a Super Bowl title in 2015. Unfortunately, the squad ran into an equally tough Broncos defense and lost the title game as a result of that. That was the only thing that kept the Panthers, who were 17-1 on the season before that game, from earning a ring.

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Brees became an elite quarterback working alongside Payton. When he was signed, he was coming off a major shoulder injury that few expected him to come back from. Instead, he made a fully comeback and became even better. Payton’s vertical offense allowed Brees to pick apart defenses and Payton’s ability to scheme receivers open was a perfect match for Brees’ excellent arm talent. That’s how Payton’s teams were so good year in and year out. Brees and the offensive system Payton put in place.

However, Payton isn’t afraid to make adjustment either. In game or season long, Payton always knows what to do with his offense. Last season, he used Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram to create a stellar running attack and take pressure off Brees. And in game, it seems that Payton and Brees are always on the same page about how to attack defenses and create scoring opportunities.

The only negative associated with Payton is the Bountygate scandal. Payton was a part of the New Orleans coaching staff when it was revealed that certain coaches on the team had paid players for hits that injured opponents. This was a major disappointment, as the idea that players were actively trying to injure each other was damaging for the Saints, the NFL, and Payton’s reputation. He was suspended for the entire 2012 season as a result and certainly paid for his actions.

Bountygate aside, what Payton has done in New Orleans is remarkable and important. He brought Brees to the city and helped reinvigorate the community after an awful tragedy. He led the team’s offense to a lot of success and the team to a 105-71 record. And, of course, he brought the squad a Super Bowl ring in 2009. Payton will continue to be one of the better coaches in the NFL, and should keep leading the Saints as long as Brees is still in town.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 21: Head coach Mike Zimmer of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during warm ups prior to the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

For quite some time, it seemed like Mike Zimmer would never get a shot at a head coaching job. In 2013, after 14 years as an NFL defensive coordinator, Zimmer finally got a chance to become a head coach, and he joined the Minnesota Vikings. And needless to say, the fit was perfect.

Zimmer took over a young Minnesota team that had a lot of talent. They were built as a ground-and-pound team with the makings of a good defense. But when Zimmer came to town, that changed. He spent a lot of early draft picks on defense to make them an elite squad. And it paid off, as they were the No. 1 overall defense in the league in 2017.

Zimmer has done a lot to add guys like Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter, and Ben Gedeon to the defense. These guys have become stars, starters, and glue guys that have kept the elite Vikings defense together. Zimmer helped to make Xavier Rhodes one of the league’s best corners, and the defensive line play has been excellent as well. Zimmer can certainly be thanked for a lot of that.

On offense, Zimmer has done a good job of finding quality coordinators, including Pat Shurmur who was just hired to coach the Giants. This has allowed the team to cycle through many different starters, including Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, and Case Keenum, during his tenure. This flexibility offered the team numerous possibilities and opportunities all while keeping chemistry high.

Zimmer is an easy coach to praise. He is excellent at leading defense, the team respects him, and he has built a quality offense through player development despite uncertainty at many positions. Now, he will face his biggest challenge. Making Kirk Cousins live up to the massive contract he signed.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Tropy after his teams 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

This is an astronomical climb for Doug Pederson, but he has earned it after what he did in two seasons with the Eagles. The Eagles brought in Pederson to undo the damages in the wake of the Chip Kelly era. It was expected that because he was from the Andy Reid coaching tree, he would provide stability to the franchise. Making them a perennial playoff contender wasn’t necessarily the expectation. It was more about getting them back on track.

Pederson has vastly exceeded those expectations. In his first season with the team, he led the squad to a 7-9 record despite having Carson Wentz on as a rookie quarterback. In his second year, they won the Super Bowl despite the potential MVP Wentz. Backup Nick Foles was able to lead the team to victory in what was one of the greatest games of his life. And that was partially thanks to a great game plan by Pederson and that he trusted Foles when the backup called the “Philly Special” on fourth and goal.

Pederson meticulously chose a staff full of All-Star coaches who got the young Eagles into shape and seamlessly integrated the veterans into the team. Of course, general manager Howie Roseman played a role in this, for finding quality personnel and approving coaching hires, but Pederson deserves credit for what he did as well. Notably, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has done well to turn the defense into one of the best units in the league. His attacking 4-3 defense with a strong defensive line helped the Eagles to shut down quality opponents.

The hallmark of Peterson’s coaching style was his aggressive nature. He was never afraid to go for it in questionable situations. He knew his team and knew what they were capable of. This aggressive style instilled confidence in the Eagles, and also helped them to pull out some wins in close games.

Also, it’s worth noting that Pederson’s offensive units were fairly balanced when comparing the running and passing games. He kept opposing teams guessing and off-balance. And that’s how the team was able to win the Super Bowl.

Pederson still has a stacked roster that should be able to compete with most on a league-wide stage. Provided that he can keep the team motivated and stay aggressive, the Eagles will be a contender for a good stretch. And that seems like something that Pederson will be able to do.

FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 13: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during the fourth quarter of the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

It’s impossible not to rank Bill Belchick at the top of this list. He has five Super Bowl titles after all, and he has created the dynasty that is the New England Patriots. While he may not be one of the more liked head coaches in the league, his effectiveness cannot be denied.

Belichick is the best player developer in the NFL. He brings in players that he thinks fit his system, and he ensures that he finds guys that know how to play football. When things don’t work out, he never hesitates to get rid of a player. That may seem cold, but it’s the Patriot Way. And that’s how they win games.

During his time with the Patriots, Belichick has a 214-74 record, which is absolutely insane. When including his time with the Browns, he has 250 career wins. And overall, his postseason record is an astounding 28-11. Not many can achieve that.

It is worth noting that Belichick has made some severe blunders. Most recently, he sat out Malcolm Butler for the Super Bowl and saw his secondary torched as a result. He also elected to trade Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, and that’s why they nearly lost the Super Bowl to the Falcons, as their defense was shredded before Atlanta inexplicably stopped running the ball. And, of course, the team has lost two Super Bowls to Eli Manning and notably, lost a perfect season in 2008.

Next: Top 10 quarterbacks in Washington Redskins history

Regardless, Belichick’s resume speaks for itself. He’s a great strategist and he develops players. He knows how to motivate guys, coach them up, and find quality assistants. He’s still the top rung of the ladder among NFL coaches and while he may not be the most likable guy, he’s still the league’s best coach for another year.

Jacob Camenker