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“Fond Farwell-Philip Rivers”

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Dadgummit.

He’s retired.

He, being legendary quarterback Philip Rivers, who has decided to move on to the next chapter of his life.

A week after his Colts playoff game with Buffalo, he has elected to walk away from the NFL.

Where do you start when discussing a 17-year carrer?

..The hyper-active audible playcalls at the line of scrimage.
..The touchdown passes to Antonio Gates
..The runs-the passes to Ladainian Tomlinson
..The fist bumps with teammates coming off the field after a scoring drive
..The distinctive side arm delivery
..The lifetime bond with his center Nick Hardwick
..The deep TD bombs to Vincent Jackson
..The slants and go to Keenan Allen
..The dump and runs to Danny Woodhead-Austin Ekeler
..The yapping with Broncos QB-Jay Cutler
..The wins at Arrowhead Stadium or at Mile High Stadium
..The war of words with Raiders fans in the Black Hole
..His love of gameday…any time..any place.

The Rivers era ends with pages and pages of statistics.

He leaves the NFL having started 240-games in a row..second only to Brett Favre
He finishes with a (134-106) record and a (5-7) playoff record
He winds up with (63,440Y) passing and 421-TDs…fifth in NHL history
He took (464) sacks..threw (224) interceptions…had a career (95) QB rating

He had just 2-major injuries in 17-years, 16-with the Chargers, a torn knee ligament and a toe injury

He was loud-proud, and stand up guy in the pocket and a stand up guy with the media.

He was beloved by his coaches Marty Schottenheimer, Norv Turner and even Mike McCoy.

A devout Christian, he and Tiffany have 9-children.
His most famous vacation, taking his family to the Vatican to meet the Pope.

He was durable, dynamic, an amazing team leader.

And he was ours in San Diego for almost his entire career.

His calling card: Faith-Family-Football-Friends.

A great QB…a greater person.

I read his farewell note…and all I could say was ‘Dadgummit’.

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“Every year, January 20th is a special and emotional day,” Rivers said. “It is St. Sebastian’s Feast day, the day I played in the AFC Championship without an ACL, and now the day that after 17 seasons, I’m announcing my retirement from the National Football League. Thank you God for allowing me to live out my childhood dream of playing quarterback in the NFL.

“I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons, and the Colts for the 17th season.

“Thank you to all my coaches that helped me grow as a player and person.

“Thanks to the support staff.

“I appreciate the opposing defenses making it challenging physically and mentally every week . . . I also enjoyed the banter.

“I appreciate the referees for putting up with all my fussing. I think I was right most of the time dadgummit!

“Thanks to the fans in San Diego and around the nation that both cheered and booed.

“Special thanks to my teammates. Without a doubt my favorite part of the game, being a teammate. Thank you for being mine.

“Lastly, thank you to my wife and best friend Tiffany, and our children Halle, Caroline, Grace, Gunner, Sarah, Peter, Rebecca, Clare, and Anna. Could not have don’t it without y’all’s unwavering support.

“As my playing career comes to an end, the next chapter begins.”

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“NFL Coaching Hires–What’s Wrong–Rooney Rule or NFL Owners”

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The NFL has a problem…not a Covid problem…surely not a money problem…definitely not a popularity problem.

But it has an image problem of the “Good Old White Boys Club”…hiring white coaches, ignoring black head coaches.

7-openings this off season…5-jobs filled…2-left…0-African Americans hired yet.

This comes on the heels of last years hiring-firing season with almost the same results.

There are 32-head coaching jobs in the NFL.  There are 2-black head coaches, 1-Hispanic coach, 2-Muslim coach.

The outrage spilling over from the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which helps in the delivery of minority candidates to NFL owners, is strong this year.

Here’s a close up look at the emotion swirling around this year’s hiring cycle..courtesy of the website ‘Undefeated’

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Nearing the close of another hiring cycle, NFL owners have failed again.

In a period in which there were initially seven openings for head coaches and now has only two vacancies remaining, no Black coaches have been tabbed to fill any yet. In most categories, going 0 for 5 is an awful look. This one qualifies.

For proponents of inclusive hiring throughout the league, the lack of progress would be concerning during any cycle. That it has occurred following the previous three cycles, however, is downright alarming for the game’s Black assistant coaches, several told The Undefeated in recent interviews. During the previous cycles, there were 20 openings for head coaches. Only one coach of color was hired in each cycle — and one Black coach total.

As of the publication of this column, the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles had not officially completed their coaching searches. Perhaps a fourth-quarter comeback of sorts will occur, enabling the league to claim a net gain in its number of Black head coaches (at the start of the process, the total stood at only one — Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers; Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins is Afro-Latino and Ron Rivera of the Washington Football Team is Latino). Of course, even having two or three Black head coaches in a league with 32 teams isn’t exactly something to thump one’s chest about.

Some will point to the hiring of Robert Saleh, the first Muslim head coach in NFL history, by the New York Jets as a sign of progress on the coaching front. Make no mistake, that move is noteworthy. But let’s be real: The NFL has never been Blacker.

The league’s on-field workforce is more than 70% Black. Of the 32 players selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, 29 are Black. Black quarterbacks now set the league’s agenda, and the best among them, Kansas City Chiefs wunderkind Patrick Mahomes, is the new face of the NFL. With that backdrop, the NFL is sending a horrible message to its Black assistant coaches.

And don’t count on both the Texans and Eagles to turn to Black assistants to lead their teams. It’s more likely that Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid would punt on fourth down late in a game while running out the clock to complete a victory is within his reach.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) talks to Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy (right) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

RICH GRAESSLE/PPI/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES

Commissioner Roger Goodell and his top lieutenants had hoped for better — far better — after high-ranking officials from the league office and the Fritz Pollard Alliance, the independent group that advises the NFL on matters of diversity, intensified their efforts around hiring during the offseason. Their belief was that by incentivizing inclusion and focusing on policies that would potentially accelerate the ability of candidates to move through the pipeline, positive change would manifest in improvement as soon as this cycle. So much for that.

What has occurred since the end of the regular season is yet another painful reminder, coaches say, that the league office can only do so much. The NFL’s hiring problem, at its core, is at the ownership level. And it’s as glaring as ever.

What’s most galling to Black coaches is the clear double standard present in the hiring process. While white assistants with little experience as coordinators or even position coaches are fast-tracked for the top-rung jobs, top-notch Black assistants often toil for years waiting for opportunities that never come, regardless of their role in contributing to an organization’s overall success. For Black assistants, the curious case of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is just about becoming a cautionary tale.

With their victory over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC divisional round Sunday, the Chiefs will become the first AFC team to host three consecutive AFC title games. For that entire period, Bieniemy has been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator. Furthermore, Mahomes, who swears by Bieniemy, is 24-1 in his last 25 starts, including a Super Bowl victory. The Chiefs’ success overall and that individually of the team’s young superstar signal-caller should be a launching pad for Bieniemy to run his own shop. Bieniemy is still waiting for it to happen.

Meanwhile, after only one season as a defensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams, Brandon Staley has been hired to take over the Los Angeles Chargers. Staley becomes a head coach not even four years after being hired for his first NFL coaching gig. Until this season, he coached outside linebackers. Granted, the Rams thrived under Staley this season, leading the NFL in many categories. But here’s the thing: Bieniemy has been doing it big with the Chiefs for several years.

Then there’s the Detroit Lions’ coaching vacancy.

Reportedly, the Lions are expected to hire New Orleans Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell, who has never been a coordinator in the NFL. Could Staley and Campbell wind up being successful with the Chargers and Lions, respectively? Absolutely. What their ascent reinforces, though, is the existence of the same double standard on display recently during the sacking of the U.S. Capitol by a crowd of mostly white rioters. The bar is still set much higher for Black assistants.

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Some have suggested that Bieniemy isn’t viewed favorably by owners because Reid handles the Chiefs’ primary play-calling duties, that somehow the play-calling role is all that matters in determining whether a prospective head coach will succeed.

Putting aside that wrongheaded thinking for a moment, you know who also had largely the same working relationship with Reid while they served under him on offense with the Chiefs? Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy and former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson. Given the opportunities Nagy, Pederson and other white non-primary play-callers have received, the whole play-calling narrative, with regard to Bieniemy’s lack of advancement, simply doesn’t hold water.

Play-calling has become a lot like those illegal Jim Crow-era voting “tests” Black people endured, such as having to guess how many jelly beans were in a jar. It’s just something used to exclude Black assistants from the hiring process.

Another common criticism of Black assistants, albeit one that may be made up of whole cloth, is that they do not interview well. Impressing owners, especially during the initial get-to-know-you sessions, is key in advancing in the process. Besides laying out an X’s-and-O’s vision for success, many owners want coaches who seem capable of inspiring players. Supposedly, another knock on Bieniemy is that he doesn’t command the room.

Look, short of Bieniemy rapping all of his answers to questions, there’s no way he could interview so poorly, relative to his role in the Chiefs’ spectacular success, to still be shut out. It just doesn’t add up.

The other whispers around Bieniemy concern incidents that occurred during his playing days and time as a young coach, though nothing that has been publicly revealed in the past 20 years. By all accounts, Bieniemy has set a positive example while delivering daily for the Chiefs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Urban Meyer, who hasn’t proven anything in the NFL, despite the fact that while coaching at Ohio State, he reportedly knew about spousal abuse allegations against assistant coach Zach Smith before Smith was fired. The school suspended Meyer for three games after an independent investigation determined he failed to uphold the values of the university. None of that stopped Meyer from getting an opportunity at football’s highest level. Or is it that only Black coaches are disqualified because of issues in their past?

The thought process about Black assistants, generally, is warped. In many respects, it’s the same type of flawed, outdated outlook that resulted in Mitch Trubisky being selected ahead of Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in the 2017 draft. What’s most harmful, it has stymied the careers of many Black coaches.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace saw himself in Trubisky. Does that mean Pace is a virulent racist? Of course not. Often, people in decision-making lean on their life experiences. Their frame of reference sometimes plays an outsize role in planning. It just so happens that the overwhelming majority of high-level decision-makers in the NFL are white men. There’s no sugarcoating where things stand, and there are no signs of improvement on the horizon.

When it comes to hiring coaches, NFL owners couldn’t make their feelings more clear. All that’s needed now is to hang the sign: Black men need not apply.”NF

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“Chargers Coaching Hire–How-Why”

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Everybody comes from somewhere.

That’s how to view what the Chargers just did in hiring a new coach to replace Anthony Lynn, who replaced Mike McCoy.

It’s the Flavor of the Month choice for the Chargers in hiring a new head coach, again.  Taking someone else’s hot coordinator.

Brandon Staley, coming from the Rams,  is a hot candidate but so was Brian Daboll of the Bills.

Staley’s resume is short.  1-year as Defensive Coordinator of the Rams, but that was an impressive one year.  He moved the chess pieces around the board, left by the fired Wade Phillips, and constructed a #1-ranked defense in a division with high powered offenses.

Staley spent just 3-other years, as a linebacker coach, with the Broncos and the Bears.  His paths crossed with great talents like Von Miller in Denver and Khail Mack in Chicago.  He helped design defenses that was dominant in sacks, takeaways and in the red-zone.

His work sheet with the Rams was indeed impressive.  A defense that allowed 29-TDs in 16-games.  Had 53-sacks, 22-takeaways and 102-QB pressures.  Top ranked in yardage allowed defense and scoring defense.  And this was in a division that featured the brilliance of 42TD-QB-Russell Wilson in Seattle…the do-everything skills of Arizona’s Kyler Murray (4800APY)…and Jim Garoppolo in San Francisco.

But this will be a different roster he inherits when he dons Chargers Powder Blue colors.

He won’t have super-star DT-Aaron Donald, the big brute that is Michael Brockers, the stud that was DB-Jalen Ramsey or blitz LB-Leonard Floyd, plus a host of guys who made plays off the bench.

The Chargers incoming head coach has the one dimension excellence of Joey Bosa, the developing Jerry Tillery, the brilliance of Derwin James, young LBs in Dru Tranquill and Kyzer White, and a veteran group of CBs-Casey Hayward-Chris Harris and Michael Davis.

But aside from Bosa and James, everyone else he inherits has not accomplished much or may have their better days behind them.

Staley comes with his own portfolio of positive traits.

Intellectual, or as another NFL exec told me “Rhodes Scholar Smart” in football.  He comes with passion, worth ethic, enthusiasm.  He comes as a “Teacher of Technique” that puts people in the right position to make plays.

I looked back at that Tampa-New Orleans playoff game, not so much Tom Brady-vs-Drew Brees, but what was happening on defense.  You don’t limit Anthony Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Mike Evans to 1-catch each or shut out Michael Thomas completely, unless your defense is well coordinated upfront, has great linebacker play, or smothering cornerback coverage packages.  That’s what we saw on Sunday.

That will be the challenge for Brandon Staley.  Brought what he learned under Sean McVay with the Rams, and teach it, implement it, and make it work for the woeful Chargers.

I look at him and I see high octane energy, a-la Pete Carroll, McVay, Sean McDermott, crossed with the fire of Bill Cowher.

He does not have the same quality of players who wore the Rams horns, but he has athletes who can run, are hungry, are athletic.  Now he just has to move them around the chess board to try and fix something that had become woeful.

He also inherits a defense that blew 13-16-16-17-and-21 point leads in the Anthony Lynn season of failure, and needs an overhaul of confidence.

Brian Daboll would have been a good hire to grow QB-Justin Herbert, but its evident the Chargers brass felt they had to fix the defense.  Now they have to convince the new coach to keep the key assistants, components on the offensive side of the ball, Shane Steichen and Pep Hamilton to stay.

Tom Telesco and John Spanos are under the gun.  Telesco told me a couple of weeks ago, the next hire had to be the right hire, because he probably wouldn’t get another chance to fix what is wrong with the Bolts.

The front office failed on the Anthony Lynn-Mike McCoy hires.  It hasn’t been a fruitful 8-years has it?

Everyone comes from somewhere.  Brandon Staley steps off the fast track to take over the Chargers.

His first chance at being a head coach.  Last Chance Saloon for Telesco-Spanos.

A clean piece of paper for the Chargers and their fans.

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“Countdown to Coaching Hires”

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The NFL coaching vacancies are being filled at a quick pace.
3-hires in a 48-hour span at the end of last week.
4-more jobs open though the playoffs may slow the pace of the final decisions.

The Chargers  said they would be patient to replace fired coach Anthony Lynn.  That should have been the signal that this was going to be a slam dunk hire.  Tom Telesco would hire someone he was familiar with.  The someone is Brian Daboll of Buffalo.  Then late Sunday came word of a 2nd meeting with Rams Def Coord-Brandon Staley.

Here’s a look see at who is still available, and who has been hired:

“WHO’s HOT”

BRIAN DABOLL…a lock to take over the Chargers.  He has learned well, with coaching stops in New England, Kansas City, Miami, Alabama.  When you have crossed paths with Bill Belichick, Andy Reid and Nick Saban, that’s quite a learning curve.  What he has accomplished in two plus years with Bills QB-Josh Allen has been spectacular.

ERIC BIENEMY…Might he miss the coaching cycle again?  That’s what people think, but this may have more to do than the fact his Kansas City Chiefs are always in the playoff hunt, preventing him from accepting  a job.
There is an undercurrent theme he has had poor interviews and the rumbling he does not call the plays, Andy Reid does.  Maybe he is not a complete candidate.  If not Houston, then anywhere?

DAN CAMPBELL…Appears headed to Detroit after a late series of interviews, he comes from New Orleans without alot of public following, but anyone who has been with Sean Payton has credentials.  He also served as interim head coach in Miami.

BRANDON STALEY….A late entrant into the interview process, all of a sudden getting alot of play.  The Chargers interviewed him a second time on Sunday now that the Rams are out of the playoffs.  Might he become the next coming of Sean McVay or possibly a John Harbaugh?  Stay tuned for a possible surprise this week.

JOE BRADY….A brilliant year at LSU”s national championship team with Joe Burrow a year ago, he went to Carolina as the offensive coordinator on a new coaching staff.  But the Panthers didn’t accomplish much so does anyone know how really good Brady is in the NFL?

JOSH MC DANIELS….A tremendous success story with Tom Brady in New England.  A hot coordinator years ago, he got his chance with the Denver Broncos, but it all fell apart with the enormous QB problems the John Elway-led franchise has had.  McDaniels went back to Foxboro and picked up where he left off.  But he walked out a day after accepting the Colts job, and then did not wind up in Cleveland.  Something seems amiss in his relationships?  Maybe this late interview with the just-opened Eagles job gets him back as a head coach.

MATT EBERFLUS…The least known of the gang being interviewed.  He is credited with creating a very good Indianapolis Colts defense that wound up in the playoffs, though GM-Chris Ballard has done a superb job tracking that Colts roster.  Might be a bit of a reach to hire him after one good season.

JIM CALDWELL…There seems to be alot of sentiment after the successes he had with the Colts and Lions, and a (62-50) record deserves respect, but he was axed by two teams, when his QBs got hurt, or was that because he worked for bad owners, Jim Irsay and the Ford Family?  Seems to be the outside looking in.

MARVIN LEWIS…A long run with the Bengals and their poorly led owner Mike Brown, most feel he did a rock solid job as a head coach, after all those years as an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens.  But you cannot set aside this piece of history, (0-7) in the playoffs.

LESLIE FRAZIER…A highly regarded defensive coordinator, who failed with the Bears, but has rebuilt his reputation again in Buffalo.  Great coordinator but poor head coach?

RAHEEM MORRIS…The same storyline as Frazier, and did a decent job rallying the Falcons as interim head coach, but they did not retain him, so what does that say?

TODD BOWLES…Cut from the same cloth as Frazier and Morris and continues to be strong as a respected coordinator and leader.  His bad stretch as head coach of the Jets was while back.

DOUG PEDERSON…This ended so badly in Philadelphia, but he didnt’ get stupid ih just one season.  Injuries destroyed the Eagles offensive front, 5-of-6 starters gone for the year, and no wide receivers either with injuries. But Carson Wentz declined badly and Pederson could not stop the erosion.  Maybe he winds up as a coordinator for a year.

“WHO’S BEEN HIRED”

URBAN MEYER…This was a surprise hire, in that Meyer had never shown any inkling of wanting back in coaching, and then presto, he goes back home, to Jacksonville, a just an hour from all those great years in Gainesville with the Florida Gators.  He won 3-playoff titles, and went (83-9)  at Ohio State, but left those two jobs with burnout and heart issues.  The NFL is a different world.  Meyer was used to have 5-star bluechips all over his roster.  In the NFL he inherits a threadbare roster, no quarterback, gets two first round picks this year and 77M in salary cap space.  But he’s not used to losing, and they are going to lose for the next group of years, even with Trevor Lawrence as their quarterback.  Does he have the patience, fortitude and health to do this.  History is there to look at.  Outside of Jimmy Johnson (Dallas) and Pete Carroll (Seattle)…the road is littered with college coaches who failed in the NFL, from Barry Switzer to Lou Holtz to Steve Spurrier and even Nick Saban.

ARTHUR SMITH…An unsung smart guy, winds up in Atlanta after doing marvelous things with Tennessee.  He groomed Marcus Mariota with the Titans, till injuries impacted Mariota’s career.  Then he designed a tremendou playbook as he reconstructed the career of QB- Ryan Tanneill, built an offensive line, and fed the ball to power back Derrick Henry.  He walks into Atlanta with a star QB-Matt Ryan, WR-Julio Jones, but needs lots more players.

ROBERT SALEH…He had his choice of three jobs, and took the Jets job, despite a bad roster, an unsteady GM office and questionable ownership.  He does have a battered QB-Sam Darnold and some young athletes, plus a 5 year contract.  He is smart, passionate, and well groomed for this job.

“NFL OWNERS”

A tough call for the owner of a troubled team.

Do you hope you can catch “Lightning in a Bottle” and hire the right coordinator like Sean McVay, Sean McDermott, Kevin Stefansk?

Do you think you can hire a “retread” who has struggled somewhere else but could succeed a second time as a head coach.

Is there a college coach you think can do this, like they’ve invested in Matt Rhule.

Stay tuned, the next two weeks will be something to follow.

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“Rating the NFL Coaching Openings”

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There are seven NFL head coaching jobs open as we await the first domino to fall.

The best job, probably the Chargers, because of QB-Justin Herbert and a cross section of young players on the roster.

The worst job, likely the Jets, even with Sam Darnold at QB-because there is little talent there.

The shakiest job is likely Detroit, where there is a history of failure in the front office.

The most troubled job would be Houston where ownership-front office-locker room turmoil is at an all time high.

The one with the toughest rebuild job will be Jacksonville, with the number 1-pick but virtually no talent on the roster, but this is a clean piece of paper with high draft picks and a record 75M-in cap space.

The Eagles and Atlanta have been ravaged by injuries leaving star QBs under siege.

Here’s a close up look at the jobs from NFL.com and former GM-Charley Casserly.

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Atlanta Falcons
4-12-0
2021 first-round draft pick: No. 4 overall

Projected cap situation in 2021: $24.4 million over

Pros: The organization has had success under owner Arthur Blank and president Rich McKay, and the feeling is this team should have won more games in both 2019 and 2020 with the rosters that were in place. From an offensive standpoint, the Falcons have a veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan who can still be effective — and whose contract makes it tough for the team to move on from him, but more on that in a minute — along with an emerging star receiver in Calvin Ridley and an adequate tight end in Hayden Hurst (who, as a 2018 first-round pick, could be retained until 2022 via the fifth-year option). Seven-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones is still a good receiver, but injuries and his cap number may make some candidates think about moving on from him to allow the team to address other areas. Speaking of …

Cons: Atlanta’s lack of salary cap space heading into the offseason could limit the new regime, as the Falcons project to be $24.4 million over the cap, with only 31 players (of 53) under contract in 2021. The contracts of Ryan (who will count for $40.9 million against the cap, with a dead-money figure of $49.9 million) and Jones (who will count for $23.1 million against the cap, with a dead-money figure of $38.6 million) along with a highly paid offensive line that has performed at a very average level, could put them in a bind when it comes to filling other voids in the offense (they need a No. 1 RB, with Todd Gurley being a free agent) and defense (they need to improve the pass rush from both defensive end positions in addition to adding more size in general along the line to stop the run).

Detroit Lions
2020 · 5-11-0
2021 first-round draft pick: No. 7 overall

Projected cap situation in 2021: $11.7 million under

Pros: The Lions have generally been viewed by candidates as a good organization to work for, and with a low bar to clear on the winning scale (the Lions have not won a playoff game since the 1991 season), there is room for major improvement here. The offense has a strong chance to be pretty good, with a solid offensive line led by Pro Bowl-center Frank Ragnow and tackle Taylor Decker, a play-making tight end in T.J. Hockenson and a running back in D’Andre Swift with big-play ability. Then there’s quarterback Matthew Stafford, a top talent at one of the game’s most important positions, who has two years remaining on his current contract. The next regime might be inclined to move on from the 32-year-old, but if he’s willing to commit to the rebuilding effort, he could help prompt a quick turnaround. If I was coming in to lead this team, I would want Stafford back on the roster.

Cons: While there’s reason to be optimistic about the offense, all four of Detroit’s top wideouts — Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola and Mohamed Sanu — are free agents. The Lions, who own the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, have a real opportunity to bring in weapons for Stafford by retaining Golladay and bringing in a true No. 1, either in free agency or the draft. The defense is another story. Ranking dead last in scoring and overall defense in 2020, Matt Patricia’s unit was slow and old, lacking playmakers at every level. The few assets they do have are pass rusher Romeo Okwara, an unrestricted free agent worth re-signing, and first-round pick and cornerback Jeff Okudah, who has potential in this league but struggled as a rookie. Simply put, the Lions need a complete rebuild on defense, and it could be extremely hard to pull off with limited draft capital.

PFF 2021 NFL Draft needs: Detroit Lions
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Houston Texans
4-12-0
2021 first-round draft pick: none

Projected cap situation in 2021: $17.9 million over

Pros: Deshaun Watson. As one of the league’s premier quarterbacks and an excellent leader, he alone makes this job attractive. However …

Cons: The most alarming concern is the apparent internal turmoil involving management and Watson. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the star quarterback was “extremely unhappy” with the hiring of GM Nick Caserio. Per Rapoport, Watson was told he’d be involved in the hiring process for the team’s new GM and head coach, but then he wasn’t consulted about Caserio’s hiring. There have been reports about Watson potentially asking for a trade; making him happy must be a priority. Other concerns involve a tricky cap situation that will force the Texans to lose some veteran players, a lack of early-round draft picks (they don’t have a first- or second-round pick in 2021) and key personnel decisions. This team is going to have to be creative when finding ways to add players this offseason.

There are a number of defensive players who are highly paid, which adds to the team’s cap dilemma. J.J. Watt will carry a cap number of $17.5 million (with zero in dead money), and though he’s still a good player and the best defensive lineman on the team, the 31-year-old is not the perennial Defensive Player of the Year he once was. Whitney Mercilus didn’t produce the kinds of numbers (four sacks, 21 tackles) his contract (with a $12 million cap figure in 2021) suggests, while linebackers Benardrick McKinney (carrying a cap figure of $8.5 million) and Zach Cunningham (who has a 2021 cap figure of $11.4 million) are also highly paid. The team’s highest-paid cornerback, Bradley Roby (he’s receiving $10.5 million per year, with a 2021 cap figure of $10.3 million), has been inconsistent on the field and must finish serving his six-game suspension before getting back on the field in Week 2 next season.

There are also a lot of needs on offense. Houston must locate a No. 1 running back, improve the production of the offensive line, get more from the tight end position and — most importantly — re-sign deep threat Will Fuller, who’s also serving a six-game suspension that will force him to miss Week 1 next season. This almost feels like a requirement in order to mend fences with Watson. It may be tough to keep both Brandin Cooks ($12 million cap figure, with zero in dead money) and Fuller on the roster if the latter is given a big extension.

Jacksonville Jaguars
1-15-0
UPDATE: Per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Jaguars are in the process of finalizing a deal with Urban Meyer to become their next head coach.

2021 first-round draft picks: No. 1 overall, plus another TBD first-rounder via Rams

Projected cap situation in 2021: $73.2 million under

Pros: There’s a lot to like about this vacancy. There’s plenty of room for improvement with an organization that’s posted just one winning season over the last 10 years (2017), and the organization has a history of being patient with its head coaches. Perhaps the biggest positives are the team’s draft capital (Jacksonville currently owns five picks within the first 65 draft slots in 2021, including the No. 1 overall selection, which allows the franchise to choose its quarterback of the future from a deep QB class) and the fact they have the most cap room in the NFL. The luxury of being able to truly build a roster with whoever you want in free agency and the draft is very enticing.

Cons: With the freedom to make a lot of roster moves comes a roster with a lot of issues. The offense has a good base to start, with a solid O-line, a good receiver in D.J. Chark and running back James Robinson. What the unit needs is a quarterback, a change-of-pace running back, a true No. 1 wide receiver and a No. 1 tight end. Plus, there’s more work to be done on defense. Stopping the run game has been an issue all season long, so bringing in tackles or ends who can help with that must be a priority, along with developing DaVon Hamilton and former first-rounder Taven Bryan. There is one building block along the defensive line for sure in 2019 Pro Bowler Josh Allen, and 2020 first-rounder K’Lavon Chaisson has a chance to help the pass rush, depending on which position he plays (LB or DE). Though they look set at linebacker with Myles Jack and Joe Schobert, the Jags need more help in the secondary to play alongside promising rookie cornerback C.J. Henderson.

James Robinson breaks down his impressive 9K rushing yards, 158 TD HS football career
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Los Angeles Chargers
7-9-0
2021 first-round draft pick: No. 13 overall

Projected cap situation in 2021: $29.1 million under

Pros: The Chargers have a well-respected general manager (Tom Telesco) in place, along with a patient owner (Dean Spanos), and most people view this as the opening with the most talented roster. Since 2019, the Chargers have played in 23 one-possession games (the most in the NFL), while losing 16 such games. The roster boasts talent on both sides of the ball, starting with quarterback Justin Herbert, who exceeded expectations in Year 1 and made a convincing Offensive Rookie of the Year case. He has the potential to be the franchise QB for years to come, and he’s surrounded by a group of skill position players that include receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler.

On defense, the Bolts are led by a stout defensive line that features Pro Bowl defensive end Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu, Jerry Tillery and Linval Joseph, who may have one more good year left in him. Rookie Kenneth Murray showed promise in a steady linebacker group, while the secondary boasts several stars, including Derwin James and Nasir Adderley.

Cons: Decisions must be made about free agents Melvin Ingram (edge) and Hunter Henry (tight end), who’ve been staples at their positions for quite some time. But the single biggest issue for this team, roster-wise, is the offensive line, as it has been for several years. Last offseason, the Chargers brought in veterans Bryan Bulaga and Trai Turner, but both players’ seasons were shortened by injury. Now, centers Mike Pouncey and Dan Feeney and former first-round pick guard Forrest Lamp, among others, will hit the free agency market. They must emphasize this position group to and protect their up-and-coming star quarterback.

New York Jets
2-14-0
2021 first-round draft picks: Nos. 2 and 23 (via Seahawks) overall

Projected cap situation in 2021: $70.7 under

Pros: The Jets have let go of several good players over the last two seasons — the most recent being All-Pro safety Jamal Adams, who was traded away to Seattle in July — but they are in position to rebuild after accruing plenty of draft capital, including six selections in the top 98 picks of April’s draft. With a plethora of early and mid-round picks and what is projected to be the third-most cap space in the NFL, GM Joe Douglas and the Jets look poised to make a splash this offseason. Priority No. 1 is the quarterback position, and they have options. They could decide to stay with 2018 first-round pick Sam Darnold, who many coaches around the league feel could be the next Ryan Tannehill. Give him a running game and an offensive line and put him in a system that uses bootlegs and play-action, and Darnold’s career could be revived. They could also decide to move on from Darnold and start anew in free agency or the draft.

Cons: Other than the options at the quarterback position, there aren’t a ton of positives on offense. 2020 first-rounder Mekhi Becton is an excellent tackle, but the rest of the O-line is average, and they need No. 1s at the wide receiver, running back and tight end positions. At this point, Denzel Mims seems to be a No. 2 receiver, and Jamison Crowder provides a playmaker in the slot when healthy. Defensively, lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker C.J. Mosley (who opted out in 2020) are good building blocks, but that’s where it drops off. (Safety Marcus Maye, who posted two picks and a team-high 11 passes defensed, is headed for free agency.) The Jets need to bring in two edge rushers, two cornerbacks and get help at linebacker, whether they decide to run a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. There’s plenty of work to be done.

Jeremiah: One key trait Eagles’ next head coach must have
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Philadelphia Eagles
4-11-1
2021 first-round draft pick: No. 6 overall

Projected cap situation in 2021: $51.7 million over

Pros: There is a proven commitment to win in Philadelphia, with the Eagles having been to the playoffs and multiple Super Bowls (winning one just three seasons ago) under owner Jeffrey Lurie. Bringing in an entire new staff will give this organization a fresh start, but the new coach shouldn’t expect to have the luxury of slowly rebuilding. The Eagles and their passionate fan base expect excellence, and the decision-making process will begin almost immediately, with the quarterback position in flux. Can Carson Wentz, the 2016 No. 2 overall pick who signed a contract extension in 2019, be fixed and return to his MVP form after being benched for rookie Jalen Hurts? What is Hurts’ ceiling? Making a decision about the team’s most important position will be one of the biggest moves the new coach makes during his tenure (no matter how short or long that may be), which should both challenge and excite.

Another enticing aspect of the Eagles’ opening is their draft capital. They currently have seven draft picks, including the No. 6 overall choice, and could earn several more compensatory picks. This should be encouraging for a team that has plenty of holes to fill.

Cons: The QB situation could turn south if Wentz can’t figure things out and Hurts isn’t well-rounded enough to win. Then you’re left with a bad cap situation and without a winning starting QB. Other than the QB position, this roster needs a lot of work. With room to improve in the secondary, at linebacker and at receiver, the biggest area for concern is along a once-dominant offensive line, where there are more questions than answers following an injury-riddled campaign. The unit will get guard Brandon Brooks, who missed 2020 after tearing his Achilles in June, back, and hopefully a healthy Lane Johnson, currently the league’s highest-paid right tackle, whose 2020 campaign season ended after seven games. Jason Kelce is under contract through 2024, but there’s always a chance he steps away during the offseason (a decision Kelce’s mulled over the last few years). If he does, guard Isaac Seumalo will move to center, leaving a hole at left guard. Andre Dillard, a 2019 first-round pick who’s made just four starts in two seasons after missing the entire 2020 season with a biceps injury, is still a question mark until we see him return to game action.

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