By John Sarianides
Six teams in the NFL are looking for head coaches. Have no fear owners. We’re here to help. Here’s who we think you should hire.
Buffalo Bills: Anthony Lynn OC Buffalo Bills: What is Bills owner Terry Pegula waiting for? He needs to hire Lynn ASAP. Lynn is the leading candidate in Buffalo and he wants the job, so why wait to hire him?
Interviewing other coaches makes no sense to me when the guy you want is already in your building. The Bills need to make it official and hire Lynn now or risk losing him to a team like the Rams.
Denver Broncos: Kyle Shanahan, Offensive Coordinator, Falcons: John Elway wants to hire a coach that he has a connection to. We’ve heard Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s name linked to the job but Joseph is a defensive coach. Elway wants to keep Wade Philips and the current defensive staff together so I don’t see how Joseph would fit in despite having a relationship with some of those coaches.
That’s why Kyle Shanahan makes so much sense. Shanahan already has ties to Elway through his father Mike and he is a terrific offensive coach. Shanahan could develop Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch and spice up an offense that got stale in 2016.
Shanahan will be a hot commodity in the open market. If Elway is going to hire Shanahan, he has to strike while the iron is hot.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, New England Patriots: I think this is the best fit for both the Jaguars and McDaniels. For the Jags, they need to hire an offensive coach who can help turn around Blake Bortles and get more out of the Jags skill on offense.
For McDaniels, this is a great opportunity because he would be working for a patient owner who is willing to spend money and he would inherit a talented roster.
Bottles is the key here for McDaniels. If he thinks he can fix him mechanically, he’ll take the job. If McDaniels doesn’t think he can fix him, he’ll pass.
McDaniels and general manager David Caldwell know each other from college so that could also factor into McDaniels decision.
Los Angeles Rams: Mike Smith, Defensive Coordinator, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Smith would be a good hire for the Rams because he’s experienced, and he would bring stability to an organization that needs it. Smith has been a head coach and he knows how to develop a young quarterback. He did it in Atlanta with Matt Ryan and he can do it in Los Angeles with Jared Goff.
There will be sexier names out there but Smith and his unflappable demeanor might be just what the Rams need right now.
San Diego Chargers: Ken Whisenhunt, Offensive Coordinator, San Diego Chargers: I think Whiz is the best hire for both the organization and quarterback Philip Rivers. The two men have a great relationship and Whisenhunt has had success in San Diego in the past as offensive coordinator. Whisenhunt also has previous head coaching experience which at least makes him a viable candidate.
I know Whisenhunt isn’t the splashy name Chargers fans are hoping for, but with the team’s situation in flux as to where they will be playing next season, Whisenhunt makes a lot of sense.
San Francisco 49ers: David Shaw, Head Coach, Stanford: David Shaw has been adamant that he is not interested in coaching in the NFL but I don’t buy it. I think he’d listen if 49ers owner Jed York offered a say in personnel, put a bunch of money in front of him and told him he’d give him time to rebuild the organization.
If those three things are presented to Shaw, I think he’d consider taking the job. Many people think this is a long shot. I don’t. I think Shaw is willing to listen if he gets what he wants.