{"id":23679,"date":"2023-02-23T16:30:14","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T21:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=23679"},"modified":"2023-02-23T16:30:19","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T21:30:19","slug":"ranking-the-2023-nfl-head-coaching-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/ranking-the-2023-nfl-head-coaching-class\/","title":{"rendered":"RANKING THE 2023 NFL HEAD COACHING CLASS<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had a downright modest head coaching carousel this offseason, likely because we had so much turnover in 2022. Last year, 10 new head coaches joined the ranks and two of them (Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos and Lovie Smith of the Houston Texans) never made it past their first season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any time you rank people, there\u2019s always going to be someone at the bottom. In this case, it shouldn\u2019t be an insult to our fifth ranked new head coach. It\u2019s just a statement on the strength of the overall group that was hired this offseason. Obviously, the proof will come from what happens on the field, but on its face, these all look like solid hires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. JONATHAN GANNON, ARIZONA CARDINALS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age:<\/strong> 40<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former job:<\/strong> Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LVIII odds:<\/strong> +10000<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gannon being at the bottom of this list might look like a slight, but it\u2019s not because he hasn\u2019t earned the job. It\u2019s more about how strong all the hires were this year. Somebody had to be No. 5 and Gannon gets to be the guy. When he takes the field with the Cardinals, he can control exactly where he ends up on rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was he the right guy for the Cardinals? Honestly, it\u2019s all about who he brings in at offensive coordinator. He needs to maximize what Kyler Murray can do while at the same time protect the guy from himself. There\u2019s a reason that Murray has not finished every NFL game over the last three seasons. His size doesn’t affect the way he plays the game, but it does affect the way he absorbs punishment. If the offense doesn\u2019t do more to keep Murray from taking hits, it\u2019s never going to get off the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The worst slight on Gannon, coming into this job, is the Eagles\u2019 defensive performance in the second half of the Super Bowl. I mean, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were on the other side. I don\u2019t see how you can fault Gannon, though he does take the blame<\/a>. Which, honestly, is exactly what a head coach should do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One reason this job was hard to fill and went down to the wire is Murray, and the reluctance of a potential head coach to be \u201cmarried\u201d to him at QB. How can Gannon protect himself if Murray flops? It\u2019s as simple as Gannon\u2019s job with the Eagles, he\u2019s got to get Arizona ranked among the top defenses in the league. And, then, it\u2019ll be tough for the Cards brass to blame him if Murray swirls down the toilet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. SHANE STEICHEN, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age:<\/strong> 37<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former job:<\/strong> Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LVIII Odds:<\/strong> +10000<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Steichen was high on pretty much every potential head coaching list for a reason. The Eagles were the No. 2 offense in the league, behind on the Super Bowl LVII winning Kansas City Chiefs. And Steichen invented a third\/fourth and one call with Jalen Hurts and his team, that was completely unstoppable. Whatever he came up with there should be stolen by every team in the league. Even if you have to keep a quarterback on the roster at No. 2 or No. 3 on the depth chart who can run it. Joshua Dobbs might be in the NFL for 20 years if teams implement such a plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, Steichen gets the No. 4 spot over his fellow Eagles coach simply because his unit fared better in the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator, Stephen Spagnuolo, is no slouch and now has three Super Bowl rings because of his prowess as a DC. As a head coach, he was a disaster. As a defensive coordinator, he\u2019s one of the best that\u2019s ever walked the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steichen\u2019s Eagles scored 29.1 points per game and actually performed better, averaging 30 points per game, on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glaring issue in Indianapolis is obvious the absence of a quarterback. Steichen comes in with what might be the best free agent market of QBs in recent history, but I\u2019m guessing owner Jim Irsay is all in on capitalizing on some high draft position to grab that \u201cfranchise quarterback of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a rookie QB, Steichen will get some time, but by year three he better make the playoffs or he\u2019ll be back in an OC office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. DEMECO RYANS, HOUSTON TEXANS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age:<\/strong> 38<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former job:<\/strong> San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LVIII Odds:<\/strong> +15000<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To no one\u2019s surprise the 2022 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year managed to land a head coaching job. Ryans might be one of the best former players turned head coaches in the league\u2019s history (a player of his caliber doesn\u2019t usually get into coaching this deep). Ryans, as a linebacker, played in the NFL for 10 seasons, was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, was a first team All Pro selection in 2007 and was a two time Pro Bowler in 2007 and 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryans, who has worked for the 49ers since 2017, took over a top NFL defense in 2021 after former Niners DC Robert Saleh was hired by the New York Jets. All Ryans did is make San Fran even better. In 2022, the 49ers were No. 1 in pass defense and No. 1 in rush defense, which (and I\u2019m no mathematician) means they were the best defense in the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why, after two ridiculous flub hires, did the Texans actually (seemingly) hit the bullseye with Ryans? Because back in October, 2022 they fired executive vice president Jack Easterby<\/a> and, suddenly, all became right with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With football\u2019s answer to Jonestown finally shut down, Houston becomes a welcoming job, one that someone like Ryans would find a compelling challenge. Mainly, thanks to a wide open salary cap and a huge haul of NFL picks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Texans have been \u201cone and done\u201d with two consecutive head coaches, Ryans should be safe for a while. His first real challenge is finding a quarterback, but luckily enough at pick No. 2 in April\u2019s NFL Draft, he should be able to take whichever one he wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. FRANK REICH, CAROLINA PANTHERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age:<\/strong> 61<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Job:<\/strong> Indianapolis Colts Head Coach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head coaching record:<\/strong> 41-35-1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LVIII Odds:<\/strong> +6600<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The downfall of Frank Reich in Indianapolis will deserve its own documentary treatment some day. How much blame he deserves for the Colts\u2019 collapse over the last two seasons is probably up for debate, but even coming into 2022, Reich didn\u2019t seem in danger. Indianapolis was a win away from making it back to the playoffs with Carson Wentz in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, it was the Colts\u2019 inability to find any serious answer at quarterback after Andrew Luck\u2019s surprise retirement that sent Reich out the airlock. Reich was fine with Philip Rivers, but he too hung up his spurs. They gave Wentz a go and that didn\u2019t work and, much to my surprise, couldn\u2019t get anything out of the desiccated remains of Matt Ryan last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Panthers, Reich is in a similar predicament, but he at least has more time to figure it out. They have the ninth pick in the upcoming draft and, unless they\u2019re in love with Kentucky\u2019s Will Levis, Carolina will need to trade up if they want to grab CJ Stroud or Bryce Young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of options in the free agent market and, honestly, I feel as if the Green Bay Packers would listen to a trade for Aaron Rodgers, even from a fellow NFC team. But would that put Reich in the same mess that ended his Indy tenure? It\u2019s not like the Panthers are just a player away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. SEAN PAYTON, DENVER BRONCOS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age:<\/strong> 59<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Job:<\/strong> New Orleans Saints Head Coach, NBC Sunday Night Football Analyst<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head coaching record:<\/strong> 161-97, Super Bowl XLIV Champion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Super Bowl LVIII Odds: <\/strong>+3300<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The crown jewel of the 2023 head coach hiring cycle was nabbed by the Broncos when Sean Payton, former Super Bowl winning coach of the New Orleans Saints, decided to jump from the NBC desk and back onto the sidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Payton took interviews with everyone and really checked out all the open situations. From the outside, it always looked like Denver had the inside track simply because the Walton family owned the team and could write whatever check Payton needed to move to the Mile High City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only is Payton a proven commodity, he\u2019s long been one of the best head coaches in the league. In his 15 years with the Saints, the team had four losing seasons, but never worse than 7-9. They topped 13 wins four times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only real wrinkle that could have stopped Payton from going to the Broncos was Sean McVay. As rumors about his \u201cretirement\u201d swirled, the Los Angeles Rams would have absolutely been the ideal landing spot for Payton and, I\u2019m sure, his preferred destination if given the choice. But, of course, McVay ended that speculation and now Payton will get the chance to \u201cfix\u201d Russell Wilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s already come in and laid down the law on Wilson\u2019s weirdness and his \u201cprivate\u201d coaches. \u201cMr. Unlimited\u201d hasn\u2019t made any kind of public fuss which is a good sign that DangeRuss has decided to move back into reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Broncos have plenty of pieces and can turn around in a hurry. Can they be a Super Bowl contender in 2023? That\u2019s doubtful, but they can certainly get to 9-10 wins with Payton in charge and become relevant again for the first time since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter <\/em>@TheFirstMan<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with us our socials on <\/em>Twitter<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a> for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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