Another team not named the Jets is now looking for a head coach.
The Lions fired Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn on Saturday after being blown out by the Texans in Week 12. Patricia went 13-29-1 in three years with the Lions and never finished with a winning season. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will be Detroit’s interim head coach.
So far, three teams have fired their coaches this season – the Lions, the Texans and the Falcons – and all three have more wins than the Jets. Adam Gase remains employed, though that may not last long into the offseason if the Jets continue to lose. If Gase is fired, the Jets will have at least three teams to compete with for a new head coach. The Jaguars and Cowboys could also fire Doug Marrone and Mike McCarthy, respectively, if their seasons continue to plummet.
The Texans could stick with interim head coach Romeo Crennel, which would eliminate arguably the most attractive team from the head coaching sweepstakes. But are any of these other teams a better landing spot for a new coach than the Jets? That’s up to interpretation — and how the rest of New York’s winless season plays out.
The Lions are an intriguing option for a new head coach considering they will likely own a top-10 first-round pick and have Matthew Stafford at quarterback. However, they will only have $6.5 million in cap space in 2021 with a couple of big holes to fill on offense and defense.
The Texans and Falcons have more complete rosters than both the Lions and the Jets, but they are worse off in other areas. Houston has quarterback Deshaun Watson but doesn’t pick until the third round and has no money to spend on free agents. The Falcons are in the worst cap position despite a talented roster and aging quarterback Matt Ryan.
There are a number of coaches on the table for the Jets – both in the NFL and college ranks. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, Titans OC Arthur Smith and Panthers OC Joe Brady should be on the list of potential targets, as well as Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell.
It will all depend on what type of job the candidate wants. The Lions, Texans and Falcons are talented teams but have major long-term flaws from both a roster and financial situation.
If the candidates look past the recent issues, the Jets actually offer a much better long-term situation considering their draft capital, cap space and corps of young players. The Jets could own the No. 1 pick in a draft that includes Trevor Lawrence, will have at least $80 million in cap space and a solid group of young players like Mekhi Becton, Quinnen Williams and Denzel Mims.
Many expected most of these teams to fire their head coaches at some point this season. The only leg-up they have on the Jets is more time to actively pursue candidates. Joe Douglas is waiting to fire Adam Gase – either because he doesn’t want to make a move mid-season or he thinks Gase gives the Jets the best chance to secure the top pick. Either way, the Jets will be one of the more intriguing spots for a new coach to land.