• Cowboys could bring in a familiar face: The Eagles’ offensive coordinator left Dallas after the 2022 season, but he could be the catalyst for a turnaround if he joins the team as head coach. Maybe.
• Saints have to deal with tough cap situation: New Orleans’ new head coach will have a talented roster, but the situation will be difficult to manage.
• The 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class mock draft simulator and learn about 2025 top prospects as you trade and draft for your favorite NFL teams.
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
With one head coaching vacancy filled and six more remaining, it’s a good time to take a step back and consider which vacancies are most attractive to new candidates. Each team’s current situation is obviously different, and the path to on-field success is different for each franchise.
We will start with the jobs that are already filled and then search for the remaining jobs.
New England Patriots*
*Mike Vrabel hired as head coach
What went wrong in 2024:
The Patriots selected him third overall in last year’s draft and was expected to struggle last season, considering they were severely lacking in offensive weapons. They took quarterback Drake Maye with that pick, and although he played reasonably well in tough situations, the Patriots ranked in the bottom three in PFF pass blocking grade and PFF receiving grade. As a result, they scored the third fewest points in the NFL.
What they have in store:
Aside from Maye being entrenched as the franchise quarterback, New England has a serviceable defense that includes talented players like Christian Gonzalez, Keion White, and Christian Barmore. If they can improve their offense, their defense will also be able to shine because there will be less pressure on them to be perfect all the time.
Top priority: Surround Drake May with everything he needs.
Considering New England’s other issues, it’s actually almost a miracle that Drake Maye finished the year with an overall grade of 70.1 PFF. The Patriots hold the most salary cap space in the NFL and have the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft. The task is simple. Surround a talented quarterback with the supporting cast he needs to succeed.
