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We looked earlier AFC hotspotswith a preamble regarding the NFL’s efforts to persuade owners not to make changes.
Changes, we know, are coming. Carolina already has a training center. Here’s a rundown of the various hotspots we’re monitoring in NFC.
The Cowboys: If Dallas makes another exit in the first round of the playoffs, with coaching a factor in the loss, would Mike McCarthy be in trouble? Owner Jerry Jones doesn’t like firing coaches with time left on their contracts. But with his last chance at Sean Payton possibly gone if Payton takes a job elsewhere, would Jones make a change? It all comes down to when and how the current playoff series ends.
CommandersRon Rivera managed to lead his team to contention through an unprecedented storm of malfunctions stemming from the property. Had he taken the team to the playoffs, he would have been a strong candidate for Coach of the Year. As it stands, he should be DC’s coach for at least a year, allowing the new owner to decide whether to stay the course. (All of this assumes he wants to stay; some coaches are reportedly tempted to step down after the past two years of turmoil.)
The Panthers: David Tepper is looking for a coach. Depending on the coach he hires, there could be a ripple effect for general manager Scott Fitterer. Time will tell us.
The Saints: Nothing is likely to change here, despite a disappointing season. They need a better response at quarterback. The division could be wide open in 2023.
The Buccaneers: There were questions about the future of coach Todd Bowles, before they clinched the division. Some wonder if offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich – who at one point had the inside route to the Jaguars head coaching job – will be back next year. The big question is whether Tom Brady He will look for another team, if he does not retire.
The Falcons: It’s hard to hold the current regime (general manager Terry Fontenot, coach Arthur Smith) responsible for a few years without the playoffs. In fact, they have done well with what they have and what they don’t have. The Julio Jones trade in 2021 and the matt ryan the trade in 2022 has created significant consequences on the cap, and they have yet to find long-term answers to both positions. Owner Arthur Blank would be well advised to stay the course.
Aries: Coach Sean McVay surely regrets not taking the money from Amazon when he had the chance. Now, it would take him some time to decide whether or not to come back in 2023. Why would he? ‘Eff picks ’em’ screwed up the Rams’ future. Not enough draft selections. Not enough cheap, young and talented players. Too many aging and expensive stars, including a quarterback who will take $57 million in extra pay, will be fully guaranteed in March. There’s little hope for the kind of quick turnaround that will put the Rams back on top of the NFL’s mountain.
The Seahawks: Pete Carroll will be the coach at least until the eventual sale of the team, whenever that happens. (That won’t happen until May 1, 2024.) Would Carroll return? He showed no indication that he planned to shut it down.
Cardinals: As announced last night, the Saints expect to hear cardinals about Sean Payton. Many expect coach Cliff Kingsbury to be gone. If he is, owner Michael Bidwill will owe Kingsbury his full salary (less anything he earns elsewhere) until 2026. And with chief executive Steve Keim currently on furlough, who would help Bidwill to take his next step? It all comes down to how much Bidwill is willing to pay his current coach to go – and how much he would offer a new coach to take the job.
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