KC Chiefs: Ranking NFL head coach openings for Eric Bieniemy
By Cullen Jekel
5. Detroit Lions
A while ago, I went in-depth on the fit between Bieniemy and the Lions. In the end, I wrote that it wouldn’t be a great job for Bieniemy to take, and nothing has occurred to change my opinion on that. The team doesn’t have much salary cap room ahead of next year and is still saddled with the contract of an underwhelming, underperforming quarterback who, despite those unders, remains the team’s best player.
The Lions have been mired in mediocrity since the late ’50s. That’s nuts, and, if you’re a Lions fan, pretty sad. Matthew Stafford was supposed to be the chosen one!
Detroit lost its way when the franchise canned Jim Caldwell. Maybe Bieniemy can turn things around, but there are better opportunities out there for him.
4. Atlanta Falcons
Assuming a $175 million salary cap for next season, the Atlanta Falcons are currently $32 million over the cap. That’s less than ideal.
Now, the Falcons showed some signs of life after firing Dan Quinn. Raheem Morris has done a pretty good job getting at least something out of these guys. Sure, there were still badly blown leads and heartbreaking losses, but at least Atlanta put up a fight while securing the No. 4 draft pick.
That draft pick is key. With such a high pick, the Falcons could draft Matt Ryan’s successor as at least two of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Mac Jones would still be on the board. The No. 4 pick also enables Atlanta to outbid other teams trying to jump up with the Jets and Bengals, should either desire to move down.
Even if the next Falcon regime wants to stick with Ryan next season, that high draft position will come in handy as the team could upgrade at tackle by selecting Oregon’s Penei Sewell or add another young wide receiver to the mix with either Crimson Tide receiver DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle.
3. New York Jets
Here’s an interesting stat about the New York Jets, one that’ll make a Jets fan cringe: Of the franchise’s 19 head coaches, only two finished their Jets career with a winning record.
- Bill Parcells, 29-19, 1997-1999
- Al Groh, 9-7, 2000
Even Weeb Ewbank, a Hall of Fame head coach who led the team to victory in Super Bowl III, finished below .500, at 71-77-6.
Right now, the Jets don’t have a lot of pieces in place, but they have some to go along with a boatload of cap room and the No. 2 pick in the draft. Whoever takes over as head coach will work under general manager Joe Douglas, who just fired a coach he didn’t inherit and who spent a baker’s dozen years in Baltimore. Additionally, Douglas drafted some decent pieces in his first draft with the team in 2020, so he has a good track record.
The biggest decision has to do with the most important position: quarterback. Do the Jets keep Sam Darnold and hope that the next head coach can get more out of him than did Adam Gase? Or do the Jets take whoever they think is the next best quarterback after the Jags select someone at the top of the draft?
For Eric Bieniemy, taking over a team in a huge media market that’s armed with not only financial assets but also draft assets is incredibly enticing. What makes it even more promising is that there’s a sitting GM in the house, so Bieniemy would know who he’s going to be working for, unlike situations in Jacksonville, Detroit, and Atlanta, franchises still looking for their next general manager.
Remember Frank’s wisest words: if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.