The 2014 NFL offseason was one of excitement for potential free agents, but the same process played out for head coaches, as well. A total of seven teams found new head coaches, many of them rookies in the respective position.
These seven teams will have to settle into new systems and take on low expectations; all part of bringing in a new head coach. However, some may be primed to be more successful than others. Let’s rank the new head coaches in NFL to see how they might fall.
1. Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Smith has built up quite the resume for which Buccaneers fans can cheer about. He led the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl, as well as an NFC Championship game appearance in 2010. He made the bears into a major defense threat, something that the Buccaneers hope he can do. With the free agent addition the team made this offseason, it looks like Smith will have a lot to work with.
2. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
Caldwell joins an already solid Lions team, which includes the best wide receiver in the league in Calvin Johnson and a good quarterback in Matthew Stafford. Caldwell has worked with Peyton Manning and Joe Flacco recently, and led both to a Super Bowl win. The defense will need extra emphasis, but the offense should be exponentially better than last year.
3. Ken Whisenhunt, Tennessee Titans
Whisenhunt gets the nod over the rest of the field because he’s had plenty of experience at the helm. Experience goes a long way, especially Super Bowl experience. He won Super Bowl XL as Pittsburgh Steelers’ Offensive Coordinator and took the Arizona Cardinals to the big game in 2008. He made Kurt Warner starter in 2008 and the choice paid off. In the past years, he’s been working the San Diego Chargers offense into a force. Last season, they ranked fifth in the league in total offense, so if Whisenhunt can translate that to the Titans, they could be another playoff team.
4. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
The experience trend works again here, as Zimmer has been involved with NFL teams for 20 years now. He helped build the Dallas Cowboys defense into a No. 1 defense in 1994 and won a Super Bowl the next year. He made it back to the No. 1 spot as Defensive Coordinator of the Cowboys in 2003. And his time in Cincinnati has been successful, as well. The Vikings’ defense ranked 31st in the league in total defense, so Zimmer needs to work his magic for the team to compete.
5. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
Gruden gets the nod over the next two head coaches simply because he has a better cast of players to work with. He helped Andy Dalton blossom into a winning quarterback in Cincinnati and now gets the chance to work with Robert Griffin III. That’s a definite upgrade, especially if you add in DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Alfred Morris on that offense. The focus will still remain on defense, though, but Gruden will welcome a few free agents this year, so it should improve.
6. Bill O’Brien, Houston Texans
O’Brien has a good reputation when it comes to working with quarterbacks. He spent plenty of time with the New England Patriots, mentoring Tom Brady for four years. He was there during the Patriots undefeated regular season, when Brady threw for 50 touchdowns and eight touchdowns. He also helped Christian Hackenburg at Penn State to 2,955 yards and 20 touchdowns last year. If he can use his knowledge to help the game of Case Keenum, the Texans could improve dramatically from last year’s failure.
7. Mike Pettine, Cleveland Browns
Pettine inherits a team that looks a lot different than it did last year. He’s a defensive mind that led the New York Jets’ defense under Rex Ryan, but it’s his offense that has gotten the attentions this year. With Johnny Manziel fighting with Brian Hoyer for the starting spot, Pettine will get his first experience in making important offensive decisions. At least the Browns defense is in good hands with him.