Ranking The Vacant NFL Head Coaching Jobs

Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) looks to pass while under pressure from the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) looks to pass while under pressure from the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) looks to pass while under pressure from the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) looks to pass while under pressure from the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Four NFL head coaching jobs are now vacant, which is the most desirable? And the least?

Black Monday has come and gone and there are now four head coaching jobs (five if we include Oakland) vacant in the NFL. On Monday, Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik were sent packing by the New York Jets, the Atlanta Falcons fired Mike Smith, the Chicago Bears canned Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery, and the San Francisco 49ers parted ways with Jim Harbaugh Sunday night. Meanwhile in Oakland, interim head coach Tony Sparano continues to lobby for the full-time Raiders job – and I’m sure he’ll be in the mix – but we have to consider that a vacancy as well.

Several candidates have already been targeted and teams are in the process of figuring out interview schedules. There will be a lot of movement over the next few weeks, but for the top candidates out there, which jobs are the most appealing? There are so many factors that go in to building a winning football team and each open spot has some advantages built in.

The following is my ranking of all four current NFL head coaching vacancies, with the advantages and disadvantages of each laid bare.

Next: San Francisco 49ers