5 candidates to be next Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach

2. John Harbaugh

The Ravens are now on a good track for a playoff spot this year at 8-6. But moving toward the final year of his contract in 2019 with no contract extension in sight, Harbaugh may be set to leave after the season and depending on where he goes next, take quarterback Joe Flacco with him.

Like McCarthy, Harbaugh will be unemployed only as long as he wants to be. He also has a solid regular season record (102-72) over a double-digit season tenure with the same team, with a Super Bowl win on his resume too. There’s any easy argument that he is best coach with his surname, without the bluster and circumstance brother Jim comes with.

Tampa Bay is one of the teams who could be in the mix to add Flacco during the offseason, as the Ravens officially go all-in with Lamar Jackson under center. An effort to hire Harbaugh may come in concert with a quarterback recommendation from him, for whatever that’s worth.

Harbaugh should have no trouble hiring a top-notch coaching staff, which is a significant point in his corner as he looks toward his next step. He’d obviously be a big-name hire for Tampa Bay, as much as that ultimately matters to anyone below ownership, but with the strong possibility of immediate results and a return to playoff contention.