Ranking the best potential NFL head coaching openings

6. Atlanta Falcons

After a 1-7 start to turn up the heat on Dan Quinn, the Falcons are 4-2 since their bye week with notable wins over the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. That may enough to save Quinn’s job , with owner Arthur Blank’s prerogative to go against expectation and give his head coach another year also in play.

The Falcons’ situation looking to 2020 can be seen in two opposite ways. On one hand, there’s a lot of proven offensive talent in place and it may only take a few additions along with better health to bring better performance and consistency on the defensive side of the ball. But in the other light it’s a very top-heavy roster, and the cap situation is bad next year as they currently sit just shy of $2.2 million over the projected $200 million limit before accounting for what it will take to sign a draft class.

A new head coach would pretty much be stuck with the current roster in Atlanta, for next year and possibly in 2021 or beyond too. So the status quo might just have to be maintained for one more year, with Quinn sure to be on the hot seat heading into next season. But on the chance Blank shifts what seems to be his current course and fires Quinn, the Falcons’ job opening would have some level of appeal.