Ranking the best potential NFL head coaching openings

1. Dallas Cowboys

Yes, dealing with owner/general manager/general meddler Jerry Jones is no picnic, particularly if you want your voice heard in personnel matters and won’t easily be rolled over by him. Coaches with any weight personality-wise (Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells) simply haven’t lasted long under “Jerry”. But maybe, if Jones really wants to win another Super Bowl badly enough, he’ll relinquish some level of control and desire to be the most front-facing member of the organization to a head coach with credibility or a level of inherent notoriety.

There are the looming contract matters for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, but Dallas has the most talented roster of any team that will be looking for a new head coach after the season and as of this writing they could (and may be by the time you’re reading this) be a reigning division champion. A playoff game, or even winning a Wild Card playoff game they’d host if they are NFC East champions, would delay Jason Garrett’s inevitable firing. But there will be candidates (Lincoln Riley? Dan Mullen? Urban Meyer? Josh McDaniels?) willing to wait to be hired due to whatever their circumstance might be.

The Cowboys still carry a high level of move-the-needle notoriety, as proven by the level of interest in them and the television ratings they regularly pull. Their looming coaching search will be interesting, heavily scrutinized in the moment and re-assessed retroactively down the road when who they hire is compared to who they could have had if things go badly. But even will all the potential negatives, this is still the most appealing possible (and likely) head coaching opening in the NFL when this year’s carousel starts to spin.