We talk a lot during the season about the NFL coaching hot seat, about who isn't going to survive until the end of the season and who is going to be out the door as soon as Week 18 closes, but it seems, at the same time, that we don't necessarily talk about future head coaching candidates quite as early. Let's change that.
The 2027 offseason probably won't be as crazy when it comes to head coaching changes as the 2026 one was, but these names could still easily find themselves at the helm oc an NFL team next season.
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator
- Best Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I am growing more and more wary of teams hiring defensive-minded head coaches, in large part because that often means young quarterbacks are sent into the offensive coordinator roulette too soon. What do I mean by that? Well, it basically means that instead of having an offensive head coach who can lead that player's development, the quarterback has to hope that the head coach hires the right offensive coordinator. But offensive coordinators don't stick around long — either they're so good that they quickly land a head coaching position, or they struggle and that young quarterback has to get a new face in the room the next year. Right now, for example, there are only three NFL offensive coordinators who have been with their team since before the 2024 season. The two longest-tenured OCs were hired in 2022.
Why bring that up? Because ideally, a team with a young quarterback or that will soon be drafting a young quarterback should hire from the offensive side of the ball, but a really good defensive-minded guy still has a place on the right team, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the right team for Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The team just gave quarterback Baker Mayfield a big contract that they can't realistically get out of until 2029, and Mayfield is definitely in the "he is what he is" phase of his career, so development isn't really the issue. Building a defense that's good enough to hold up on that side of the ball to make up for Mayfield's sometimes erratic performances is the way forward in Tampa. (And just to ward off this counterargument: yes, Todd Bowles fits this mold and has been struggling, but I'd counter by saying that I think Flores is a far better football mind than Bowles at this point.)
This is, of course, complicated by the fact that Flores is currently suing the league for racial discrimination. Hopefully that doesn't work against him, because his performance as the Vikings defensive coordinator is that of a coach who deserves another shot to lead an NFL team.
Declan Doyle, Ravens offensive coordinator
- Best Fit: New York Jets
The New York Jets have a long history of bad coaching hires, and it looks like Aaron Glenn is the latest name on that list. Glenn, who came over to the Jets after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Lions, has looked over his head at times and with the Jets expected to be in position to draft a quarterback this season, turning to someone on the offensive side of the football would make sense.
While there are a number of names out there for potential head coaches from the offensive side of the ball, one who stands out specifically for the Jets is Ravens defensive coordinator Declan Doyle, in large part because of his playcalling experience this season. He was the offensive coordinator with the Bears in 2025, but didn't call plays because Ben Johnson handled that. He left Chicago specifically so he could be a playcaller.
The 30-year-old has been in the NFL since 2019 and has quickly proven to be one of the best minds in the game. It's only a matter of time before someone hires him, and while I get that his age and the fact he'll only have this one season as a playcaller under his belt might give the Jets pause considering their history of coaching ineptitude, this is the kind of risk that might finally put the team on track to be something in the near future, especially if you're pairing Doyle with a rookie quarterback like Darian Mensah or Dante Moore.
One complicating factor here for the Jets: Glenn is signed through 2029 and the team might want to be more patient this season than they've been in the past with coaches, especially considering Glenn was highly sought after when the team hired him. It's very possible that the team views Doyle as not being quite ready for a head coaching job and that this Jets team shows enough signs of life that it both isn't in position to draft a quarterback (though New York has three first-round picks, so could easily swing a trade up for one) and wins enough games that ownership decides to give Glenn another shot,
Grant Udinski, Jaguars offensive coordinator
- Best Fit: Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers simply cannot go into 2027 with Jim Harbaugh as the head coach. For whatever reason, this experiment has failed. Maybe he was away from the NFL too long. Maybe he isn't a fit for what this Chargers team needs. Maybe it isn't even his fault and he's just going to take the blame for Justin Herbert's regression, but even if that's the case, the Chargers have too much invested in Herbert to realistically move on from him, so the best way to fix him is to bring in an offensive-minded head coach who can try to get him going the right direction.
Enter Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski. Sure, he isn't the playcaller in Jacksonville, but that's a small issue compared to the much larger issue where Herbert doesn't look like the guy he once was. Bringing in a smart offensive mind like Udinski seems like a good move here, especially when you consider that Udinski is currently playing a key role in doing EXACTLY what the Chargers need: turning a highly touted, early draft pick who has disappointed at times into an elite NFL quarterback. He wouldn't have Liam Coen with him in Los Angeles, so the task might be a bit tougher, but his experience working with Trevor Lawrence should translate to working with Herbert.
Like with Doyle, there's the age concern, but with the way the league has been going, hiring an offensive mind in his 30s is a fine risk to take. Udinski will likely need to hire an offensive coordinator with experience who can help with the playcalling, but that shouldn't be too tough of an ask. Heck, he could keep current Chargers pass game coordinator Adam Gase around to ease the transition even, though it'd also be fair if Udinski just completely cleaned house after getting the job.
Klay Kubiak, 49ers offensive coordinator
- Best Fit: Washington Commanders
Yes, there is still another Kubiak in the NFL who is going to eventually become a head coach, joining father Gary and brother Klint. Klay Kubiak might not be the most hyped of the siblings, but his performance as the San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator this season and his experience working with Kyle Shanahan makes him a top head coaching candidate heading into this offseason.
The Washington Commanders would be an interesting landing spot. The team will be entering Year 4 of Jayden Daniels in 2027 and the results have been...weird. He looked like a top 10 NFL quarterback as a rookie, but injuries ruined his second season and are already impacting his third season. It's a strange situation where you know this guy can be elite if he's healthy, but you don't know if he can be healthy enough to be elite.
Kubiak has a ton of experience working with quarterbacks, though, and he's played a role in Brock Purdy's ascension. He's the kind of mind you want in the room scheming things up with Daniels, even if he lacks playcalling experience at the NFL level. (He does have playcalling experience at the high school level, but that isn't really a direct translation.) And if injuries prevent Daniels from working out, Kubiak should have the experience to help Washington win with its next quarterback as well.Â
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