Bill Belichick power rankings: Ranking 5 best destinations for Hall-of-Fame coach

1. Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers opted for the young, wunderkind coordinator with their last coaching hire and it did not work. Brandon Staley failed miserably on his side of the ball. Belichick is a more established defensive ace. He could guide the Chargers' No. 28 defense to less choppy waters.

Most importantly, however, the Chargers have Justin Herbert. Few head coaching opportunities come with a top-five QB already installed. We know Belichick's win-loss split fell off a cliff following Tom Brady's departure from New England. Herbert isn't Brady, but he's sure as hell better than Mac Jones. Herbert guarantees the Chargers a fairly high floor on offense. He is going to pass for 4,000+ yards and 20+ touchdowns as long as he's healthy.

The Chargers have a "top-five statistical offense by EPA per play with Justin Herbert in the lineup," per The Athletic. That alone should convince Belichick L.A. is the best job available. It's more difficult to win in the AFC West than the NFC South — Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and C.J. Stroud all reside in the AFC — but it's borderline impossible to win at the highest level without elite QB play. There are sparse exceptions, but Herbert provides Los Angeles with a Super Bowl ceiling. It's about improving the roster around him.

Los Angeles also happens to be looking for a new GM. If Belichick is going to demand roster control at his next stop, the Chargers can most easily oblige. That's a debatable strategy, but a lot of the concern stemming from Belichick's lack of direction in New England is offset by Los Angeles' relatively strong starting point. Last season's 5-12 record is not indicative of how quickly the Chargers can bounce back to contention. If the Chargers consider him, Belichick should prize the L.A. job.