ClutchPoints
The Baltimore Ravens fired John Harbaugh on Tuesday, bringing the head coach vacancy total to seven this year. After 18 seasons in Baltimore, the Super Bowl Champion is available and, reportedly, already has interest from other teams. Of the six teams that already fired their coaches, not all are great fits for Harbaugh. Which three teams are the best fits for the veteran coach?
Harbaugh is not used to being in a turbulent organization. There has only been one general manager change in Ravens history, with Ozzie Newsome retiring in 2018 and passing the baton to Ernie DeCosta. Many of the teams with coach openings have had more GMs than that this decade. That experience could make Harbaugh picky in free agency and limit his opportunities, but maybe for the better.
Which teams are the best fits for Harbaugh this offseason?
The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after their win on Sunday. Even without a first-round pick this year or an obvious answer at quarterback, this is the best landing spot for Harbaugh. He should earn full trust from owner Arthur Blank and be very involved with the hiring of the GM.
Even without a ton of confidence in Michael Penix Jr, the Falcons have an elite offensive core. Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts make up a promising core. Harbaugh could come in and install the right culture in the Atlanta locker room while having a hand in the roster building.
The Falcons did not hire Bill Belichick two offseasons ago because of the amount of power he asked for. Asking for roster control would be a risky move for Harbaugh, but he is far and away the best candidate available in this cycle. Will the Falcons learn from their previous mistakes?
Fans across the NFL were stunned on Sunday when the Giants announced that general manager Joe Schoen would keep his job. He has built a terrible roster through the draft, and Brian Daboll caught the blame for it. Harbaugh would be a decent fit for the Giants, but only if he can pull Liam Coen’s move from last offseason.
Last year, Coen was in serious talks to be the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach. But at the last minute, he told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he was returning as the offensive coordinator. But when the Jaguars fired general manager Trent Baalke, Coen turned face and went east to Duval County. Now, he is an AFC South champion.
If Harbaugh can pull off the same magic trick on John Mara and the Giants, it would be the right move. Schoen has not proven anything as the general manager, and Harbaugh should not trust his final act as a head coach with Schoen. With Jaxson Dart in place,
There are no guarantees with rookie quarterbacks...
