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Jeremy Fowler
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Jeremy Fowler
senior NFL national reporter
- Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.
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Ben Solak
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Ben Solak
ESPN
- Ben Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst. He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Nation and The Draft Network.
Coordinator turnover is more common than ever in the NFL. According to ESPN Research, the most new hires we’ve seen at offensive or defensive coordinator came in the 2024 offseason, when there were 33. But fourteen of those hires were out of their roles by the start of the 2025 season.
The 2026 offseason is proving to be no different. There have already been five hires for offensive or defensive coordinators, including for some of the high-profile OC jobs: Mike McDaniel to the Chargers, Eric Bieniemy to the Chiefs and Drew Petzing to the Lions. That leaves 13 total openings at those positions around the NFL. And with five head coaching jobs still not filled, even more hirings are on the way.
We looked at the current offensive and defensive coordinator market — sorry, special teams — before the conference championship games. NFL analyst Ben Solak narrowed the list of 13 openings to a top-four ranking on each side of the ball. Then national NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler gave his latest intel on who could be hired for each of those jobs.
Let’s get into all that below. (This list does not include the five teams without head coaches, because the coordinators could potentially be retained in those spots.)
Jump to:
OC openings | DC openings
Top four offensive coordinator openings
Why it’s No. 1: Because the Ravens hired Jesse Minter, a defensive-minded head coach, this job is one of those coveted spots in which an offensive coordinator can call plays himself. Doing so for two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry is an even greater draw! And while there are personnel concerns at wide receiver and on the offensive line, the Ravens’ front office is a trustworthy one. This is the ideal spot. — Solak
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Who could get it: The Ravens interviewed 16 candidates for the head coaching search, which could provide some clues for the coordinator spot. Veteran offensive coaches Matt Nagy, Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Brady recently met with the team. All three would be good fits for Jackson. Denver’s Davis Webb is qualified as well if he wants to leave Denver to call plays. With deep-rooted ties throughout the league, Baltimore’s front office can help guide Minter on this front. — Fowler
Why it’s No. 2: The opportunity to work with Cam Ward is a great one, as the No. 1 draft pick showed plenty of signs that he has a high ceiling in the pros. The Titans currently have the third-most cap space in the NFL ($77.1 million, per Roster Management System), which gives a new staff the opportunity to retool the roster to their liking. The defense under new head coach Robert Saleh will do its part, which should help the offensive coordinator look even better with short fields and plenty of possessions. — Solak
Who could get it: The Titans interviewed Brian Daboll for head coach, so he’s a possibility. But it’s not a slam dunk, as Daboll is in the mix for the Buffalo head coaching job. Another name to watch is Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, a former Titans OC under Mike Vrabel. Smith’s name is floating around, and he could help support Ward with a strong run game. Saleh also has ties to Dolphins pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak. — Fowler
Why it’s No. 3: Much like the Titans job, the Giants job is a fairly blank slate with an exciting rising sophomore quarterback in Jaxson Dart. The return of wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo from injury will elevate this job even further. And the presence of Andrew Thomas also secures the franchise left tackle spot — a famously tough spot to scheme around. Figuring out an offense that maximizes Dart’s mobility and also protects him from his own recklessness will be tough, but the opportunity to coach under a well-respected CEO head coach in John Harbaugh makes this job attractive. — Solak
Who could get it: This job is considered Todd Monken’s to lose. Monken guided the Ravens to a top-ranked offense under Harbaugh as the unit’s coordinator for the past three seasons. But Monken is still sorting through options and in the mix for the Cleveland head coaching job. Miami has interest in him at offensive coordinator as well. Willie Taggart, who was just the assistant head coach/running backs coach in Baltimore, is also interviewing for the job. But Monken is the clear favorite at this point. — Fowler
Why it’s No. 4: This job has been the equivalent of the Defense Against the Dark Arts job at Hogwarts, with a new coach occupying the role in each of the past four seasons. In other words, anyone taking the gig should do so without dropping deep roots. Expectations are high for any coordinator in Philadelphia, as the Eagles have enjoyed multiple Super Bowl runs in the Jalen Hurts era. But if the split from wide receiver A.J. Brown continues to fester, scheming that offense gets much trickier. It’s not a bad job, but it is a charged one. There’s a reason other spots are getting filled first. — Solak
1:54
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Who could get it: Philly’s search has been all over the map, and the team is still submitting requests for interviews. I’m not totally convinced former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is off the table, though there’s not much buzz there at the moment. Chicago offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is a name to watch. The Bears did not block Philly’s request to interview Doyle, which means he’s free to make the lateral move. Some see him as head coach material, and this job can be a springboard if the new playcaller improves Hurts’ performance. — Fowler
Other opening: Dolphins
Top four defensive coordinator openings
Why it’s No. 1: Coaching edge rusher Micah Parsons sure sounds pretty cool. Other young, secured talent, such as linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, cornerback Xavier McKinney and safety Evan Williams, offer a great base from which a clever defensive coach could scheme up a successful unit. That’s something Jeff Hafley, the outgoing DC and current Dolphins head coach, did well in multiple seasons. The Packers need more depth at cornerback and defensive tackle, but they have been willing to spend to sign free agents recently. — Solak
Who could get it: Former Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon is one of the strongest coordinator options left and is firmly in the mix in Green Bay, though others are looking at him. Packers coach Matt LaFleur has strong ties to former Falcons coach Raheem Morris, who will have coordinator options if he doesn’t get the Arizona head coaching job. Denver defensive pass-game coordinator Jim Leonhard is a name to watch, too. He played and coached at Wisconsin, and he was up for this job two years ago. — Fowler
Why it’s No. 2: The shoes in San Francisco are big ones to fill, as outgoing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh did tremendous work coaching around the lack of talent during the 49ers’ unlikely postseason run this season. With Fred Warner and Nick Bosa returning to health, the 49ers’ defensive roster has talent … but also big holes along the defensive line and in the cornerbacks room. This job has had not just Saleh but also DeMeco Ryans fill it in past seasons, and that history of success brings with it high expectations. — Solak
Who could get it: Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed senior assistant Gus Bradley is a strong candidate for the job, calling him the «obvious» choice. Tennessee might also have interest in Bradley, and he can’t be blocked from leaving because he’s not currently a coordinator. But Bradley staying in San Francisco seems like a sensible move at this point. Raheem Morris is also an attractive option there. — Fowler
1:12
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Why it’s No. 3: This job is a tricky one. The personnel is very suited to the Minter/Baltimore style of defense, so the job isn’t a fit for anyone without major personnel overhaul. But with coach Jim Harbaugh running the team and an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert, it’s a spot where strong coaching can lead to winning and future promotion — as shown by Minter himself. — Solak
Who could get it: Harbaugh has a bit of a starmaker reputation, as Minter and Mike Macdonald served as his defensive coordinators at Michigan. Miami DC Anthony Weaver and Tennessee DC Dennard Wilson are among fits from the Baltimore tree. Minnesota’s Daronte Jones and Denver’s Jim Leonhard are among the top candidates given their experience as defensive pass-game coordinators. — Fowler
Why it’s No. 4: Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux are on the defensive line, that’s why. The Giants are well-suited for a big leap in defensive performance, as they underperformed to their talent level last season and should grow into a dominant pressure team as their defensive line continues to gel. Any defensive coordinator who sells out for a four-man rush (looking at you, Jim Schwartz) should love the potential of this group. — Solak
Who could get it: Coach John Harbaugh’s deep-rooted Baltimore ties will be helpful here. Weaver, who coached in Baltimore from 2021 to 2023, is a viable option if he doesn’t secure a head coaching job. My sense is that Harbaugh won’t run it back with his 2025 coordinator, Zach Orr, after the Ravens’ defensive struggles. Daronte Jones is a hot candidate who has interviewed with the Giants and several others. The Giants could do a lot worse than him. — Fowler
Other openings: Commanders, Dolphins, Ravens, Titans
