With no live NFL action except some guys running 40 yard dashes without linebackers in their way, now is a great time to grade out the teams that made new coaching hires this offseason. It’s the players that make the most difference in terms of winning or losing, but getting the right head coach is pivotal to the overall chemistry of the franchise. There were quite a few hirings so let us jump right in.
strong>Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders: C+: How can anyone get excited about a coaching move the Raiders make? I know Al Davis is long gone, but until I see proof that things have changed, I’m not going to be high on this troubled franchise. Del Rio has solid experience under his belt and a good young quarterback in Derek Carr, but the wheels could fall off at any point with this team.
Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers: F-
This grade isn’t much about the new coach. Tomsula may be a great coach at some point in the future. That’s irrelevant. The 49ers had a head coach in Jim Harbaugh that was already one of the best in the league. Management should have found a way to get along with the guy. Now they face an uphill battle with a new man in charge.
Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos: B-
John Fox did an admirable job in Denver, but couldn’t get over the Super Bowl hump. Elway did his job by supplying a much improved defense in 2014, but to no avail. Kubiak and Elway may be a better overall fit as they shape the team in their own mold going forward. Kubiak didn’t wow the world in his run with Houston, but a new team presents new opportunities. Many a head coach needed two opportunities to get rolling.
Todd Bowles, New York Jets: B+
Even though Bowles has no head coaching experience in the NFL, he is at the top of the game defensively. His biggest hurdle is at QB. I’m sure he can coach up the defense, but he has to find a real replacement for Geno Smith. I cannot see Smith being the long term solution there. Geno Smith would get Bill Walsh fired.
John Fox, Chicago Bears: B
This ‘B’ could be for blah. Fox was good, not great in Denver. That’s why he’s in Chicago now. This team should thrive under Fox’s steady hand. That may not be good enough longterm, but it should smooth over the debacle of last season in the short run.
Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills: A-
I believe Rex Ryan is still a top tier head coach despite a couple of rough years with the Jets. His players play hard for him and he knows the game, especially on the defensive side. He does face a familiar problem in Buffalo with the lack of a true number one QB however.
Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons: B+
We don’t know what Dan Quinn is going to be as a head coach. This is his first shot running the show in the NFL. Atlanta had to fire its most successful coach in Mike Smith as they had gotten in a two year rut. Quinn may be the defensive wizard that he is purported to be, but management best get him some players to work that magic. There is no Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas III, or Kam Chancellor on the Falcons’ roster.