Ranking available NFL head coaching jobs: Cowboys edge Jaguars for most coveted opening

And then there were four. Following the hiring of Ben Johnson (to the Bears) and Aaron Glenn (to the Jets), four NFL teams are still looking for their next head coach with the start of free agency in less than two month.

The Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars are the teams still trying to determine who will lead them in 2025. Jacksonville is also now looking for a new general manager . after separating with Trent Baalke this week.

Each position has its advantages and disadvantages. But which offers the best situation, and conversely, which appears to be the least attractive opening? Here’s a ranking of each opening, starting with the most attractive landing spot.

1. Cowboys

Surprised to see the Cowboys open at the top? I am. Dallas has an owner who is also the general manager, little space to work with, and plays in arguably the most competitive division in the NFL. When you consider these things, it doesn’t seem like an ideal place.

These things are true, but there are many reasons why the Cowboys head coaching job is a great situation. While he clearly presents challenges for any coach, there’s no denying Jerry Jones’ desire to win another championship while ending the Cowboys’ long drought without an appearance in the NFC title game. Jones has other priorities, but the Cowboys’ success is at the top of his list. It’s never a bad thing to be a homeowner.

There is also a plan for how to work with Jones, working alongside him and accepting his inclusion in everything the Cowboys do. At first, this was the relationship Jones shared with Jimmy Johnson, and the result was back-to-back Super Bowl victories.

The Cowboys also have an ideal starting point with Dak Prescott at quarterback. You can’t win in the NFL without a franchise quarterback, and the Cowboys have one, something two other teams looking for a head coach can’t say. Along with Prescott, the Cowboys also have other key building blocks in place with wideout CeeDee Lamb, linebacker Micah Parsons, cornerback Trevon Diggs, kicker Brandon Aubrey, special teams ace KaVontae Turpin and running back emerging baller Rico Dowdle.

Yes, there are legitimate problems in Dallas. The Cowboys have more contracts (like Parsons) to deal with and they need to make significant improvements at several positions, including the offensive line. But there are many more positives here than negatives. It also helps that the Cowboys don’t play in the AFC, which has four of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.

2.Jaguar

Even though last season was a complete disaster, there are still several reasons why Jacksonville is an attractive place.

It’s easy to forget, but the Jaguars are just one year removed from a 9-8 season and two years removed from a playoff victory. The Jaguars have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and promising young players like Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Etienne. They’re middle of the pack in terms of expected salary cap space for 2025, but they’re armed with 10 picks in the upcoming draft, including six in the first four rounds.

Whoever the Jaguars choose as their next general manager will obviously go a long way in determining how good this job really is. Jacksonville needs its next coach and general manager to work together while sharing the same vision when it comes to roster construction and culture.

3. The saints

There is considerable work to be done, but the Saints have the ability to become a playoff contending team again fairly quickly.

Let’s start with the positives. The Saints play in a winnable division and have several building blocks to work with: running back Alvin Kamara, wideout Chris Olave, 2023 first-round pick Bryan Bresee and veteran defenders Tyrann Mathieu, Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis . The Saints won their first two games convincingly last year before injuries and several close losses quickly turned their season around.

Speaking of veterans, the Saints also have 33-year-old quarterback Derek Carr, who played OK last year before his season ended prematurely due to injury. New Orleans also has two other quarterback projects in Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, both of whom had a chance to start last year.

New Orleans is in salary cap hell, so barring any big internal roster moves, don’t expect the Saints to be players in free agency. They do, however, have eight draft picks, including six in the first four rounds.

4. Looters

Las Vegas doesn’t have much to get excited about from a roster perspective. There’s a reason the Raiders finished with a 4-13 record, after all. But that might not be a terrible thing for a head coach who’s OK with a rebuild. The Raiders’ next head coach will likely have the opportunity to start from scratch in an effort to establish lasting success, something that has alluded to this proud franchise for most of this century.

The Raiders will have a ton of cap space at their disposal before hitting free agency, so they should be able to address many of their roster needs. Las Vegas also has eight picks in the upcoming draft, including the No. 6 overall pick.

It’s also worth noting that the Raiders have Tom Brady working with them as a minority owner. It’s well known that Brady has been active in the team’s head coaching search, which is clearly a good thing. In Brady, the Raiders have someone who knows what a winning culture looks like, and that’s something the seven-time Super Bowl champion hopes to bring to Las Vegas, starting with the team’s next head coach.