Predictions for the Coaching Carousel

Cleveland Browns- Josh McDaniels
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will meet with the Browns in New England on Saturday. McDaniels was previously the head coach of the Denver Broncos, where he went 11-17 in almost two seasons. Other candidates for the Browns job include Todd Bowles and Gus Malzahn. Malzahn represents a superstar hire, as he has taken Auburn to a 12-1 record, and the Tigers will play in the BCS Championship game against Florida State.

Washington Redskins- Jay Gruden
Jay Gruden has been mentioned with many other teams, but Washington would be a great fit. It isn’t the big name that owner Daniel Snyder loves to pursue, but Gruden has done a fantastic job developing Andy Dalton into an above-average starting quarterback. His offensive background would be great for Robert Griffin III’s future. RGIII’s former head coach, Art Briles, would be that big name that Snyder is looking for, and there’s no doubt that there is chemistry between him and the quarterback. However, I believe that hiring a head coach from the NFL would better suit the Redskins.

Detroit Lions- Adam Gase
Adam Gase, the offensive coordinator for the Broncos, would be a very interesting hire. Gase is a former quarterbacks coach, and he also has experience with coaching wide receivers. After firing Jim Schwartz, a coach with a defensive background, the Lions might want to hire a coach who specializes in the offensive side of the ball. An offense with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson would prosper under Gase’s leadership. Another candidate who would be an excellent choice would be Mike Zimmer. Zimmer is the defensive coordinator of the Bengals, and he has been mentioned for coaching vacancies for many years now. He’s assembled a superb defense, even though it isn’t the most talented unit.

Minnesota Vikings- Jim Caldwell
Jim Caldwell comes from Tony Dungy’s coaching tree, and helped develop Peyton Manning as a quarterbacks coach in Indianapolis. The Ravens offensive coordinator and former Colts head coach would be a good fit with the Vikings, as they are one of the teams that might draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft. As a head coach, he has a career record of 26-22, and has been to one Superbowl (lost to New Orleans). Another interesting option is Mike Zimmer, the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals.