NFL Head Coaching Desirability Index: Which Open Vacancies Are Most Coveted?
The NFL coaching carousel is officially underway, and not all head coaching vacancies are created equal.
While some openings offer stability, quarterback continuity, and immediate playoff upside, others come with longer rebuild timelines and more uncertainty behind the scenes. For candidates across the league, landing the right job can be just as important as landing a job at all.
Below, we rank the open NFL head coaching jobs using a framework that will continue to update as vacancies are filled and new openings emerge.
Key Takeaways- With the Buffalo Bills vacancy now filled, the CCDI board has narrowed to just a handful of remaining openings.
- Arizona and Las Vegas sit atop the remaining rankings largely due to attrition, not upside.
Each open NFL head coaching job was scored across six core categories that reflect what candidates value most when choosing their next destination. This model blends betting-market logic with roster construction principles commonly used across NFL front offices.
CCDI scoring breakdown (100-point scale)- Quarterback outlook (40%): Elite quarterback play is rare in the NFL, which is why a team with proven QB play or a clear long-term plan scores highest.
- Roster talent (20%):A strong foundation shortens the rebuild time and raises expectations.
- Front office stability (15%): Alignment between ownership, the front office, and the head coach provides patience and clarity: two critical ingredients for long-term success.
- Salary cap/draft capital (20%): Cap flexibility and draft assets determine how quickly a new coaching staff can reshape the roster.
- Division & competitive landscape (5%): While parity exists across the league, the strength of divisional opponents still shapes the path to contention.
All rankings reflect current vacancies and will be updated as hires are made. The table below shows how each open job scores across the CCDI categories, with totals driving the final rankings.
| Team | QB (40) | Ros (20) | FO (15) | Cap (20) | Div (5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titans | |||||
| Cardinals (57) | 21 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 2 |
| Raiders (56) | 20 | 11 | 6 | 18 | 1 |
Arizona CardinalsCCDI score: 57The Arizona Cardinals open this search with more questions than answers, making this one of the more challenging openings despite a few high-end building blocks.
Quarterback outlook
Kyler Murray's long-term future remains unclear, leaving the Cardinals with significant uncertainty at quarterback - a major drawback for any incoming coaching staff.
Roster talent
Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride provide legitimate top-end talent, but much of the roster around them lacks stability and could be subject to significant turnover.
Front office stability
Owner Michael Bidwill has historically shown patience, but with just one playoff win over the past decade, expectations are rising, and the margin for error is shrinking.
Salary cap & draft capital
Arizona enters the offseason with roughly $44 million in cap space (14th overall) and holds the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft, giving the next coach flexibility but also difficult decisions regarding quarterback and roster priorities.
Division & competitive landscape
The NFC West remains one of the league's toughest divisions, with Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco all coming off 12-win seasons, making immediate success hard to come by.
Why this job ranks No. 1
Arizona's position near the top of the current rankings is more a reflection of the coaching carousel thinning out than a ringing endorsement of the opening itself.
Las Vegas RaidersCCDI score: 56The Las Vegas Raiders open this search with significant resources but a history of instability that continues to weigh down the overall appeal of the job.
Quarterback outlook
The Geno Smith experiment failed to provide long-term answers, and the Raiders are likely headed toward a rookie quarterback under center, creating uncertainty at the most important position.
Roster talent
Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, and Maxx Crosby give the roster legitimate cornerstone pieces, but depth and consistency remain issues across much of the lineup.
Front office stability
Frequent leadership changes and short coaching tenures signal a lack of patience at the top, raising concerns about job security even with incremental on-field improvement.
Salary cap & draft capital
This is where the Raiders stand out. Las Vegas owns the No. 1 overall pick and projects to have significant cap flexibility, giving a new coaching staff rare control over the direction of the roster.
Division & competitive landscape
Competing in the AFC West remains a major challenge, with Kansas City, Denver, and Los Angeles all led by established or ascending quarterbacks, narrowing the margin for error.
Why this job ranks No. 2
They call it the Black Hole for a reason.
Baltimore Ravens - Vacancy filledThe Baltimore Ravens have filled their head coaching position, hiring former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. At the time of hire, Baltimore ranked first on the CCDI due to elite quarterback play, long-term front office stability, and a roster built to contend immediately.
Buffalo Bills - Vacancy filledThe Buffalo Bills have filled their head coaching position, hiring former offensive coordinator Joe Brady. At the time of hire, Buffalo ranked second on the CCDI due to elite quarterback play, organizational stability, and a sustained track record of contention, offset by tight cap constraints and roster holes on both sides of the ball.
New York Giants - Vacancy filledThe New York Giants have filled their head coaching position, hiring John Harbaugh and closing one of the more attractive openings of this cycle. At the time of hire, New Yorkranked second on the CCDI due to front office stability, premium draft capital, and the long-term appeal of one of the league's flagship franchises.
Tennessee Titans - Vacancy filledThe Tennessee Titans have filled their head coaching position, hiring former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. At the time of hire, Tennesseeranked third on the CCDI due to its significant cap flexibility and premium draft capital, offset by uncertainty at quarterback and an uneven roster.
Atlanta Falcons -Vacancy filledThe Atlanta Falcons have filled their head coaching position, hiring former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and closing one of the more intriguing middle-tier openings of this cycle. At the time of hire, Atlantaranked fourth on the CCDI thanks to a talented young offensive core and a favorable divisional landscape, offset by uncertainty at quarterback and limited draft capital.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Vacancy filledThe Pittsburgh Steelers have filled their head coaching position, hiring former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. At the time of hire, Pittsburgh ranked seventh on the CCDI due to organizational stability and market appeal, offset by uncertainty at quarterback and a roster in need of retooling.
Miami Dolphins - Vacancy filledThe Miami Dolphins have filled their head coaching position, hiring former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. At the time of hire, Miamiranked eighth on the CCDI due to ongoing uncertainty at quarterback, limited cap flexibility, and roster imbalance despite high-end offensive talent.
Cleveland Browns - Vacancy filledThe Cleveland Browns have filled their head coaching position, hiring former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. At the time of hire, Cleveland ranked last on the CCDI due to ongoing instability at quarterback, limited cap flexibility, and a roster lacking depth beyond a small number of cornerstone players.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here