Horse Tracks: Grading the head coaching hires around the NFL

There have been three new head coaching hires around the league thus far, let’s see how they look at first glance.

There have been three new head coaching hires around the league thus far, let’s see how they look at first glance.

Houston Texans – DeMeco Ryans: A-

Another year, another Kyle Shanahan coaching tree hire. Both Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel have gotten head coaching opportunities with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, and also Mike LaFleur who has been the offensive coordinator for the Jets and now the Los Angeles Rams. DeMeco Ryans is the next domino to fall, as he is joining his former team he played for, the Houston Texans.

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Ryans was one of the most coveted coaches this offseason after leading the San Francisco 49ers to having the best defense in the league. Ryans is a first time head coach with a lackluster roster in Houston, but due to his history with the Texans franchise and being a “player coach,” I’m confident Ryans will be able to get this team ready for play competitive football over the next few seasons.

Carolina Panthers – Frank Reich: B+

I really like this hire for the Carolina Panthers. They got a head coach who has proven he can be a pretty good coach in this league and make the most of the talent he has on the team. Reich was fired mostly because of disagreements with upper management about the quarterback position anyway, not necessarily because of the team’s performance. Reich provides stability, which is just what the Panthers need with that talented, young defensive core.

Denver Broncos – Sean Payton: A

The Broncos front office seemed to have wanted Ryans more than Payton, but this was my number one option for the Broncos going forward. If there is one man that is going to give Russell Wilson an opportunity to lead this team to the postseason after a horrific first season, it is Sean Payton. Payton racked up 152 wins in 9 seasons with the Saints and if the Broncos are going to pay Russell Wilson all this money to be the quarterback in Denver until he’s 40 years old, they need to bend over backwards to get a guy who can lead and turn around this offense.

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Giving up the picks for Payton sucks, because of the already depleted draft capital, but it’s a necessary sacrifice to get a proven, winning head coach. As a bonus as well, Payton is used to working with undersized quarterbacks like he did with Drew Brees in New Orleans and soon to be Russell Wilson.

Broncos News

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