There is only one more week in the 2023 NFL season (pending Monday Night Football), which means that the head coaching search is about to begin for several of the worst teams in the league. Whether it’s a relatively unknown first-year head coach or a proven veteran like Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh, several of the NFL’s 32 organizations will put the hopes of the franchises in the hands of new leadership.
While Black Monday is still a week away, the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers already parted ways with their respective head coaches. Additionally, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that 7-10 coaches could be fired at the end of the season, which means that there will be a lot of demand for the next generation of football minds. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is one of the top names on the market, but the former San Francisco 49ers head coach has yet to publicly commit to an NFL return. However, his latest move implies that the college legend will join the NFL ranks before long.
According to ESPN, Jim Harbaugh has hired Don Yee to be his agent. Yee, for those unfamiliar, has an extensive client list including current Broncos head coach Sean Payton and former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. Basically, Yee is one of the biggest names out there and has a series of connections throughout the NFL. While this doesn’t technically prove anything, it would be strange for Harbaugh to hire Yee if he wasn’t looking at a potential return to the professional level.
Report: Jim Harbaugh’s Latest Move Signals An NFL Return
Teams With No Head Coaches
As mentioned above, the Panthers, Raiders, and Chargers have already fired their head coaches and will be in the market for someone like Jim Harbaugh. The only question is whether or not Harbaugh will have any interest in those three teams.
This is pure speculation, but from the outside looking in, Los Angeles appears to be the most intriguing team. The Chargers are in a bit of a salary cap pickle, but the lack of financial resources is easily offset by the presence of Justin Herbert. Herbert is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game, and any coach in the league would give anything to work with a young talent like him. Additionally, the rest of the roster isn’t that bad. Since firing head coach Brandon Staley, the Chargers have lost two games by a combined nine points – and they did that without Herbert. Had Herbert been healthy, they probably would’ve won both contests against teams that were fighting for their playoff lives.
Harbaugh’s interest in the Panthers likely depends upon his thoughts on Bryce Young. After the best performance of his career against the Green Bay Packers, Young had a terrible outing against the Jacksonville Jaguars. There is no offensive talent on this roster, Carolina does not have a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and David Tepper is one of the worst owners in the game. If Jim Harbaugh is enamored with Young, then perhaps he’ll overlook all this. If not, then it’s hard to see why he’d ever join the Panthers.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are in a similar boat. While ownership is far more steady, they do not have a quarterback and need a lot of work on defense. Aidan O’Connell has played well for a fifth-round rookie, but he’s clearly not a franchise quarterback. However, at 7-9, the Raiders probably won’t be in a position to draft someone like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or even Jayden Daniels. Jim Harbaugh brought out the best in Alex Smith back in San Francisco, but he’d probably want to join a team with a better quarterback situation.
Other Potential Jim Harbaugh Destinations
The Ron Rivera Era is almost certainly over in Washington, which means that the new owners will have their chance to show the fanbase that they’re truly committed to winning. With that in mind, going after Jim Harbaugh makes perfect sense. If he likes what he’s seen from Sam Howell, then he can either select Marvin Harrison Jr or trade the pick for a king’s ransom. However, if he believes Williams or Maye are better, then he has his next franchise quarterback.
The New Orleans Saints are reportedly planning on sticking with Dennis Allen, but it’s hard to understand why. Allen failed during his first head coaching tenure with the Raiders, and his second stint isn’t going much better. He probably won’t turn it around in 2024, so they might as well go after Jim Harbaugh. The Derek Carr contract is a major problem, but it’s only a one-year issue. The rest of the roster is in pretty solid shape, and a better coach should be able to get this team to the playoffs.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
