Predicting 10 2025 NFL coaching changes, including Ben Johnson to the Bengals

Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr released his excellent annual list of future NFL coaches on Thursday, a must-read for football fans.

We parsed through Orr's list of names, and it got us thinking. Who might actually get jobs in the NFL this winter once the coaching carousel kicks in?

We've identified 10 NFL teams that could reasonably make coaching changes this winter and picked out possible successors. While we're not sure how any of this goes, it's never too early to make predictions.

Let's identify the 10 teams that could make changes and explain why we linked said teams to these 10 coaching candidates.

Chicago Bears

In: Todd Monken (Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator)

Out: Matt Eberflus

The Bears will likely swap out Eberflus this January for someone better suited to maximize the sky-high potential of quarterback Caleb Williams. Monken has done tremendous work with the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson in particular the past two seasons. His time to be a head coach is now, and Chicago desperately needs stability for its franchise face in Williams. Monken coming from Baltimore, as stable a pillar in the NFL, could be very enticing for a Bears franchise in disarray. Fielding a strong defense can make hiring an offensive guy like Monken more appealing. Eberflus will likely be an in-demand defensive coordinator candidate for any number of teams.

Cincinnati Bengals

In: Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions offensive coordinator)

Out: Zac Taylor

Johnson's options for jobs on this list pale in comparison to what he could inherit in Cincinnati. Having an elite quarterback in Joe Burrow would make the Bengals a dream destination if the team parts ways with Taylor. Johnson will probably have his pick of openings this offseason, and it'd be very hard to see him turning down a job in Cincinnati since it comes with Burrow. Winning in the AFC is tough, but Johnson could do that with this level of quarterback play. If the Bengals job doesn't come open, it's fair to wonder if Johnson stays in Detroit for another season. Taylor would probably have plenty of assistant offensive coaching offers. Could he return to the L.A. Rams?

Cleveland Browns

In: Mike Vrabel

Out: Kevin Stefanski

Cleveland is an absolute mess right now, and it may be a while for this team to recover from the albatross that is Deshaun Watson's contract. Stefanski is a two-time NFL coach of the year, but the league's currency is what have you done for me lately. With how things are looking in Cleveland, he might not mind "parting ways" with the franchise and getting a fresh start elsewhere. Vrabel is an established NFL head coach and an Ohio sporting legend from his days at Ohio State. He's a consultant for the Browns already, so the team probably wouldn't have to work hard to convince him to take a major promotion. If Vrabel had a hand in picking the next general manager, he'd probably take this job in a heartbeat and return to his home state. He's got the thick skin to deal with the Watson problem and the experience to build a strong culture within Cleveland. Stefanski would get another head coaching job, either in this cycle or the next.

Dallas Cowboys

In: Bill Belichick

Out: Mike McCarthy

If you'd like to read a whole article about this possibility, check this out. In short, this just makes way, way, way too much sense for Jerry Jones and where the Cowboys are right now. We could see McCarthy making the jump into NFL broadcasting after this likely parting of ways.

Jacksonville Jaguars

In: Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator)

Out: Doug Pederson

Pederson is almost guaranteed to get fired at this point after such a disappointing 2024 in Duval. Brady is a rising candidate leading one of the best offenses in Buffalo, even if quarterback Josh Allen can make any play-caller look good. Brady got head coaching consideration during the January 2021 NFL coaching cycle, and this might be the moment he finally lands one. He'd be tasked with fixing quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which isn't the worst problem to have as a head coach. The team would probably need a second to retool, but Brady could thrive with the Jaguars. As for Pederson, maybe he'd be open to returning to the Kansas City Chiefs?

New Orleans Saints

In: Aaron Glenn (Detroit Lions defensive coordinator)

Out: Darren Rizzi

The Saints are veering on a deeply painful rebuilding process after years of pushing that process into the future with salary cap decisions. The team will need someone who it can establish a patient relationship with, if only because it may take a second to sort through the roster. Rizzi may well earn the job if New Orleans finishes strong this season, but Glenn is going to be a very popular name on the coaching cycle. He both played for and coached for the Saints in the past, and he'd return with an impressive tenure with the Lions. Glenn could enter with plenty of goodwill both in the fan base and within the franchise. Glenn would have quite the task ahead of him, but New Orleans bringing back one of its most successful assistant coaching alums is a good way to restart. Rizzi could stay on as the team's special teams coordinator or do that job elsewhere, and former Saints coach Dennis Allen will likely get a defensive coordinator job.

Las Vegas Raiders

In: Deion Sanders

Out: Antonio Pierce

Do you want to coach quarterback Shedeur Sanders? Well, Deion Sanders would. Las Vegas owner Mark Davis is almost certainly going for something bold, just like he did when he brought Jon Gruden back to the NFL in 2018 after a decade. As the Raiders inch closer to a very high draft pick and have a clear need at quarterback, the team can dominate the offseason headlines by hiring an NFL legend in Sanders and drafting his son to be the next franchise face. This is the splash of all splashes, and the odds of it working are tenuous at best. However, Davis needs to rejuvenate a languishing franchise in one of the entertainment capitols of the world. The Sanders can do that. Piece would be a popular assistant coaching candidate for plenty of teams.

New York Giants

In: Kevin Stefanski

Out: Brian Daboll

If Stefanski wants to join a more stable organization than Cleveland if he's not long for the Dawg Pound, New York represents a place where he could handpick his next quarterback and pair him with a solid offensive line and an all-pro talent in Malik Nabers. The NFC East is not an easy place to win, and Stefanski might be more interested in a 2026 coaching vacancy since that quarterback class looks so tantalizing. John Mara has recently voiced support for and stressed the need for patience with Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, but losses can change your mind. If Stefanski was out there and interested in the Giants job, it'd be hard seeing Mara turn this down. Daboll could return to Buffalo as its offensive coordinator if the Giants part ways with him and Brady gets a job elsewhere.

New York Jets

In: Kliff Kingsbury (Washington Commanders offensive coordinator)

Out: Jeff Ulbrich

Who will want the Jets job? You'll join a historic mess of an organization saddled with an aging quarterback known to cause headaches on a massive contract and a defense with tons of talent but a recent streak of underperforming. Other than that, a guy named Fireman Ed will yell at you on Sundays in New Jersey on one of the worst fields in the NFL. However, someone will take this job for the roster talent and the strong likelihood Aaron Rodgers has to retire at some point. Kingsbury's stock may never be hotter than it is right now to land another head coaching job, and he might get the nudge from New York brass he'll have the say in who the quarterback of the future is. If he can stomach working with Rodgers for a season, this might be a solid partnership for both parties. Both Ulbrich and former Jets coach Robert Saleh are strong defensive coordinator candidates.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In: Liam Coen (Buccaneers offensive coordinator)

Out: Todd Bowles

This is our wild-card pick. Tampa Bay might be faced with a really difficult decision this offseason. On one hand, Bowles has done a commendable job keeping the franchise steady after Tom Brady's retirement. On the other hand, the team's defense has become a genuine liability as its offense has still produced after losing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Coen has put himself in position to land a head coaching job elsewhere in the next year or two, and the Bucs have already lost one of Baker Mayfield's offensive coordinator in Dave Canales. Let's guess they refuse to go through that again, thank Bowles for his time with the franchise and promote Coen to the main job for 2025 and beyond. It's always a gamble if a successful play caller makes the leap to head coach, but Tampa Bay can't afford to go through yet another offensive coordinator change with Mayfield under contract. Bowles would be a very attractive defensive coordinator candidate if this happened.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Predicting 10 2025 NFL coaching changes, including Ben Johnson to the Bengals