There were seven, new head coaches hired this offseason; well, technically seven-and-a-half if you include Josh McDaniels, but hey, who's counting?
It's the offseason, AKA the time for pundits across the league to make their initial assessments of teams, as well as relay their predictions for the season ahead.
Well, that analysis isn't relegated just to rosters; the new head coaches in the NFL have been ranked by NFL.com columnist Adam Schein, and a familiar face tops his list, the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Jon Gruden.
"Gruden is worth the 100 million bucks to the Raiders, on and off the field," wrote Schein. "The guy's an offensive guru and a rock star -- two characteristics that are absolutely crucial for this franchise at this moment."
Long considered an offensive mastermind, and a man who excels at developing quarterbacks, Gruden will be looked at to improve a Raiders offense that while talented, struggled to find its footing in 2017.
"Oakland ranked sixth in total offense and seventh in scoring in 2016. In 2017? Those marks plummeted to 17th and 23rd," Schein explained. "Gruden brings an energy, a major jolt. It's one the entire team needs, but Carr and the rest of the offense will especially benefit, given Gruden's offensive savvy. He will instantly get the 26-year-old quarterback back on track and lift the offense back into the ranks of the elite… On the star-power front ... Gruden pacifies the jilted fan base in Oakland, where he's a legend from his previous stint with the franchise. And he will be the face desperately needed when the team moves to Vegas in 2020. It's perfect."
The coaches ranked behind Gruden were as follows:
Matt Patricia – Detroit Lions
Frank Reich – Indianapolis Colts
Steve Wilks – Arizona Cardinals
Matt Nagy – Chicago Bears
Pat Shurmur – New York Giants
Mike Vrabel – Tennessee Titans
You can read Schein's full piece, here.
