Week 6 of the NFL, a third of the way through the season, and many coaches are already feeling the heat due to their teams’ poor performance. The New York Jets, in fact, already fired Robert Saleh a week ago and others could follow suit in the near future if their teams don’t start winning.
Other clubs seem to have understood that they don't have much of a future in what remains of the championship and have started to get rid of some key players to rebuild for 2025 and beyond.
Which coaches are at risk?
Among the most challenging coaches are Doug Pederson of the Jaguars, Mike McCarthy of the Cowboys, Nick Sirianni of the Eagles, and Kevin Stefanski of the Browns.
The cases of Pederson and McCarthy are the most complicated.
Two years ago, the former Super Bowl champion coach with the Eagles was brought to Jacksonville to help with the development of Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 pick in the 2021 Draft), and so far this season, it seems like they have regressed from any progress made. The Jaguars are 1-5, Lawrence appears to lack confidence, and on Sunday in London, they were swept 35-16 by the Chicago Bears. Pederson's only excuse is that his defense, one of the worst in the NFL, is like a hospital.
McCarthy's situation is much worse, because the expectation in Dallas, given the talent they have on both sides of the ball, was to go far in the playoffs and that goal doesn't seem achievable after a 3-3 record and mediocre performance. The 47-9 thrashing they received at home against the Lions, one of the top teams in the National Conference, set off alarm bells among Cowboys fans.
Which teams started to get rid of their key players?
With a record of 1-5 and forced to play with Deshaun Watson as quarterback, the Browns know that this 2024 season has no future and that's why they chose to think about the future by sending star receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a third-round pick in next year's Draft.
Similar case to the Las Vegas Raiders. With a record of 2-4 and two mediocre quarterbacks, they don't have much to dream about in the 2024 season, and that's why they accepted star receiver Davante Adams' request and traded him to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round selection in the 2025 Draft (which could become a second-round selection if the unlikely happens and the Jets reach the American Conference final with Adams on the team). In addition, the Jets will take on the remaining $11.2 million owed to him this season.
In the case of the Jaguars, they traded defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seahawks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 Draft. The Seattle team will also take over the final two years of a $21.6 million contract.
Should Flacco or Richardson be the starter for the Colts?
After a new injury, Anthony Richardson is ready to return as the starting quarterback for the Colts against the Dolphins, but the Indianapolis team faces the difficult decision of benching veteran Joe Flacco, with whom they have won two of the last three games.
There is no doubt in the Colts organization that Richardson (fourth pick in the 2023 Draft) is the quarterback of the future, but he has shown too many signs that he still needs development. In the three and a half games he played this season, he has 3 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, with 212 yards as his best performance.
Flacco, meanwhile, adding the five games as a starter last year when he miraculously saved the Browns' season and the two from 2024 with the Colts, has an average of 309 yards per game, the best in the NFL during that period. He also has 15 touchdowns against 9 interceptions.
The statistics and quality are in favor of Joe Flacco, and just like backup Anthony Richardson could continue to polish several of his deficiencies to fully assume the starting role in the second half of the season or even in the 2025 championship.
However, the Colts seem determined to have their "diamond in the rough" back in the starting lineup as soon as possible.