The coaching carousel is finally starting to come to a stop, and almost all of the seats have been filled in a busier-than-usual cycle. Many of these coaching changes will spell good or bad news for the players of their new teams, and there will be many fantasy football ramifications.

So let’s dive in and try to get a jump on our competition.

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NFL Coaching Changes & Fantasy Football Impact

Arizona Cardinals: New Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator

Jonathan Gannon left the Eagles after a Super Bowl loss where his defensive play calling wasn’t enough to take the Birds all the way. In his first head coaching job, he’s chosen Drew Petzing as his offensive coordinator, who will be tasked with overhauling the Cardinals from the “Air Raid” system that Kliff Kingsbury used to run.

Gannon has said he wants Kyler Murray to play from under center more often, something he has struggled with over his career, posting the worst QBR of any QB with over 500 attempts since 2020. For all Kingsbury’s faults, he did design a nice running game, and it will be interesting to see how Petzing changes the Cardinals running attack after spells with the Browns and Vikings as an offensive assistant.

Baltimore Ravens: New Offensive Coordinator

If it wasn’t for the uncertainty surrounding Lamar Jackson, Ravens fans might have been ecstatic with the hire of Todd Monken, who returns to the NFL after back-to-back National Championships with Georgia. Monken has shown a great ability to adapt his offenses around the players at his disposal. If Jackson returns to Baltimore this season, there is every reason to believe he and his weapons could be set for a big season with a far more developed passing game than Greg Roman could muster.

Carolina Panthers: New Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator

The Panthers need to start getting things right after a miserable few years. If they had been able to do so last offseason, they could have taken a stranglehold on a weak NFC South. But instead, they are faced with yet another offseason of decisions. Frank Reich has been installed as head coach, and that feels like a great move that should allow him to wash away the bad memories of Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan during his spell in Indianapolis.

In his opening press conference, Reich said he wanted to “establish the run, then beat the defenses vertically.” Reich had a constantly revolving quarterback room since Andrew Luck retired, and it wouldn’t be surprising for the Panthers to move up the draft board to “get their guy.” Offensive Coordinator, Thomas Brown, is a former running back himself who joins Reich from the Rams coaching staff. The Panthers feel like a team primed to make changes at running back and at quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys: New Offensive Coordinator

Brian Schottenheimer takes over from former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in Dallas but won’t be calling the plays. That will be Mike McCarthy’s responsibility this year. Schottenheimer has previously been the OC for the Rams and Seahawks, along with a season for Georgia. Schottenheimer’s offense is based on running the ball and spreading the receivers out wide to stretch the defense. We should expect the Cowboys to continue to want to lean heavily on the run. Who their running backs are might be a question for another day.

Denver Broncos: New Head Coach

The Broncos took a circuitous route to find their head coach, but when they eventually settled on Sean Payton, it was hard not to think this was a great match. Payton enjoyed many seasons coaching a shorter-than-average quarterback who couldn’t move well in Drew Brees, and fellow shorter-than-average quarterback Russell Wilson isn’t looking very mobile these days. If Payton can curb some of Wilson’s bad habits and keep him restricted to the pocket, we might see a Russell Renaissance. So far, Payton is yet to hire an OC.

Houston Texans: New Head Coach

DeMeco Ryans got a level of commitment from the Texans that was a real positive sign given that the Texans had fired their head coach in three consecutive years: Bill O’Brien (2020), David Culley (2021) and Lovie Smith (2022). Ryans got a six-year contract and should feel like he has time to turn the team’s fortunes around.

Bobby Slowik is the offensive coordinator, and he is a very intriguing hire after working his way from Pro Football Focus into the league and spending the last six years under Kyle Shanahan’s tutelage. His background suggests he might take an analytical mindset to the game, and if he can translate Shanahan’s run game to the Texans, it would be huge for Dameon Pierce.

Indianapolis Colts: New Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator

After a very successful year with the Eagles, Shane Steichen landed his first head coach job on the back of two years as the OC in Philadelphia, which followed a year as the Chargers OC. The Colts need a shot in the arm, and Steichen has shown that he can design good running and passing attacks.

Everything in Indy rests on the team finding the right quarterback, and after working with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts in the last few years, we should have faith in Steichen’s ability to mold whichever QB the team brings in. Jim Bob Cooter will be the Colts’ offensive coordinator, who was last an OC for the Lions in 2016-18 when Matthew Stafford enjoyed some of his best spells as a Lion. However, Steichen will call the plays.

Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive Coordinator

With Eric Bienemy moving on, the Chiefs looked internally to promote Matt Nagy to offensive coordinator. After Nagy’s disastrous end to his time as head coach of the Bears, he returned to the Chiefs coaching staff, where he had been offensive coordinator between 2016-2017. Andy Reid is a big believer in Nagy, so we shouldn’t be surprised that he was the first choice to take the opening. It remains to be seen if Reid will turn over play-calling duties, but we shouldn’t expect the Chiefs to be anything but top-tier.

Los Angeles Chargers: New Offensive Coordinator

Kellen Moore barely touched the open market after the Cowboys decided not to retain him, with the Chargers swooping in to make him their new offensive coordinator and play caller. Moore had called the plays in Dallas since 2019, and it always felt like his mindset clashed slightly with the more traditional Mike-McCarthy approach. Under the Chargers, Moore should have more freedom to call plays how he sees fit, and if he can get Herbert throwing downfield more than in 2022, this offense could bounce back in a big way.

Los Angeles Rams: New Offensive Coordinator

After an eventful year with the Jets, Mike LaFleur heads to L.A to work with Sean McVay, who will retain play-calling duties. With Cooper Kupp the focal point of this offense, we shouldn’t expect much to change as long as Stafford can return to good health. LaFleur has previously worked under Kyle Shanahan, and the most notable difference could be in the running game, where the Rams may look to make changes with questions marks still hanging over Cam Akers.

New England Patriots: New Offensive Coordinator

After being fired from the Texans, Bill O’Brien spent two years as the Alabama offensive coordinator. He now returns to the NFL with the Patriots, whom he was the OC for in 2011. While O’Brien may have become power-hungry and a destructive force in Houston, his hiring is very promising for the Patriots and will provide an immediate upgrade from the woeful offense Joe Judge and Matt Patricia combined to create in 2022.

New York Jets: New Offensive Coordinator

After a disastrous year as the Broncos’ head coach, Nathaniel Hackett returns to his offensive coordinator roots, a position he’s previously held in Buffalo, Jacksonville and Green Bay. For all the faults that plagued Hackett in Denver, he has had success as a play-caller throughout his career, particularly with the running game in Buffalo and Jacksonville. The obvious connection with Aaron Rodgers looms large from their time together in Green Bay when Rodgers won back-to-back NFL MVP Awards.

Philadelphia Eagles: New Offensive Coordinator

With Shane Steichen moving on, the Eagles looked internally to replace him as offensive coordinator and settled on Brian Johnson, their quarterback’s coach. Johnson was getting offensive coordinator interest from several other teams. With Nick Siriani likely to take on play-calling duties, we should expect more of the same from the Eagles.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: New Offensive Coordinator

Dave Canales has worked under Pete Carroll since 2010, serving as a wide receiver coach, passing coordinator and – eventually – quarterbacks coach, helping Geno Smith to an impressive season in 2022. With that much time spent around Pete Carroll, it seems hard not to think Canales might lean slightly run-heavy at times, as we know Carroll loved to establish the run. The Bucs are at a pivotal point with no QB, very little youth to build around and not a lot of cap space. The NFL Draft should give us a clearer indication of what we can expect from Canales’ offense.

Tennessee Titans: New Offensive Coordinator

Tim Kelly has previously served as an offensive coordinator in Houston after working his way up over several years. Kelly’s offenses have rarely been spectacular, but outside of 2019, when Deshaun Watson was electric, Kelly had little to work with.  It can be argued he did well to get what he did from Davis Mills. The Titans’ future depends on how they see Ryan Tannehill‘s fortunes. With them picking 11th in the draft, a QB selection isn’t out of the question.

Washington Commanders: New Offensive Coordinator

After several successful years with the Chiefs, Eric Bienemy decided the best path to a head coach job involves him having to show he could do it as the sole play-caller and without the elite talent of Patrick Mahomes. The Commanders certainly lack elite talent at quarterback. While Sam Howell remains an interesting prospect, we shouldn’t rule out them adding a veteran or a rookie. Despite not calling plays, Bienemy was in charge of the offensive play installations in Kansas City and will bring with him excellent knowledge of how to succeed in this league.

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