The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of work to do between now and August. Of course, they have to do the usual acts of signing free agents and drafting a class of players, but they will also have to find a franchise quarterback and a new head coach, two of the more difficult things to do in the sport.
We cannot endure another wasted three years and avoiding that starts with hiring the correct head coach. Many names are being thrown out as potential fits for the Falcons, but these four should not be considered.
1. Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy
Out of the four on this list, Bieniemy is the one I would be most okay with. But there are still some red flags when evaluating him as the next head coach.
Bieniemy was an offensive coordinator for Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. While Bieniemy's first year away from the Chiefs saw the Chiefs' offense have their worst year in a while, Bieniemy's situation in Washington was not a good look for someone who wants to be a head coach.
First of all, he was the leader of an offense that had some great times and some really bad times that included the benching of their quarterback (sound familiar?). There was no consistency to his season in Washington D.C.
And if you didn't like how Arthur Smith didn't use his best players, well, is it a coincidence that Terry McLaurin didn't have his best year, or his most explosive year with Bieniemy as the coordinator?
2. Ex-Titans HC Mike Vrabel
In any other scenario, I would tell the Atlanta Falcons to go right on ahead with interviewing the recently fired Mike Vrabel. He has elevated the play of his team year in and year out while also being one of the most respected coaches in the NFL.
However, the Atlanta Falcons just got burned by Arthur Smith, who was Vrabel's offensive coordinator just a few years ago. I know it isn't an apples-to-apples comparison but new head coaches usually hire schemes they know, which would result in the possibility of having another Arthur Smith-type offense.
Taking that risk is not worth it, in my opinion. Bringing in a new head coach means you get to bring in new eyes and a new scheme. Vrabel would be just the opposite for the Falcons.
3. Buccaneers OC Dave Canales
Dave Canales has exceeded expectations as the new offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons watched him lead his team past them and to their third straight NFC South championship.
With that being said, there is just too much to be nervous about when looking at Canales' offense. First of all, it has not always been pretty for the Bucs offensively this season. They have gone through some significant dry spells on offense, the worst of which came in the final two weeks when they could only score 21 points combined in their two most important games
Second, is that while he has led a deadly passing attack with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, his offense has been anything but balanced. Even with some decent games on the ground closer to the end of the season, Canales' offense was 32nd in yards per carry (3.4) and rushing yards (1,509).
Considering the Falcons' investment in running the ball, Canales is about the last head coach they should want.
4. Patriots HC Bill Belichick
This one has me going back and forth. On one hand, you have one of the best coaches in NFL history, but on the other hand, you have a head coach who has led one of the ugliest teams over the past few years.
Was Tom Brady the driving force behind Belichick's success? That's a question that many debate over but we know one thing for sure, it has been quite dreadful since Brady left.
It makes it even worse when you consider Belichick is the general manager. He was responsible for drafting the team he led, so you cannot give him the 'lack of talent' pass.
His defenses are always good but, as we have all seen, what good is a defense if your offense cannot score? Belichick has been making all the wrong choices on the offensive side of the ball (drafting, choosing coaches, etc.) and that is very concerning.