In this piece, I’ll touch on a handful of coordinators in the NFL who will be entering a pivotal year.

Matt Canada – Canada needs to step it up in order to keep his job.

He is coming into the season where the Steelers are fielding more talent on the offensive line, proven weapons at wide receiver and running back. In Pittsburgh, they have nice compliment of wide receivers, diverse skill sets – from more physical, big-bodied receivers in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, to the shifty, elusive slot guys like Calvin Austin. This is also a season in which the rest of the division looks considerably strong on paper, meaning the margin for error will be thin for this team. Last year, Pittsburgh ranked in the bottom seven for points scored. They are, however, coming off a strong finish to the season, which included Kenny Pickett playing some of the best football of the season. No matter what, the defense should pull its weight, so Canada and the offense need to make a step forward. Ultimately, 2023 is an important year for the offense, and it cannot be wasted.



Pete Carmichael – Yes, he is dealing with a better unit, but..

Last season was bad. To finish the season, the Saints averaged less than 13 points per game in the final nine games of the season, when the playoffs were still within reach. Even if he is the NFL’s most tenured offensive coordinator, of 15 years, this offense has too many weapons to churn out another mediocre season. With Derek Carr under center, Carmichael has a quarterback who is willing and able to take shots downfield. The receiver room is stacked, from Michael Thomas (who could be in for a resurgent season) and Chris Olave, to AT Perry and Bryan Edwards, there are some big-bodied targets for Carr and this offense, which stalled in the red zone last season. Having Jamal Williams, who led the league in rushing touchdowns last season, should also help improve the offense in that regard. But, the offensive line needs to stay healthy if all of this is going to come together. Ultimately, the talent on this team is too good to allow for another bad finish, especially in that division.

Joe Barry – Has too much talent on the defense to under deliver in 2023.

Can Barry capitalize on the talent in Green Bay? With eight former first-round picks, this defense is loaded at all three levels, even if the depth is not especially strong in the secondary. From edge rushers Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, to cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas, this unit has a mix of solid starters and star players at important positions. The growth of second-year players Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker will be highly important to where this defense ends up, and it’s no guarantee that De’Vondre Campbell bounces back to his 2021 form. How Keisean Nixon performs in the slot, while Stokes returns from injury, will be key to how this defense fares. The talent is there, Barry just needs to put it all together.



Which newly hired coordinators will improve their team?

Ejiro Evero – Gives Carolina an intriguing pairing of talent and coaching.

Especially recently, Evero coached talented defenses and gotten high production. Like Carolina, the Denver defense he led last season featured a young, star cornerback. This year’s version of Patrick Surtain is Jaycee Horn, who should blossom under Evero. He also knows a thing or two about coaching safeties – having coaxed strong seasons out of Justin Simmons in Denver and Taylor Rapp in Los Angeles – and has a veteran in Vonn Bell who is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro. Last season, his Broncos defense finished with the second-best mark for third down stops in the league. Between the talent on hand and Evero’s proven track record, it’s not crazy to think this defense could put in a top-3 finish.



Eric Bienemy – Can he field a top offense without an elite QB?

When Bienemy took over in Kansas City in 2018, his first year produced an offense in which Patrick Mahomes set NFL passing records. With the Chiefs, Bienemy has won two Super Bowls – this last season, it came with an offense that had a handful of new faces with diverse skill sets. He’ll have playmakers at receiver, but is missing his Travis Kelce in this offense. All eyes will be on Sam Howell, who has been named the starter for the season, and (just like Mahomes had in 2018) is also coming off a rookie season in which he started and won his debut in the previous seasons’ finale. In that season finale against the Cowboys in 2022, Howell showed promise, and seems to have earned the trust of his teammates. Howell throws a nice deep ball, which should bode well for both Jahan Dotson and Terry McClaurin. The strong backfield in Washington should give this offense cushion as they break in a new quarterback and system. Playing in the NFC East means another competitive division, but also one that sent three teams to the playoffs in 2022. With Bienemy in charge of the offense, and an expected improvement from an underperforming defense in 2022, this team is a sneaky playoff contender.



Brian Flores – Minnesota landed one of the top names on the market.

Flores has proven his worth over the years as a defensive mind, but this year will be a new test for him. He’s coming in to coach a Vikings defense that looks different than it did last season, on all levels. In 2022, Minnesota gave up too many big plays. Even still, the unit has talent – Flores just needs to figure out how to fit the players to mold into his scheme. One player that will be an interesting chess piece and potential difference maker is Lewis Cine, Minnesota’s first-round selection from 2022 who missed the entire season due to injury. Cine stood out on what was a stacked Georgia defense in 2021, so he’s still something of a mystery for how his skills will translate to the NFL. At least the defense has a player that Flores can count for improving the secondary, and that is Byron Murphy, who gives him a reliable corner who can hold up in man coverage. Last season, the Vikings defense was especially weak in the first half of games, whereas this season they should be more solid all around with better coaching. Working in Flores favor is that he coaches in a division that is seemingly up for grabs. This was a big hire.



Two other coordinators to keep an eye on this season:

Dave Canales in Tampa – can he do the same thing he did in Seattle?

• In Seattle in 2022, Canales coached Geno Smith to a resurgent season.
• The offense in Tampa Bay features a pair of large-bodied, reliable receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to ease the burden on breaking in their new quarterback.
• The NFC South appears wide open, and with a strong enough showing from the Bucs offense Canales could put himself in the running for a future head coaching gig.

Vic Fangio in Miami – how good can he make this Dolphins defense?

• Last season, Miami ranked 4th against the run in DVOA, 26th against the pass (per Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions & Football Outsiders)
• They have as deep and talented as a secondary as anyone in the league, and two promising pass rushers in Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb.
• The Dolphins schedule is relatively manageable as far as it goes with playing against potent offenses.