Inside AFC South: Which Assistant Could Be Next to Climb Coaching Ladder?

With new head coaching candidates popping up each offseason thanks to the legions of talented assistants throughout the coaching ranks, there is always a chance one team's top assistant coach could leave for greener pastures.

Could any of those coaches be one who will be calling the AFC South home in 2020? Each team has talented coaching staffs that could realistically see specific coaches get targeted by the next teams set to hire new coaches.

So, which assistants could be the next ones to climb the coaching ladder? To find the answer, we spoke with each AFC South publisher in the Maven network.

Jacksonville

The assistant coach on Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone's staff that could climb the ladder and one day become a team's head man is a familiar name for NFL fans from the late 1990s and early 2000s: Jaguars wide receiver coach Keenan McCardell.

McCardell was formerly a standout wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers and, of course, the Jaguars during his storied NFL career. One of the most underrated receivers in the league during his prime, McCardell is now one of the most underrated offensive assistants in all of the NFL. Jacksonville's receivers coach since 2017, McCardell has overseen a Jaguars receivers group that has seen plenty of change during his tenure, but has always produced under his watch.

The finest work of McCardell's career has been DJ Chark, his first Pro Bowl receiver. Chark entered the NFL as a raw receiver from a catching and route running standpoint and then struggled mightily as a rookie in 2018, but he was a revelation in 2019 in large part due to McCardell's mentorship. Chark routinely pointed to McCardell's coaching as a reason for his success, and the development of other young receivers such as Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole can be attributed to the job McCardell has done as well.

In addition to all of this, McCardell is one of the most respected football minds on Jacksonville's coaching staff -- during the 2019 season, the Jaguars ran a trick play for a touchdown during their comeback victory against the Denver Broncos. The coach who brought that play to Jacksonville's attention? McCardell. He will likely have to move up to coordinator before he is a head coach, but he has all of the potential in the world.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport

Tennessee

Mike Vrabel’s staff has no one poised to leave and take over another franchise in the immediate future. Arthur Smith is in his second year as an offensive coordinator and has the look of a guy who has a lot he wants to accomplish in that role before he tries to move up. There is no defensive coordinator.

Outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen, however, is someone worth watching.

Vrabel identified the 33-year-old as the top voice among the defensive staff and the guy who will run meetings on that side of the ball when the head coach is occupied elsewhere. That, despite the fact that Bowen has been in the NFL for just four seasons, two as a defensive assistant with Houston (2016-17) and two with the Titans.

Bowen’s gifts as a teacher and leader were evident early on. When his college career at Georgia Tech was cut short by an injury in his senior year (2009), he spent that season as a student assistant with the Yellow Jackets.

A three-time member of the Dean’s List at Tech, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, he spent one season as a grad assistant at Ohio State (2012) before he got his first full-time job, as linebackers coach at Kennesaw State (2013-15). From there, he went to the Texans, where he started the climb that looks like it eventually will take him all the way to the top of an organization.

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

Houston

The Texans know that they are exposing new defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver to NFL teams. Head coach Bill O'Brien promoted Weaver to the position taking over the duties for the defense in 2020.

A former NFL player himself, Weaver has the respect from players for his climb to defensive coordinator. His presence inside the Texans locker room is clear and a positive one. He was instrumental in the development of DJ Reader, who became the highest-paid nose tackle this past off-season. J.J. Watt not only has spoken highly of Weaver as a position coach for the way he handles the room, but during the off-season work of Zoom meetings, Watt likes what Weaver is bringing to the table.

The last time the Texans had a defensive coordinator take over for a season not named Romeo Crennel, Mike Vrabel ended up with the Tennessee Titans head coaching position a season later. We don't know if the turnaround will be that quick for Weaver, but with his charisma, knowledge, and work he has put in as a player and coach in the NFL, it is only a matter of time before his name comes up head coaching searches.

-- State of the Texans

Indianapolis

Longtime assistant coach Tom Moore began his NFL career in 1977, and is still an offensive consultant to a good friend and longtime colleague, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians. As he grew more experienced, Moore was often asked about maintaining aspirations to be an NFL head coach.

While with the Colts, from 1998 to 2010, Moore conceded that he was too old to become an NFL head coach. He was 71 in his final year with the Colts.

Perhaps times have changed, but the moral to Moore’s story could apply to Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who is by no means too old at 50, but he’s been in the NFL since 2009. He’s entering his third season with the Colts after seven with the Dallas Cowboys and two with the Cleveland Browns.

The longer an assistant stays an assistant, the greater the likelihood of head coaching opportunities passing him by, the lesson Moore learned. Eberflus interviewed for the Cleveland Browns head coaching job in January of 2019. If the Colts defense improves in 2020 and his name becomes more popular — which is usually how the hot-hiring trend of plucking coordinators works in the NFL — Eberflus has to take advantage when he has the chance.

Colts head coach Frank Reich was actually hired after Eberflus, but stuck with the defensive coordinator based on his work with the Cowboys. Reich is convinced the Eberflus overhaul that has involved general manager Chris Ballard getting younger players on defense will work. If or when it does, expect Eberflus to be interviewed for an NFL head coaching job again.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts