At this point in the season, there are not many head coaching vacancies in the NFL. However, in a few weeks, we may see a mass exodus of coaches losing their jobs. One top candidate for potential coaching vacancies is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh has 19 years of head coaching experience between his time in the NFL and the NCAA, including stints with the San Francisco 49ers , Stanford and of course Michigan. It has been reported that he was close to becoming the Minnesota Vikings head coach last year, but the rumors never materialized. Here are three NFL teams that could potentially hire Harbaugh in 2023:

Denver Broncos

The Broncos have had a disappointing season, partly due to the performance of their offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. John Elway recently dismissed Hackett after a 4-11 start and is looking for a new head coach. Harbaugh’s success in the NFL and at the collegiate level make him a strong candidate for the job. He has an offensive mind and could utilize the talent on the Broncos offense, including running backs Javonte Williams and Latavius Murray, to open up play action for quarterback Wilson and utilize receivers Cortland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Albert Okwuegbunam.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers recently fired head coach Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start and have had mediocre success under interim head coach Steve Wilks, with a 5-6 record. If Wilks does not lead the Panthers to the playoffs, the team should consider hiring Harbaugh. He has a strong offensive mind and could improve the Panthers’ offense, which currently ranks as the sixth worst in yards per game and 15th worst in points per game. Harbaugh has a history of developing successful offenses, including the San Francisco 49ers team that made it to the NFC Championship three years in a row.

Los Angeles Rams

This is definitely an interesting scenario. Last year, it was rumored that the Rams core of Matt Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Sean McVay were planning on retiring after they won the Super Bowl. That’d be a good way to ride off in the sunset, right? Well, they all returned and have a miserable 5-11 record. Would I be shocked if Sean McVay hung up the headset and moved to the booth for 2023? No. Not at all. That’s where Harbaugh swoops in to save the day for Rams’ fans.

While this is definitely a long shot, we shouldn’t count this hiring out. I don’t believe Los Angeles would want to digress from McVay’s talent level, but a lot of the coaches that are typically up for jobs in the offseason aren’t on the same plane as McVay. Harbaugh is. He would be able to utilize a lot of the hidden gems on the Rams’ offense in efficient ways the same way McVay and O’Connell developed Cooper Kupp.