6. Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers put up 37 points at home in Week 1, so they definitely won, right?
Right?
Well, no. The defense had, perhaps, the league's worst performance of the year already. It's hard to envision another team scoring more than 59 points in a game this year. Carolina did make some strides in the Dave Canales era from year one into year two, but an 8-9 record last year is something that cannot be the case in 2026.
The Panthers probably have to finish with a winning record at minimum, and while Canales' and the Panthers' growth was notable last year, that doesn't mean he and this team are able to ascend into that next tier.
The next few weeks are going to tell us a lot about the 2026 Panthers.
5. Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns
Doesn't it feel like Todd Monken is a one-year stopgap option at head coach for the Cleveland Browns? It might not be at all fair to Monken, a sharp offensive mind, but that might be the case. Cleveland got embarrassed by Jacksonville in Week 1, and with how atrocious the quarterback room is, there may not be a path for Monken to see any sort of success.
You almost have to wonder if this is another Lovie Smith-Texans situation, where Smith coached the team for one season in 2022, got fired, and Houston then drafted CJ Stroud and began to have success.
Monken has a rather long track record of fun offenses in college and the pros, but his first head coaching job doesn't seem to be a super fair one.
4. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders just don't scare you much of anywhere, and after a 5-12 season in 2025, which came after a 12-5 season in 2024, Washington probably needs to make the playoffs this year.
With that said, Quinn hasn't exactly been done any favors by his General Manager, Adam Peters, as the roster is rather underwhelming, and outside of hitting on Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL Draft, there isn't much else for Peters to hang his hat on.
With that said, Quinn has largely been a .500 head coach, so he's not necessarily someone who could eventually lead this team to a Super Bowl title.
Unless the Commanders can begin to stack some wins, Quinn could be vulnerable and is No. 4 in our power rankings.
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