The San Francisco 49ers may move on from Jim Harbaugh after the 2014 season and if that happens, teams like the Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and NY Jets could be interested, as those teams potentially could make changes heading into 2015, while the Michigan Wolverines job is also considered a fit.
Harbaugh has taken the 49ers to three straight NFC championship games, but after going 7-7 and missing the playoffs this year, the franchise could move in another direction. Harbaugh and the front office have had friction in the past and that is no secret to anyone, which is why many expect the Niners to have a new head coach in 2015. Adam Schefter at ESPN.com reported that the Jets and the Raiders will be monitoring the situation with Harbaugh, while the Michigan Wolverines have extended him an offer to be head coach.
Harbaugh is expected to remain in the NFL despite his ties to Michigan and if he is let go or traded by the Niners (he has a year left on his contract), he could get more control over personnel wherever he ends up. The Raiders appear to be a good fit, as they are in the Bay Area and Harbaugh would like to remain on the west coast. The team needs a complete overhaul and Harbaugh could be the coach that can handle it, as he did that with Stanford and the 49ers.
The Raiders and Jets are keeping tabs on Harbaugh, while other teams could also target the coach if they make changes after the season. Schefter identified the Dolphins, Bears, Jets, Raiders, Buccaneers and Browns as teams that could potentially have openings and Harbaugh likely would be a target for all of those clubs if they make a move. The Bears may fire Marc Trestman after the Jay Cutler situation and Harbaugh has ties to the franchise after previously playing for them when he was a QB.
The Dolphins may fire Joe Philbin and that could lead to a move with Harbaugh, as Stephen Ross reportedly tried to woo him previously and would likely want to make a "splashy" hire if he fires Philbin. The Browns like Mike Pettine, but if they fire him, the team could pick up on their previous interest in Harbaugh, as they tried to trade for him last year. The Jets are expected to get rid of Rex Ryan, while the Raiders likely will move on from Tony Sparano, who has the interim tag after Dennis Allen was let go.
Harbaugh was reportedly offered a six-year, $49 million deal from Michigan and while he is not expected to take it, he is "considering" the deal. Schefter reported the news for ESPN and that salary would make him the highest paid coach in college football. Michigan likely made that high of an offer because they realize that Harbaugh ideally would like to stay in the NFL.
The 49ers have been to the NFC championship game in three straight seasons and this is the first time the team has missed the playoffs under Harbaugh. The team is 7-7 on the season and Colin Kaepernick has taken a major step back and now Harbaugh could be the next major move for the franchise.
