NFL Insider: Tis time to spin the coaching carousel

The difference now and when these coaches were hired (pre-salary cap) are a few things:

1. The college pay scale is much greater.
2. On the pro side you cannot build a team like you used to and keep it together forever.
3. There is also less patience by ownership, fans and the press with coaches than ever before, and there is more scrutiny of your every move.

This does not affect coaches that much, as they are used to it, but it can certainly affect a coach's family, and don't think that does not affect the head coach.

College coaches have realized it is far tougher to win in the NFL than college, but sometimes that happens after they have already taken the job and have to find out firsthand in their first or second season.

There is no question that the quality of life as a college coach is better. They have more time off and get to enjoy a college atmosphere to raise a family, often in a smaller city than you have with a pro team.

Pro teams will continue to look at college coaches with prior pro experience but will likely be very reluctant to offer them jobs because of what happened with Petrino and Nick Saban.

The last part of the puzzle is to check with the other teams in the NFL to see if they want to recommend anyone on their staff for a head-coaching position.

The first question to ask when they recommend someone is would they hire him as their next head coach and why? If they hesitate at all, don't put them on the list.

Every GM always has a list of potential candidates for the head coaching position with his team. It is not unlike having a list to fill any each of your department-head openings if someone were to leave. Each department head should have a list of people to fill openings when they occur.

Head coaches have lists ready to refer to when they lose assistants. Certainly this is something not admitted publicly but it would be a surprise if every GM doesn't have some sort of list of head-coaching candidates in case he needs to use it.

Based on this outline, I went through a list of these candidates on the NFL Today Show on Sunday. Let's take a look at that list.

The most obvious candidate is Cowher, the former Steelers head coach. He is a no-brainer to hire and will be approached by everyone who has an opening.

As he indicated on the show Sunday he is not interested in coaching this coming season. As he told us last season he did not leave the Steelers to take another job in a year. If he wanted to continue coaching he would have simply stayed in Pittsburgh where he had a good job.

The next person who will get some calls is Schottenheimer, the former head coach of the Chargers, Chiefs and Browns. He has indicated he would be interested in returning to coaching. He has won more than 200 NFL games and has a reputation as a coach who will turn a losing situation into a winning one.

One of the two coaches who "just missed" last year was Russ Grimm with the Steelers. He is currently an Arizona assistant, is known as an outstanding leader and has and excellent mind for the game.

The other "miss" is Chan Gailey, who was almost the Dolphins' choice. In Gailey's two seasons as the Cowboys coach, he led them to back-to-back playoff appearances. At Georgia Tech, he took the Yellow Jackets to six consecutive bowl games.

Many NFL people who have worked with him or have been around him as a head coach have a high regard for him. Getting fired at Georgia Tech will hurt him in some people's eyes, but he will be more qualified than many of the people who will get interviews.

There is always a "hot" assistant every year. This year it is Dallas' Jason Garrett, who has done a fine job of taking the Cowboys offense to the next level. He will most certainly get calls from every team that has an opening, but it could hurt him that the Cowboys will be in the playoffs, limiting his interview window.

I think the Cowboys will make a push to keep him. My question is will they try to make a deal to guarantee him he will be their next head coach when that job becomes open.

Other people I expect to get interviews are Mike Singletary (49ers), Josh McDaniels (Patriots), Jim Caldwell (Colts) and perhaps Rex Ryan (Ravens), Leslie Frazier (Vikings) and Jim Schwartz (Titans). Former head coaches that were mentioned to me are Jim Mora Jr. (Seahawks) and Mike Martz (Lions).

Two college coaches with pro experience that people like are Rutgers' Greg Schiano and Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom.

Two young NFL defensive coordinators who were mentioned to me as prospects and would be new to most lists are Cleveland's Todd Grantham and Dallas' Brian Stewart.

My goal in presenting this list is to not recommend who people should hire or even who to interview; it is to show how the process works, with this year's candidates being summarized. Certainly teams will interview others, but this list was compiled by talking to people in the NFL and using my experience in the league.

I did say hiring Cowher was a no-brainer, but that will have to wait a least a year. Also don't think for a moment some owners may hold off making a change this year with the idea Cowher will want to coach next year.