On a quiet day at the Zimmer ranch, Mike Zimmer and his son Adam sat in a hot tub. While taking down a bottle of red wine and watching an episode of Chicago PD, Adam stared in disbelief as Antonio caved into his drug addiction once again.
“That’s how they write him off?” Adam chuckled. “That’s almost as bad as us getting fired in Minnesota!”
But the elder Zimmer was not amused. Deep down, he knew he shouldn’t be trying to figure out Kelton’s killer. Zimmer should be grinding tape until his eyeballs dry out. He’s a football guy. He should be doing football things.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Zimmer is planning to coach in 2021. While it won’t be as a head coach, Zimmer carries value as a defensive coordinator.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Zimmer back on the sidelines in 2022. But it could be shocking to see where he ends up.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars are the ultimate fixer-upper for a coach like Zimmer. While they ranked 20th in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed, there’s enough talent for Zimmer to mold into cornerstones.
Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson could thrive in Zimmer’s scheme. If he doesn’t like the corners, he can convince the front office to use the $56.6 million in cap space to get some veterans. Even if he can’t connect with the players, he has Doug Pederson to let him play “bad cop.”
But there’s one overlying factor that could keep this from happening. The Jaguars recently hired Rick Spielman in a role that oversees the front office. After the two sides didn’t talk for the final months of their tenure in Minnesota, it would be hard to see Zimmer and Spielman being okay with working in the same building again.
DENVER BRONCOS
If Zimmer wants to find a more established situation, he could head to Denver. The Broncos were a top-10 defense in yards (8th) and points allowed last season. While Zimmer could pick up where Vic Fangio left off, Denver could also be where he reconnects with some familiar faces.
George Paton used to work for the Vikings as the assistant GM. New head coach Nathaniel Hackett battled with Zimmer in the NFC North. And Klint Kubiak? Well, let’s just keep Zimmer away from Kubiak.
Perhaps Zimmer could also aid in the pursuit of Aaron Rodgers. The Packers quarterback commended Zimmer’s scheme for “really fucking good pressure” and could give Rodgers the peace of mind to force a trade to the Broncos.
With no potential revenge destinations in the NFC North available, this reunion in Denver could be the next best thing.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
When a young offensive mind gets hired, one of the first things they do is hire a veteran to run the defense. Kevin O’Connell is reportedly taking a page out of this playbook with the anticipated hiring of Mike Pettine. But Mike McDaniel would be wise to do the same thing in Miami.
Zimmer’s 43 years of coaching experience would mesh well with a coach like McDaniel. His scheme is also similar to the one Brian Flores had been using the past two seasons. While Flores guided the Dolphins to the middle of the pack, Zimmer could take it over the top and vouch for some veteran help in free agency.
With the fluid situation in Miami, McDaniel will need to find some stability. Adding Zimmer to his staff would be one way to get things off the ground.
New Orleans Saints
Zimmer’s last chance to land a head coaching job came and went on Monday when the Saints hired Dennis Allen. But when Allen asks Sean Payton who to add to his staff, there’s a good chance that Zimmer’s name gets dropped.
Payton and Zimmer served on Bill Parcells’ staff in Dallas. He could also serve as a mentor to some of the younger coaches on New Orleans’ staff as the Saints try to foster continuity after Payton’s retirement.
The bad news is that the Saints are $75 million over the salary cap and would have to build their defense through the draft. But with Zimmer in charge of the defense, it could be enough to help keep Allen’s defense from becoming a trainwreck.
