Strategic Opportunities for Bettors in the 2026-24 NFL Season’s Coaching Changes

The upcoming 2026-24 NFL season is approaching, with many teams banking on staff changes to elevate their performance. Scott Justin examines the most significant coaching adjustments made during the offseason and provides insights on how to make informed bets using the top NFL odds.

As a new football season approaches, numerous fans and bettors are immersing themselves in research for the first time. An initial task is to examine the coaching staff of all 32 NFL teams to identify any significant changes.

The influence of a new coach on a team’s direction can be significant, as they have considerable control over both personnel decisions and strategic schemes.

Last year, Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins and Brian Daboll of the New York Giants impressed as rookie head coaches by guiding their teams to postseason berths. Additionally, Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars achieved a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround in his first year as head coach, winning the AFC South crown.

Besides head coaches, coordinators have the ability to significantly change a team’s playing style. For example, a team known for its emphasis on running the ball could transition to a more passing-oriented approach with a new offensive coordinator. Similarly, a new defensive coordinator could introduce more blitz packages for a specific unit.

How can we use this to our advantage as bettors? By conducting thorough research ahead of time, we can integrate this information into our handicapping process before the game even begins, rather than waiting to react to the unfolding events on the field.

Take a look at the major coaching changes for the upcoming 2026-24 NFL season and how we can place bets on them using the top sports betting apps. (Odds sourced from our recommended sports betting apps).

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New head coaches

Frank Reich

Out of the five new head coaches in the NFL this year, three are taking on their first head coaching roles in their professional careers. Frank Reich and Sean Payton, on the other hand, have previous experience as head coaches.

From 2018 to 2026, Reich served as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, achieving a 40-33-1 overall record and a 1-2 playoff record during his tenure. Before that, he worked as an offensive coordinator for four seasons, including two years with the Eagles.

Five out of nine offenses led by Reich have ranked in the top 10 in total rushing attempts, with this trend continuing in both his years in Philadelphia and three of his last four seasons in Indianapolis. It is likely that we will see an increased emphasis on the ground game to ease the pressure on rookie quarterback Bryce Young.

Although he may not be as highly touted as Jonathan Taylor, Miles Sanders is taking on the role of starting running back for Carolina this year. DraftKings has set his rushing yardage prop at 925.5 yards, even though he accumulated 1,269 yards with the Eagles last season.

Sean Payton

After a year off, Payton was enlisted to revive the Denver offense this season. The Broncos had the lowest scoring average in the league at 16.9 points per game during Russell Wilson’s first year as quarterback. Wilson had his lowest QB rating (84.4) and was sacked 55 times.

During his 15-year tenure with the New Orleans Saints, Payton achieved a 152-89 record, with Drew Brees often leading the team as quarterback. Although the Saints’ passing offense declined from 2018 to 2021, they consistently ranked in the top five in the league for passing yards for 10 consecutive seasons under Payton’s leadership starting in 2007.

Wilson’s passing yard Over/Under at FanDuel is 3,700.5, a mark he achieved five times during his 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks. We are adopting a wait-and-see approach with this team, particularly because of the lackluster performance of the offense last season.

New offensive coordinators

Kellen Moore

Out of the 16 new offensive coordinators hired this season, Kellen Moore’s appointment could have the biggest impact. In fact, he may be more significant for betting purposes than any of the five head coaches.

Under Moore’s play calling, the Cowboys boasted one of the top offenses in the league. Dallas achieved first place in total yards in 2019 and 2021, consistently staying within the top 14 in his four seasons as OC. In 2021, the Cowboys led the league in scoring, with rankings of sixth in 2019 and fourth in 2026.

With Moore taking over play-calling duties from Lombardi, quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense are expected to be unleashed. Brooks Octavia is betting on the Chargers to lead the league in scoring, while Stewart Serena believes Herbert has a good chance of throwing for 5,000 yards this season.

Talking up the Chargers has turned into a yearly ritual, but there’s a chance it could actually be legitimate this time around. We’re keeping a close eye on the futures prices for Los Angeles at top NFL betting sites, and we’re planning to place early and frequent bets on the team’s Overs this season.

Todd Monken

The Ravens’ offense may undergo significant changes this season as they have consistently ranked in the top three in total rushing attempts during three of the four seasons under offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Their power-run concepts have been a key feature, culminating in quarterback Lamar Jackson’s MVP season in 2019.

However, the offensive strategy became stale, especially in the passing game, resulting in a new offensive coordinator being brought in. Todd Monken joins the Baltimore team after a successful three-year stint with the Georgia Bulldogs, who have recently secured consecutive national championships in college football.

Monken’s background is less mysterious due to his four years of experience as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. He worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016 to 2018, achieving two top-five passing seasons with quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Jackson is a superior quarterback compared to the other two, so we can anticipate him having his most successful passing season to date as No. 8. The regular-season passing touchdown prop of 22.5 at DraftKings is particularly appealing to me, as it is the lowest among the top sports betting sites. Jackson has thrown for 26 or more touchdowns in both seasons where he played more than 12 games.

New defensive coordinators

Brian Flores

After entering the league in 2004, Brian Flores recently joined the Minnesota Vikings following a brief stint as the linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to this, he spent three years as head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, recording a 24-25 overall record.

In recent years, the Vikings have faced challenges on defense, consistently ranking 24th or lower in scoring defense for the past three seasons. Additionally, they have not exceeded 27th place in total yardage during this time period.

Therefore, it has been relatively simple to exploit this team’s vulnerabilities in terms of Overs, especially with Kevin O’Connell providing an offensive spark last season. Flores has the ability to bring significant improvements to the defense as well, so it would be unwise to assume that the Vikings will maintain their defensive shortcomings in 2026.

We will keep an eye on the initial markets at the top sportsbooks to identify any defensive strategies worth pursuing this season.

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Related pages

• Top Sports Betting Sites with the Best Promotions (U.S. residents only)