Dan Campbell for Detroit Lions, Brandon Staley for Los Angeles Chargers and more

Seven NFL teams fired their top coaches in this cycle – three during the 2020 season and four after the regular season – and now the first 2021 signings have been confirmed.

The Jacksonville Jaguars focused on former college coach Urban Meyer, who was announced as the new coach. The New York Jets announced it had reached an agreement to hire former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The Atlanta Falcons reached an agreement with former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Los Angeles Chargers have hired former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. And Detroit Lions chose former New Orleans Saints assistant Dan Campbell as their coach.

How did Lions, Chargers, Falcons, Jaguars and Jets fare with their signings? We asked ESPN national NFL writers Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler to discuss each move and give their grades, starting with the most recent at the top.

Jump to a team:
Lions | Chargers
Falcons | Jaguars | Jets

Bottom: Assistant to the head coach and head coach of the New Orleans Saints (2016-2020); tight-headed trainer for Miami Dolphins (2011-15)

Graziano: Campbell had a bit of experience as a head coach when he was the Dolphins’ acting coach for the last 12 games of the 2015 season after Joe Philbin’s resignation, and he caught the bug. He’s been on Sean Payton’s team in New Orleans ever since and is looking forward to another chance at the big job. A former NFL tight end who played 10 years for the Giants, Cowboys and Lions, Campbell has an ardent personality and a high level of energy as a coach – anyone who remembers his press conferences when he had the Miami job already know this. Five years of learning under Payton can only have helped, I think. Definitely an out-of-the-box signing by Lions, but how can you discuss with a team in your situation trying something nontraditional?