2026 NFL Preview: Which 10 Players Are Most Likely To Benefit From Coaching Change?

Hope springs eternal with every coaching change in the NFL, as fan bases wish the new hire can turn their team around in Year 1. And that could also be a sentiment held by players, who might believe that the right coaching staff can maximize their potential. Just under a third of the league made a change at head coach this offseason, with 10 teams hoping that their change could lead to a winning culture. But which players stand to benefit the most from the coaching changes made over the offseason? In descending order, I rank my top 10, selecting one from each of the teams that have a new coach. New Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy has been talking up Will Howard since his first days on the job. The 2025 sixth-round pick doesn’t have a pathway to start, barring injury — Aaron Rodgers is QB1 — but McCarthy’s extensive experience developing quarterbacks could pay major dividends for Howard, as well as 2026 third-rounder Drew Allar. Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady has been vocal in his support of Coleman, who’s had two inconsistent seasons to start his career, after getting promoted from offensive coordinator this offseason. While the former second-round pick faces pressure to show growth in 2026, the stakes won’t be as high following the Bills’ acquisition of D.J. Moore from the Chicago Bears. So high-level production from Coleman would be a luxury for Brady’s offense, and maybe that’s the best-case scenario for the former Florida State standout. In his six seasons coaching the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski featured tight ends prominently in his offense. Harold Fannin Jr., for example, was Cleveland’s leading receiver in 2025 as a third-round rookie. So, Kyle Pitts stands to benefit from the new coaching staff in 2026. He’s coming off his best season since his rookie year — 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns in ‘25 — so his upward trajectory could continue with Stefanski. Under new coach Todd Monken, the Cleveland Browns have loaded up their receiving core, adding two top-40 picks in KC Concepcion (first round) and Denzel Boston (second round) to a group that already included Jerry Jeudy and Harold Fannin Jr. The attention that Cleveland’s passing game should command is expected to open up the box for Quinshon Judkins, who’ll also have a rebuilt offensive line in front of him in 2026. New Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur’s experience in the pass game and as a wide receiver coach could help Marvin Harrison Jr. finally unlock his potential. A former No. 4 overall pick, Harrison should have plenty of single coverage opportunities downfield thanks to the pass-catching talent around him (star tight end Trey McBride, fellow wide receiver Michael Wilson) and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love’s presence forcing safeties to drop into the box. The run game was a key part of John Harbaugh’s success with the Baltimore Ravens, and that’s already been a priority early in his tenure with the New York Giants. New York signed perennial Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard in free agency and drafted Miami (Fla.) offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick to play guard. That makes Cam Skattebo, whose rookie season was cut short after eight games, a big winner as he returns from Not long after he became the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach, Klint Kubiak said he envisions a Christian McCaffrey-like role for Ashton Jeanty in the offense. So, the former No. 6 overall pick’s touches could increase from the big workload he had as a rookie (321 touches, sixth in the NFL). Kubiak’s wide zone run scheme should present more opportunities for Jeanty to display his playmaking ability in the open field. The Miami Dolphins cut ties with several core players shortly after head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan were hired this offseason. One player they prioritized, though, was De’Von Achane. The standout running back received a four-year extension earlier in May. The versatile Achane will now be the engine of the Dolphins’ offense, giving new starting quarterback Malik Willis something to work with as the team arguably has the least talented wide receiver room in the NFL. Malaki Starks quickly received praise from new Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter. Minter said the 2025 first-round pick could be “a household type of name in the secondary” in a conversation with ESPN. It helps that Minter, who was the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator the previous two seasons, has an extensive background in coaching defensive backs to guide the second-year pro. Starks played more snaps than any other Baltimore defender last season, positioning him to take a step forward from an encouraging rookie campaign. Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh has kept Cam Ward’s development top-of-mind in his first several months on the job. He got Ward much-needed wide receiver help in Ohio State’s Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick, bypassing the top defenders on the board, and has paired the second-year quarterback with an experienced offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll, who helped develop Josh Allen into one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Buffalo.