We all know the NFL is a bottom-line business.
Coaches know if they don't win enough games in the eyes of ownership, they'll wind up being fired at some point. And it's really not a matter of if, but just a matter of when.
As I did last year, I spoke to several NFL executives about the job statuses of several head coaches.
The coaches below are names that came up in conversations. The categories reflect those executives' views of the status of each coach as we enter the 2015 season.
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Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
It might seem absurd that Pagano, who has compiled a 33-15 record in three seasons with the team to go along with two divisional championships, would be on this list.
But the Colts offered him only a one-year extension (through 2016) that a source said was at a $250,000 raise. And the team originally declined to offer him an extension, but later changed its mind.
Pagano is already one of the NFL's lowest-paid head coaches. Contract extensions in the NFL for head coaches rarely average less than $1 million per season. So the offer the Colts made to him was puzzling and quite frankly, rather insulting.
It's not exactly a secret in league circles that Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson have had their share of disagreements over the years. Some execs say Grigson was expecting the defense to become significantly better with Pagano as his head coach, considering he has an expertise on that side of the ball. But Grigson's drafts and free-agent signings have not produced much success on defense, while his additions at several positions on offense (quarterback, wide receiver and tight end) have been outstanding.
Is this another Jim Harbaugh-Trent Baalke situation? While it doesn't seem to be on the face of it, you have to wonder what's really going on here under the surface.