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Bruce Arians has two obvious landing spots this offseason

By George Stockburger

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Bruce Arians of the Arizona Cardinals waves to fans as he walks off the field following the NFL game against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals won 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Bruce Arians of the Arizona Cardinals waves to fans as he walks off the field following the NFL game against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Arizona Cardinals won 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Should Bruce Arians leave the Arizona Cardinals he won’t have to wait long

Many changes are expected to hit the Arizona Cardinals organization this offseason, and the biggest could be the departure of head coach Bruce Arians.

Reports say the 65-year-old head coach and the Cardinals have already discussed going their separate ways after five years and only one playoff win. Arians has won 48 games with the Cardinals and started his tenure with three consecutive double-digit win seasons.

Should Arians leave Arizona and avoid retirement he’ll have his choice of NFL head coaching jobs, which could be abundant next Monday.

Two jobs could be particularly intriguing to Arians and the perspective fanbases: Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts hugs offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the closing seconds of the game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 30, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Texans 28-16. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30: Head coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts hugs offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the closing seconds of the game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 30, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Texans 28-16. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Arians worked for the Colts from 1998-2000 as the quarterback coach and as Chuck Pagano’s offensive coordinator in 2012 and served as an interim head coach for 12 games while Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia. Winning nine games and making a playoff appearance with the Colts, Arians won the Coach of the Year award for keeping the team afloat in Andrew Luck’s rookie season.

Despite his short stay in Indianapolis Arians knows many of the veterans still in the locker room, most notably Luck, T.Y. Hilton, and Adam Vinatieri. His return would be a welcomed sight for the fanbase and a stabilizer after Pagano’s rocky tenure.

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New York would seek Arians to stabilize an unstable locker room and usher in a new era of Eli Manning-less football in New York. Arians is known as the quarterback whisperer and could draft and develop a young arm such as Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, or Josh Allen.

Arians’ hometown of Paterson, New Jersey is just 12 miles north of MetLife Stadium, making his arrival somewhat of a homecoming.

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New York may look for a younger voice similar to Sean McVay to work with their next franchise quarterback, but Arians could accomplish that and bring players such as Eli Apple back into his teammates’ graces.

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