Hue Jackson gets more praise as head-coaching candidate

While it remains to be seen how Hue Jackson is viewed in NFL circles, the media continues to believe he's one of the top head-coaching candidates.

Jackson, now entering his second full season as offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, is viewed as one of the top candidates to go from coordinator to head coach in 2016. NFL.com's Bucky Brooks tabbed Hue his No. 7 head-coaching candidate for next year.

7) Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals: It's a shame Jackson's swagger leads some observers to overlook his offensive ingenuity, but defensive coordinators around the NFL certainly respect the schemes and concepts he brings to the table each week. Jackson persistently challenges the discipline of defenders while putting his top players in position to make plays. Sounds simple, but few can rival Jackson's chess skills.

Jackson was also tabbed as a head-coaching candidate by the MMQB, where he came in at No. 12. Jackson has one year as a head coach under his belt, an 8-8 season with the Oakland Raiders in 2011 that saw the team finish one game out of the playoffs. Jackson has received interest for several head-coaching jobs since, but never enough to actually secure the job.

This offseason, Jackson interviewed with the Buffalo Bills for their head coaching vacancy. It was filled by Rex Ryan, but Jackson thought the job was his. If the Bengals' offense shows significant improvement from last year, he'll once again be one of the top candidates to become a head man for another NFL team.