The St Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired their head coaches on a relatively restrainted 'Black Monday' but other vacancies could emerge in the coming days and weeks as plenty of teams look to rebuild after disappointing campaigns.

The only problem for owners looking for that quick fix of a big name coach to excite fans and motivate the playing staff, is that few such options appear to be on the market.

The Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars had already removed their head coaches during the season and unless they opt to give a chance to their respective interim coaches that means at least five clubs are seeking a new head coach.

That list is likely to get longer - Jim Caldwell at the Indianapolis Colts escaped the chop which fell on vice-chairman Bill Polian and general manager Chris Polian, but his position after a 1-15 season hangs by a thread.

"In terms of the coaching staff, I met with Jim Caldwell. Right now that is still under evaluation," owner Jim Irsay told reporters on Monday.

Although Irsay said Caldwell, who took over from Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy in 2009, had a "real possibility" of returning, that decision could well wait for a new management team.

Norv Turner at the San Diego Chargers (8-8) who missed the playoffs for a second year running with a team many expected to do better, is another waiting by the phone.

"I'm going to sleep on this for a couple of days. There are a lot of things I want to think about," president Dean Spanos told the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper.

One factor that Spanos will no doubt weight up is the absence of many proven NFL winners, or exciting college coaches currently available.

It is illustrative of the scarcity of obvious candidates that the biggest name being linked with the vacancies is Jeff Fisher, who was fired last year after 16 years with the Tennessee Titans franchise.

Fisher had a good record at the Titans, reaching the post-season six times and making the Super Bowl in 2000.

But he is hardly going to set pulses racing among fans in the way that Jim Harbaugh did when San Francisco brought him in from Stanford University last year.

The 49ers beat off competition from Miami this time last year and have reaped the benefits with a strong 13-3 regular season resulting in a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Most of the names being linked with the Buccaneers and Jaguars are current coordinators looking for a step-up, often a route that brings success but unlikely to boost season tickets, a factor for some franchises, especially the three Florida teams.

Two of the names most frequently linked with a return to the league are former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and ex-Tampa boss Jon Gruden but both have let it be known that they would rather stay in their current work as television analysts.

The absence of coaches who can generate real confidence in a turnaround and who will be sat at home watching this month's playoffs is particularly acute this year.

But is also a reminder of a fundamental truth in the NFL - there rarely is a shortcut to success in the league.

There is no substitute for smart work in the draft, wise moves in free agency, intelligent trades and good coaching in all the specialist areas.