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Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a play against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a play against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium. Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images/AFP.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is, again, a popular candidate for a number of head coaching vacancies in the NFL. Will he finally make his return to the pro level, and if so, with what team? Here are our Jim Harbaugh NFL team predictions, based on the best NFL odds.

Last year, after interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings and not getting the head coaching job, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said it was "the last time" he would vie for an NFL gig. Yet, one year later, here we are again.

Harbaugh has reportedly interviewed virtually with the Denver Broncos and he's among the betting favorites for a number of other NFL vacancies.

If Harbaugh does in fact return to the pros, what's the best bet for which team will land him? 

Here are our best Jim Harbaugh NFL team predictions (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our NFL best betsnext NFL Head Coach picks, and our predictions for Sean Payton's next team.

Jim Harbaugh NFL Team Odds

TeamDraftKings
Denver Broncos+330
Indianapolis Colts+350
Carolina Panthers+1200
Arizona Cardinals +1500

Jim Harbaugh NFL Team Pick

Colts (+350 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

The time is right for Harbaugh to return to the pro game. After a disappointing start to his eight-year tenure at Michigan, he's now defeated rival Ohio State, captured the Big Ten title, and reached the College Football Playoff in consecutive seasons. He's slayed his biggest dragon and after falling short of the national championship, he's likely come to the conclusion that defeating an SEC school for the title is a bridge too far.

At the pro level, Harbaugh can earn riches (after taking a pay cut at Michigan ahead of the 2022 season) and take another shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. He fell short to his brother, John, in Super Bowl XLVII with the San Francisco 49ers.

While he has shorter odds to land the Broncos job, there are stronger ties between the coach and the Indianapolis Colts.

Harbaugh quarterbacked the Colts for four seasons in the mid 1990s and his name is in the Ring of Honor. Indy is in desperate need of a firm hand at head coach and will likely turn to someone with pro coaching experience after experimenting with former player Jeff Saturday in an interim role.

Aside from the familiarity, Indianapolis offers a roster with stars expected to return to form (running back Jonathan Taylor, guard Quenton Nelson, linebacker Shaquille Leonard), a weak and winnable division, and the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. 

Owner Jim Irsay is desperate for a winner and general manager Chris Ballard needs to save his job and has already admitted he would "do whatever it takes" to land a franchise quarterback. Trading with the Chicago Bears - who already have a first-round QB - for the No. 1 pick in this year's draft is a distinct possibility.

This is only a three-star pick for me as the 59-year-old coach could always return to Michigan and take another run at a national championship. But Harbaugh is a proven winner (44-19-1 NFL coaching record, 103-46 college record) and exactly what the Colts need to return to relevancy.

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