Mike McCarthy is a top-4 NFL head coach, according to NFL.com

Debating the merits of various head coaches around the National Football League is a task for the offseason, so here we are. Today, NFL.com's Elliot Harrison published his head coach rankings, and it should come as little shock that the Green Bay Packers' Mike McCarthy was ranked highly. I expect that most Packers fans would agree that McCarthy is one of the ten best coaches in the NFL. However, just how highly Harrison has McCarthy listed might be a bit of a surprise.

McCarthy slots in fourth among Harrison's rankings, and the analyst mentions the Packers' consistency as a key reason for that placement:

You could certainly mount a case for McCarthy to make the top three. Green Bay has been in the hunt nearly every season since he took over in 2006, reaching the playoffs in seven of nine seasons under the expert play-caller's direction and winning it all in the 2010 season. Last season looked to be another golden year for the cheeseheads -- until it all went awry in Seattle. Predicting a different outcome this time around ...

The only coaches ahead of McCarthy on Harrison's list are the last three to win Super Bowls (all in order, by the way). Bill Belichick of the Patriots is first, followed by Pete Carroll of the Seahawks and John Harbaugh from the Ravens.

This year's Packers team should give McCarthy more of an opportunity to develop other aspects of his coaching prowess besides just his offensive mind. As has been well-publicized, McCarthy chose to gave up playcalling duties this offseason, passing them off to Tom Clements, and is more involved in the defense and special teams than in the past.

Hopefully in seven months or so we'll be able to look back at another Lombardi trophy and say that was the right move.