With Josh McDaniels set to join the Las Vegas Raiders as the head coach, the New England Patriots will need to find a new offensive coordinator.
In terms of the talent pool, there are some familiar names that are listed as candidates. As coaches look to advance from under the Bill Belichick coaching tree, it seems as though Belichick has had his coaching imprint on the entire league.
Now, the organization may have to look into that talent pool as they look to find someone else to lead the offense. Let’s take a look at five potential candidates to replace McDaniels.
Alabama OC Bill O’Brien
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Bill O’Brien is certainly an intriguing candidate to replace McDaniels. O’Brien has experience with New England first joining the Patriots as an offensive assistant in 2007. He served multiple roles for the organization, but he is most known for his work with the quarterbacks.
O’Brien was the quarterbacks coach from 2009-2010, and then took on the role of offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2011. Currently in the same role with the Alabama Crimson Tide, O’Brien would bring familiarity to the Patriots offense, and would be in a familiar situation himself with New England.
While O’Brien ran the offense, the Patriots had one of the best offenses in the NFL. Their 513 total points were third-most in the league in 2011, and their 317.8 passing yards per game were second-best in all of football.
The situation would be a little different now for O’Brien, as Tom Brady is obviously no longer in the fold. However, having an offensive coordinator who already has experience with the Patriots system could be beneficial for Mac Jones. A key trait of the Patriots offense over the years has been familiarity. O’Brien would bring that to the table.
Former Giants coach Joe Judge
Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Again, this would be a situation of familiarity. Joe Judge has worked under Belichick, serving multiple roles with the Patriots. He began as a special teams assistant in 2012, and most recently served as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019.
After his tenure as head coach of the New York Giants did not go according to plan, Judge finds himself looking for a job. He finished a stint with the New York Giants that saw him go 10-23 over the course of two seasons.
Judge could be a viable option, as New England looks to get increased production out of their receivers. That could be helpful to both Jones and the wide receiver unit alike.
Patriots TEs coach Nick Caley
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Nick Caley would be an internal candidate for the Patriots. He was the tight ends and fullbacks coach for the 2021 season.
He was first named the tight ends coach in 2017 and added the title of fullbacks coach prior to the 2020 season. He has experience on the Patriots coaching staff, and now he could look to parlay it into something bigger.
When you think about the names that Caley has worked with, he has certainly seen his fair share of talented tight ends. Rob Gronkowski, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith are among those who have graced his presence at the position.
One of the big storylines surrounding New England this season was the lack of production for Jonnu Smith. As quarterback Jones enters his second season, getting the tight ends more involved could be a recipe for success. A tight end-centric coach like Caley could help the offense grow.
Patriots WRs coach Troy Brown
Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Troy Brown would be an interesting name for the Patriots offensive coordinator position. A decorated receiver for New England from 1993 to 2007, Brown ended his Patriots career with 557 receptions and 6,366 receiving yards.
Lately, he’s been the wide receivers and kick returner’s coach for the Patriots. This would be an interesting fit for New England for many reasons. For one, Brown is familiar with Belichick. He understands the coaching style that Belichick wants to employ and the type of discipline it takes to succeed.
This would be a good test for Brown as well. How can he elevate the play of the offense in a crucial second year for Jones? This is the type of job that would be able to elevate Brown to potentially bigger coaching positions. What he does here could set him up for success down the road.
Patriots WRs Mick Lombardi
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Mick Lombardi is an interesting name for this coaching position. he has been involved with the Patriots organization in several aspects. This would perhaps be his biggest title yet.
This is another case where familiarity with the wide receivers could help the rest of the offense. It’s clear that the wide receiver position needs to be elevated to another level. Brown could take over the wide receivers position full-time. Lombardi could slip into the offense of coordinator role and make an immediate impact for New England. Out of all the candidates listed, Lombardi may be one of the better fits.
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