MORSE: Offensive Coordinator Updates, New Candidates Identified
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Why have the Patriots not named an Offensive Coordinator? Some speculate the offensive Coordinator position in New England is not an attractive position to the leading candidates. The Patriots offense as currently staffed is the worst in the league. The Offensive line needs a complete remake, the QBs are awful and they have no Tight Ends and lack skill players at Wide Receiver. They do have the #3 pick in the draft, but there is so much wrong with the team that I wouldn’t use the pick on a young QB.
The Patriots Front Office is a mess since no one has been named as the GM or point person. You have a meddling owner in Jonathan Kraft and his minion Robyn Glazer involved in areas they shouldn’t be. Another theory is the Patriots aren’t paying top dollars for their Offensive Coordinator position. I will remind you of the statistic that since 2020 all 32 teams in the league have switched their Offensive Coordinator.
The hiring of Jerod Mayo as early as the Patriots did should have allowed him ample time to hire an Offensive Coordinator. Now they are up against some of their candidates already accepting other positions and new opportunities coming up for others. The surprise of Raheem Morris being named Atlanta’s Head Coach means that Zac Robinson, the probable top candidate on the Patriots list will go to Atlanta and might take Nick Caley with him. Another scenario has Caley taking over for Robinson in LA.
The Head Coaches are being filled quickly around the league. Bill Belichick is being shut out. It seemed he had the Atlanta job locked up, but his personality and requirement for total control has soured owners from hiring him. According to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston “All the things that they would have to do to satisfy him…you have a guy who’s 71, won’t be there for the long term…he’s going to want to come in and do things his way with no one to answer to.” There are just two Head Coach positions presently open. Seattle and Washington. Seattle doesn’t seem like a fit and there is just an outside chance in Washington. Rumors were flying that if Andy Reid were to win the Super Bowl he might retire, and that could open a spot for Belichick. They call that spit balling, throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks. Belichick has worked 48 consecutive years as an NFL Football coach since his 1st job with Ted Marchibroda in 1975 for the then Baltimore Colts. As I recall, he slept on a cot in the stadium because he was being paid so little he couldn’t afford an apartment.
Belichick not signing anywhere has had an impact on several fronts. It is thought that Josh McDaniels would be Bill Belichicks Offensive Coordinator taking him out of consideration for other coordinator positions. Further, it has been reported that Belichicks two sons have been offered positions on Mayo’s team. No word on them as some speculate the sons would follow the father wherever he wound up. Bill Belichick has been an NFL Coach for 48 consecutive years, starting with Ted Marchibroda in 1975 for the then Baltimore Colts. Belichick was paid so little that he couldn’t afford an apartment and slept on a cot in the stadium.
Could Josh McDaniel be the new Offensive Coordinator. Curious that McDaniel wouldn’t have to be paid since he is being paid by the Las Vegas Raiders and will be for 4 years. Mac Jones played very well under Josh McDaniel’s system his rookie season.
Washington Offensive Coordinator Eric Bienemy has been left in limbo. For the last two years Bienemy has been interviewed by multiple teams for their head coaching vacancies but has yet to be hired. Was it just to have a minority candidate interviewed to satisfy the Rooney Rule which requires that at least two outside minority Candidates be interviewed. Bienemy is under contract to Washington and he would have to be released in order to interview for any other Offensive Coordinator positions. Could the Patriots be waiting for a new Head Coach to be announced in Washington and then free up Bienemy for the Patriots Offensive Coordinator?
Another long-time college assistant, Tee Martin was mentioned as a possible candidate. Martin is best known to Patriots fans as one of the Brady Six. These are the six QBs taken ahead of Tom Brady in the draft.
Not having assistants chosen yet means that none of them will be at the two major college All-Star games to watch the practices, meet with the players and talk with other potential coaches. Troy Brown will be the Offensive Coordinator at the Senior Bow. He was selected under the Senior Bowl “Coach Up” program.
My final point is that the Offensive Coordinator picks his coaching assistants or at least he has significant input into the hiring. You want to match the assistant’s skills to the type of Offense the coordinator is going to play. An example would be an Offensive Line coach. If the Offensive Coordinator is going to play a version of the McVay / Shanahan offense which requires zone blocking schemes, you are going to want an O-line coach that can teach those skills.
Jerrod Johnson the QB Coach for the Houston Texans and Thomas Brown the Offensive Coordinator for the Carolina Panthers have been interviewed. Both are minority candidates and because of interviewing two outside minority candidates the team has satisfied the Rooney Rule. Brown is a highly respected coach who aspires to be a Head Coach. He is currently under contract to the Carolina Panthers, and this may be the reason an announcement has not been made. Dave Canales has just been made Head Coach in Carolina and may want to bring in his own staff. If Thomas were to take the OC position it would be a lateral move. Johnson has been credited with the terrific coaching job he did with rookie QB CJ Stroud. If he were to come to New England, he may have to do that again if the Patriots select a QB with their 1st pick, #3 overall.
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