As a result, Vrabel’s coordinator hires will be a key to his success in New England. In particular, who Vrabel tabs as offensive coordinator to work with second-year QB Drake Maye will be a massive hire for the Patriots new head coach. Maye showed promise as a rookie, but the 22-year-old is still in a developmental stage heading into year two. Plus, the hope is that the next Pats OC will have the schematic chops to utilize Maye’s entire skillset.
Another philosophical crossroads for Vrabel is how he wants to approach the staying power of his offensive coordinator. As a defensive-minded head coach, Vrabel risks losing his offensive coordinator quickly if Maye turns the hire into a head coaching candidate. For example, if Vrabel hires an up-and-coming offensive architect such as Tommy Rees (Browns TEs coach) or Josh McCown (Vikings QB coach), they could be gone in a year or two. As young coaches, they might bring a fresh perspective to the offense, but it could be short-lived.
If that’s the route Vrabel takes, the Patriots must establish a pipeline of offensive coaches by building out their staff with future OCs in waiting. Along with protecting against flight risks, the argument for a veteran offensive coordinator is that he’ll have more experience in the role and working with young quarterbacks. Maye could benefit from someone who is a master of his domain and isn’t new to play-calling. For a young coach who has never been in the play-caller seat before at this level, there’s a fear that the role will be too big for them.
With that in mind, here are the top candidates for the Patriots next offensive coordinator.
(Editors note: Tommy Rees is returning to Cleveland as the Browns offensive coordinator, per multiple reports).
Josh McDaniels (Most Recent Job: Raiders Head Coach)
Like the Patriots new head coach, McDaniels has proof of concept that his offensive system works, with over two decades worth of coordinating and…
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