After hiring Mike Vrabel as the 16th head coach in franchise history, the Patriots now turn their attention to filling out Vrabel's coaching staff.
The Patriots Hall of Famer was hired for his proven track record as a head coach, hands-on approach to hammer home the finer details of the game, and ability to build a winning culture. Although he is known as a football renaissance man, Vrabel is not coming in to call plays on either side of the ball, preferring to be a CEO coach who oversees the entire operation.
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 play-calling experience. Granted, McDaniels's system was only overly successful with Tom Brady at quarterback, but the former Pats OC also directed a successful rookie season for Mac Jones (10th in DVOA), was respectable with Derek Carr (15th in DVOA), and adapted his offense to Cam Newton in 2020. There won't be any unknowns if McDaniels returns; this is a seasoned offensive mind who knows how to develop quarterbacks.
McDaniels's strength is designing a productive rushing attack using downhill concepts while utilizing a fullback and building complementary play-action concepts off the run game. Even though he failed in his second stint as a head coach, the Raiders had the fifth-ranked rushing attack by DVOA in his only full season in Vegas, with RB Josh Jacobs leading the NFL in rushing in 2022. He also fielded the eighth-ranked rush DVOA offense in the Newton season, impressively adapting his run game to a dual-threat quarterback. Those design elements that McDaniels installed for Newton in a COVID-impacted season would be intriguing with Maye, while the longtime coach also showed he could work with a young quarterback when he got the best out of Jones.
There will be questions about McDaniels's coaching style after his falling out in Vegas and the fact that he's another retread. Schematically, the concerns stem from McDaniels's willingness to adapt to the modern game. The former OC runs a highly complex passing system that puts a lot on the quarterback at the line of scrimmage and relies on option routes that have been tricky for receivers to grasp. In 2022, the Raiders also featured the second-highest rate of under-center plays (46.8%), were middle of the pack in motion rate (57.6%, 14th), and McDaniels once told me his offense doesn't "major" in RPO-style concepts.
McDaniels returning to blend the Patriots offense with Newton and Brady/Jones/Carr while continuing to develop Maye is a viable option. Plus, McDaniels took the year off to visit college programs such as Ohio State and USC to pick their brains about offense. That suggests that McDaniels wants to update his offense when he gets back into coaching.
The veteran offensive coordinator has a proven track record in the NFL, knows how to develop quarterbacks, and isn't a flight risk for a head coaching gig. McDaniels has a strong case.
Tommy Rees (Current Job: Browns TEs Coach/Pass-Game Specialist)
After spending this past season in Cleveland, many are connecting Vrabel to Rees, who has experience coordinating offenses at the college level.
The former Notre Dame quarterback returned to his alma mater as the Irish's quarterbacks coach and eventually offensive coordinator from 2017 to 2022. Then, Nick Saban poached Rees to coordinate Alabama's offense, which raised eyebrows because Saban typically hired veteran coordinators like Bill O'Brien, Steve Sarkisian, and Lane Kiffin. When the Crimson Tide transitioned to current coach Kalen DeBoer, Rees jumped to the NFL with the Browns and is now a coveted coordinator candidate.
As a former quarterback with ties to the college game, the thought is that Rees fits a similar mold as Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and current Eagles OC Kellen Moore, among others. Rees is also credited with a strong second half to the season for Alabama's offense, helping the Tide reach the College Football Playoff semifinals. In Tuscaloosa, Rees ran Alabama's smash-mouth spread offense with dual-threat QB Jalen Milroe. Rees could blend college elements (spread/RPO) with the West Coast principles he learned in Cleveland. In Tennessee, Vrabel exclusively ran West Coast systems, so Rees installing West Coast verbiage would make sense if he's the guy.
However, the concern is that the 32-year-old is still green, and there's some unknown about Rees designing his own offense. At Alabama, it took Rees time to grow into the role, with critiques that he didn't have a system but was just calling plays randomly. You'd like to see him paired with veteran position coaches and possibly a senior offensive assistant if he's the hire. From this perspective, one possibility is pairing Rees with current Pats OC Alex Van Pelt. Both coaches have a background in the West Coast offense run by the Browns, so Rees could liven up the play-calling while Van Pelt continues working with Maye.
The trend in the NFL nowadays is to take former quarterbacks and turn them into offensive play-callers. Rees could be next.
Alex Van Pelt (Current Job: Patriots Offensive Coordinator)
Before you say no, hear me out. Van Pelt has a year under his belt now as a play-caller with Maye. The veteran coordinator's process clearly works for the Patriots quarterbacks, with Maye and Joe Milton showing progress as rookies. Van Pelt's ability to coach quarterback fundamentals like footwork, release quickness, and reading progressions/coverages was working with Maye, so there's an argument for continuity.
The other case for Van Pelt is something we mentioned with Rees. Vrabel spent the last year as a consultant with the Browns, where he reportedly was learning more about offense from Kevin Stefanski. Van Pelt, of course, was Stefanski's offensive coordinator for four seasons before landing with the Patriots last season. To add another layer, Vrabel, as mentioned, ran a West Coast offense that mimicked the one Stefanski/Van Pelt ran with the Browns. Assuming that Vrabel wants to stick with the same offensive system, Van Pelt can coach it.
Based on his season in New England, the concerns with Van Pelt are obvious. He's still growing into being a play-caller, and his play designs, at times, left something to be desired. The question for Van Pelt that we'd have is whether the lack of creative play designs were due to personnel issues or are things like unique motions and designed QB runs not in his wheelhouse? With the Patriots running a more McCarthy-inspired scheme rather than a Shanahan tree offense, it's fair to say his offense is more old-school West Coast than new age.
Another fear you have with the head coaching change is that they'll get into a cycle with Maye where his coordinator changes every year. Eventually, the hope is that Maye will be coordinator-proof, with the Patriots having a pipeline to replace an offensive coordinator if he gets poached to be a head coach. However, if Vrabel gets the initial hire wrong or loses him to a head coaching gig quickly, you're talking about three coordinators in three years for Maye.
Maye is still developing. There's an argument to be made that allowing Maye to continue working with Van Pelt in a system Vrabel is familiar with is best for the quarterback. Given his connection to Cleveland and West Coast offenses, it's not crazy to think Vrabel could retain Van Pelt.
Josh McCown (Current Job: Vikings QB Coach)
The connection to McCown, an up-and-comer on the head coach track, is through Maye. During his teens, Maye worked with McCown at the former pro quarterback's training facility and at Myers Park High School in North Carolina. The two have a longstanding relationship, with reports that the Vikings tried to move up in last year's draft to select Maye. Along with his ties to Maye, McCown would also call plays and run the offense in New England, unlike in Minnesota, where it's Kevin O'Connell's show.
As a former quarterback, McCown has the knowledge to continue Maye's development. Schematically, he's entrenched in a West Coast system with the Vikings that overlaps with what Vrabel did in Tennessee and Cleveland. McCown would be a first-time play-caller, so that's a potential concern, but he's considered to be very bright. He also has experience in Frank Reich's version of the West Coast offense, which is similar to what the Eagles and Chiefs are doing from an Xs and Os standpoint.
McCown's stint as offensive coordinator could be short since he's already being discussed as a future head coach. The Patriots would have to build a pipeline for their next offensive coordinator to protect against McCown leaving, but it would be considered a win to land a rising star in coaching.
Nick Caley (Current Job: Rams TEs Coach/Pass Game Coordinator)
Last offseason, the Patriots were on the verge of naming Caley, a former Belichick staffer, their offensive coordinator. However, the Rams assistant turned down the job. Now, with Vrabel as head coach and Maye at quarterback, could the Pats make another run at Caley, who Sean McVay elevated to pass game coordinator in 2024?
For those unfamiliar with Caley, he joined the Patriots staff from the John Carroll University pipeline as a coaching assistant in 2015. In 2017, he was elevated to tight ends coach, a role he held with the Patriots until 2022. After being passed over for the Pats OC job for the Matt Patricia experiment and Bill O'Brien, Caley has served as the Rams tight ends coach and now pass-game coordinator over the last two seasons.
Along with spending the last two seasons learning McVay's offense, Caley helped the Rams adopt Patriots-style concepts since arriving in LA. For example, the Rams are now mimicking the Patriots up-tempo package, using one-word play calls to run the offense. Caley has also added Pats passing concepts to the Rams playbook.
With Caley, the Patriots could get the best of both worlds: a modern, McVay-inspired twist on New England's dynasty-era offense. However, he's a first-time play-caller without intimate knowledge of quarterbacks, which is a risk with a young QB.
Mike LaFleur (Current Job: Rams Offensive Coordinator)
In his first season as Titans head coach, Vrabel tabbed LaFleur's brother, Matt, as his offensive coordinator, poaching Matt from Sean McVay's staff where he was the Rams offensive coordinator. Could the younger LaFleur brother follow a similar path as his older brother?
Although it would be a lateral move title-wise for LaFleur, McVay has let his offensive coordinators leave before to allow them to be play-callers. Obviously, McVay is the primary play-caller and offensive architect in LA. In this instance, LaFleur has called plays already as the Jets offensive coordinator under Robert Salah for two seasons. Along with working for McVay, LaFleur spent seven seasons working under Kyle Shanahan, linking up with Saleh in San Francisco. LaFleur has been mentored by Shanahan, McVay, and his older brother. For an offensive coach, it doesn't get much better than that, while LaFleur would likely run a Shanahan tree offense that Vrabel is familiar with already.
It's fair to wonder why LaFleur failed in his first opportunity as a play-caller. At age 34, he might not have been ready to run an offense. The Jets were also trying to make Zach Wilson work, so maybe he was paired with the wrong quarterback. With the LaFleur-Vrabel connection, it's possible that the Pats HC could pry LaFleur out of Los Angeles.
Todd Downing (Current Job: Jets Passing Game Coordinator)
After losing Arthur Smith to the Falcons head coaching gig, Vrabel promoted Downing from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in Tennessee. Downing's offenses weren't great with the Titans, finishing 20th and 21st in offense DVOA in his two seasons as the coordinator, but he has play-calling experience and spent four seasons on Vrabel's staff.
Following the Jets in-season coaching change last October, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich named Downing the offensive play-caller for New York. After giving the reins to Downing, the Jets offense did improve slightly, going from 23rd in total EPA to 18th in Downing's stint as the play-caller. Downing used more motion (over a 10 percent increase) and slightly more play-action to give New York's underperforming offense a bump.
Downing has a relationship with Vrabel while the Jets are cleaning house on their coaching staff. It wouldn't be surprising to see Downing on the Patriots staff in some capacity.
Tim Kelly (Current Job: Giants TEs Coach)
As another former staffer of Vrabel's with the Titans, Kelly was Vrabel's last offensive coordinator in Tennessee. The two first linked up when Kelly and Vrabel were on Bill O'Brien's staff in Houston. Kelly remained in Houston for four seasons after Vrabel left but joined the Pats HC with the Titans as their passing game coordinator and then OC.
After the coaching staff was let go in Tennessee, Kelly caught on with another former Patriots coach, Brian Daboll, in New York. Kelly coached tight ends for Daboll this past season, so he has a good feel for the West Coast and Erhardt-Perkins systems that have been around New England over the last few seasons. Kelly has four seasons as a coordinator under his belt, and he has ties to Vrabel and the Patriots organization. Like Downing, seeing Kelly on Vrabel's staff wouldn't be surprising.
Pep Hamilton (Most Recent Job: Texans Offensive Coordinator in 2022)
When he was named Titans coach, Vrabel hired a candidate who interviewed for his job as his first offensive coordinator. That coach was Matt LaFleur, who spent one season as Titans OC before becoming the Packers head coach. Could the Patriots do that with Hamilton, the first coach to interview for the head coach job?
Hamilton has 25 years of coaching experience at the college and pro level. As a former quarterback, he's known for his work with quarterbacks and is a big Joe Milton fan. Hamilton has four seasons of offensive coordinator experience in the NFL, most recently coordinating Houston's offense on a coaching staff that was one-and-done under David Culley.
In the college game, Hamilton worked with former Stanford coach David Shaw to build their West Coast offense that played smash-mouth football. Stanford was known for using heavy personnel, condensed formations, and multi-back sets to run the ball downhill. But they had plenty of success throwing the ball, too, especially with Andrew Luck.
When he interviewed for the head coach vacancy, is it possible that Vrabel told the Kraft's to get to know Hamilton because he was thinking of adding him to his staff? Hamilton could join Vrabel as offensive coordinator or as a senior offensive assistant.
Byron Leftwich (Most Recent Job: Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator in 2022)
Leftwich made the list for similar reasons as Hamilton. As one of three in-person interviews in the Patriots head coaching search, the former Bucs OC might've been vetted for a position on Vrabel's staff during the process. Leftwich, who was Tom Brady's offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, won a Super Bowl with Brady in 2020. The former Jags and Steelers quarterback also played the position in the NFL for nine seasons.
Although he was the play-caller, Leftwich ran former Bucs coach Bruce Arians's offense in Tampa, a vertical-based passing offense featuring outside zone and duo run-blocking sequencing. Yours truly once tabbed Arians's philosophy as "no risk it, no biscuit" because the longtime head coach likes to air it out. Brady and Leftwich struck a balance between the two philosophies, Brady's offense with the Patriots and Arians's offense, but a 43-year-old Brady posted the second-highest average target depth of his career in 2020 (9.8 yards).
Following a successful first two seasons with Brady, Leftwich was taking interviews for head coaching positions. However, his last season in Tampa Bay was a flop, so the former NFL quarterback has been out of coaching since 2022. Could he get back in with the Patriots?
Other Notable Names (potential assistants)
Klint Kubiak - Saints Offensive Coordinator
Justin Outten - Titans TEs Coach
Wes Welker - Dolphins WRs Coach/Pass-Game Specialist
Brian Hartline - Ohio State Co-OC/WRs Coach
Luke Steckel - Raiders TEs Coach
Ken Dorsey - Former Browns Offensive Coordinator
J.T. Barrett - Lions Asst. QB Coach
Pat O'Hara - Titans Pass Game Analyst (2023)
Charles London - Seahawks QB Coach
Chad O'Shea - Browns Pass-Game Coordinator/WRs Coach
Keith Carter - Jets OL Coach/Run-Game Coordinator
Jason Houghtaling - Bears Asst. OL Coach
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
