Patriots’ Top Offensive Coordinator Candidates If Josh McDaniels Leaves

What will happen if Josh McDaniels leaves the New England Patriots in the offseason? Head coach Bill Belichick did his best to keep McDaniels around. He respects his good work and trusts his experience. Truth is, McDaniels has been a target for quite some time, and several NFL teams would gladly have him as a head coach.

According to recent reports, McDaniels is meeting the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Eagles are looking for a head coach, and McDaniels is a good fit. The Patriots offensive coordinator is not the only target for Philadelphia. They are also going after Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Los Angeles Lakers Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Reports suggest that Philadelphia also interviewed Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo for the head coach vacancy. Doug Pederson lost his job three years after he defeated Belichick’s Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

NFL candidate to become Patriots OC if Josh McDaniels leaves the team

If McDaniels leaves New England, the team will have to find the right replacement for the offensive play-caller. 2020 quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch was a candidate for the job, but he accepted a new job at the University of Arizona.

Running backs coach Ivan Fears, running backs/kick returners coach Troy Brown, wide receivers coach Mick Lombardi, tight ends coach Nick Caley, offensive line coach Cole Popovich, offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo and coaching assistant Tyler Hughes are next on the list.

Fears has the best experience, but he has never worked as an offensive coordinator. The Patriots hired Caley and Popovich in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Popovich coached running backs and offensive linemen. He was also working as a co-offensive coordinator at Minot State in 2014 and 2015.

Cleveland Browns wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Chad O’Shea is considered an option. He was coaching Patriots receivers from 2009 to 2018. In 2019, he was an offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins.

What about Adam Gase? He worked with McDaniels in Denver in 2009 and 2010. Belichick has words of praise for Gase and that makes him an option.