The Washington Commanders fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner last week after three seasons with the team. We speculated on potential replacements after Turner’s dismissal, focusing on anyone with a prior connection to head coach Ron Rivera or perhaps taking a chance on a young up-and-coming offensive mind.
One week into the search, we’ve heard of several names the Commanders are interested in for the position. Former NFL head coaches Pat Shurmur and Jim Caldwell, two Dolphins assistants in Darrell Bevell and Eric Studesville, Falcons QB coach Charles London and Washington’s QB coach Ken Zampese.
Caldwell declined Washington’s request, as he was focusing only on head coaching vacancies. Shurmur interviewed with the Commanders Tuesday, while Washington has sought permission to interview Bevell, Studesville and London. It’s unclear if Bevell will interview with Washington.
There will likely be more names in the coming days. We discuss what we’ve learned one week into Washington’s search for an offensive coordinator.
Rivera opting for familiarity
Not every name early in Washington’s search for an offensive coordinator has deep ties to Rivera. One name that does is Shurmur. Shurmur’s first NFL coaching job was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. Rivera was on that staff. The pair spent five years together on Philly’s staff before Rivera left to become the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Both coaches are close to Andy Reid.
Another name with ties to some in the organization is Caldwell. General manager Martin Mayhew hired Caldwell in Detroit in 2014. It was a good hire, as Caldwell had success with the Lions. Washington senior offensive assistant Jim Hostler also worked with Caldwell in Baltimore for one season.
Preference for experience
Several of Washington’s candidates, or those who the Commanders are interested in, have plenty of NFL experience. Caldwell has been a two-time head coach and an offensive coordinator. Shurmur is also a two-time former head coach who has been an offensive coordinator with four teams. Bevell has also been an offensive coordinator with four different teams and has acted as an interim head coach twice. Studesville has been an NFL assistant since 1997.
Charles London is an interesting name
The Commanders aren’t the only team interested in London. The Tennessee Titans are also scheduled to speak with London. Currently, the Commanders and Titans are the two teams interested in London. If you look deeper here, you see why Washington and Tennessee have interest in London. The Falcons had perhaps the NFL’s most innovative running game in 2022, ranking No. 3 in the league, averaging 160 rushing yards per game.
We know Tennessee loves to run the ball. And with Derrick Henry in the backfield, that should be the Titans’ strategy. Remember Rivera and Mayhew’s season-ending presser? They named a specific formula of a 2-to-1 ratio of run/pass. While that’s unrealistic in the modern game, there is no better run game to study than Atlanta’s. The Falcons are coached by Arthur Smith, Tennessee’s offensive coordinator before taking the job in Atlanta.
This is not to discredit London. He’s a bright coach who deserves an opportunity. But other teams are envious of Atlanta’s running game. Whether or not Washington hires London, this is a smart strategy.
How this impacts Sam Howell
Last week, we learned that the Commanders were telling teams that the plan for 2023 is for Sam Howell to be the starting quarterback. Now, that’s not the same as saying, “Howell is QB” for 2023. He will need to earn the job. What we don’t know is Washington’s strategy for Howell’s competition. Will it be Taylor Heinicke or another veteran like Jacoby Brissett? Or will the Commanders take a swing for Derek Carr?
With some of the coaches Washington is interested in, it looks like there may be a plan of development for Howell. Caldwell, Shurmur and Bevell have all had success working with young quarterbacks. London and Bevell have worked in places where the RPO was a primary part of the offense, something which the Commanders would like to do with Howell.
Bevell seems like the best early choice
It still isn’t clear if Bevell will speak to Washington. If he does, he looks like the best candidate of the bunch. Why? Russell Wilson. No, not the Russell Wilson you saw in 2022, but the Wilson that Bevell convinced the Seattle Seahawks to draft in 2012. Bevell coached Wilson during his first six NFL seasons and deserves plenty of credit for his early development as a quarterback.
Bevell makes a ton of sense for the Commanders if the plan is to truly give Howell a chance. However, Shurmur feels like the most realistic candidate one week into the process.
