The New England Patriots have announced they will begin the process of interviewing “offensive coordinator candidates” next week.
Yes, you read that right—offensive coordinator candidates.
The Patriots haven’t had a real offensive coordinator since losing Josh McDaniels to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2022 offseason. Matt Patricia and Joe Judge split the offensive play-calling duties during the preseason before Patricia ultimately won the job.
The offense sputtered, Mac Jones regressed at quarterback and the Patriots finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs. Given the amount of times the word “change” has been thrown around regarding the Patriots, it’s no surprise they’re trying to get back to a more conventional way of doing things.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is a name that should immediately shoot to the top of the list of possible candidates. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury would also be an intriguing option. Or, the Patriots also have the option of keeping things in-house and promoting a younger prospect like tight ends coach Nick Caley.
Regardless of the options, the most important thing is the team putting the mess that was the 2022 season in the rearview and moving on to greener pastures in 2023.
