The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel for their head coaching position. He will be paired with standout rookie quarterback Drake Maye as the Patriots look to build a dynamic offense. The position of offensive coordinator had also been vacant but, New England is expected to hire this former coach to run the offense.
Patriots Expected To Hire This Coach For Offensive Coordinator
The New England Patriots are expected to hire Josh McDaniels for their vacant offensive coordinator position. McDaniels was the offensive coordinator in New England in 2007 and 2008. He was once again hired as the Patriots offensive coordinator in 2012 after a failed head coaching stint with the Denver Broncos. McDaniels ran the Tom Brady-led offense for nearly a decade, leaving the Patriots for a head coaching position with the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2021 season.
McDaniels was very successful as the offensive coordinator in New England. The team won the Super Bowl in 2014, 2016, and 2018. The 2016 Super Bowl was incredibly impressive for McDaniels. The Patriots offense overcame a 28-3 second-half deficit, winning the game 34-28 in overtime. Brady and the Patriots offense were essentially flawless in the second half, especially the fourth quarter and overtime.
The fit with Vrabel and Drake Maye
Josh McDaniels has seen great success as the Patriots offensive coordinator. However, it is worth noting his quarterback was Tom Brady and his head coach was Bill Belichick during the majority of his time with New England. The question should be asked, how much success will McDaniels see without them?
With Vrabel and Maye, McDaniels can still see success. He frequently demonstrated great play-calling abilities in New England, a trait that can remain consistent with a different quarterback. Vrabel is a proven winning coach, taking a mediocre Titans roster to multiple playoff appearances, including an AFC championship game appearance in 2020.
It would be nice if the front office added some weapons for Maye and the offense, but McDaniels still has a lot to work with as Maye has an elite skillset. Last year, he threw for 2,276 yards and added 421 on the ground. McDaniels can use his savvy play-calling abilities as the Patriots offensive coordinator to capitalize on Maye’s unique skillset.
Building Around Maye
Although McDaniels will help Maye, he needs more help from players on the field. The Patriots need to make it a priority to get a wide receiver one for Maye to target. It’s also critical that New England strengthens their offensive line. Maye had to shoulder a ton of workload as a rookie. If he has to do so again this season, it will slow his development, and therefore slow the Patriots window to contend.
The Future in Foxborough
With Mike Vrabel at the helm, some hope has been restored to Patriots fans. Vrabel has consistently gotten the best out of his rosters, and will look to do the same in New England. The offense should see improvement under Josh McDaniels, as should Drake Maye. If New England just gets a little more help around Maye, this could be an exciting second year for the young quarterback, and a fun season for the Patriots and new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Main Photo: Candice Ward – USA Today Sports
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