Since Mike Vrabel became the frontrunner for the Patriots head coach vacancy, there was a lot of discussion about Josh McDaniels being named his offensive coordinator if hired. Now that he has been officially named the successor to Jerod Mayo, the rumors surrounding McDaniels have only grown stronger.
Vrabel was explicitly asked about his plans for his staff and if he had anyone in mind for specific roles, to which he claimed he would be considering a long list of potential candidates. While he didn't name-drop McDaniels nor rule him out, he continues to be the favorite for the job, even more so since he hasn't appeared to follow Bill Belichick to UNC like some believed he would.
But recent rumors suggested another name might be in the running for offensive play-calling duties once Vrabel was hired. Tommy Rees, whom Vrabel worked with during his one year with the Browns, started making the rounds in recent days, gaining momentum as a potential new Patriots hire.
That swiftly ended on Tuesday, however, as the Browns promoted Rees to be their offensive coordinator for the 2025 season.
#Browns have reached an agreement with assistant coach Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 14, 2025
Because of this, the McDaniels saga will continue.
With Tommy Rees out, the Josh McDaniels plan remains in place for the Patriots
With one of the candidates for perhaps the most important role now off the table, it's looking more and more like McDaniels could be making his triumphant return to Foxboro.
No other names have been mentioned as possible hires throughout the interview process and since Vrabel was hired. Although that doesn't mean much in the big scheme of things, it's hard to imagine that a random person we are yet to hear about is suddenly the front-runner for the job over McDaniels.
It's certainly possible, but with so much importance behind giving Drake Maye a solid play-caller to work with, it's hard to argue against hiring McDaniels, who was the most consistent and talented OC the Patriots employed throughout the dynasty. He even made Mac Jones look like a capable quarterback during his rookie season. Imagine what he could do with a much more talented player in Maye.
We'll have to wait and see who Vrabel decides is the best person for the job, which he has implied won't be a quick process. He is expecting to look at a lot of candidates and make his decision over the next few weeks, which might be the best way to go to bring in the upgrades the staff needs.