Losers of five in a row and currently holding the no. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots are headed for major changes after this season.
We know that these changes will include the quarterback position, but it could extend much further than that.
There have been plenty of rumors and whispers about the Patriots potentially firing head coach Bill Belichick, even though he was given an extension this past offseason. If Belichick were to be fired, the Patriots would have plenty of candidates to select from as his replacement.
The fact is, the Patriots need an offensive mind. The Patriots could go the orthodox route, or they could also go the route of a dark horse. If they went for the latter, these five candidates are worth monitoring.
1. Kevin Patullo, Associate Head Coach/Passing Game Coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have been one of the NFL's best teams over the course of the past two seasons, and much of their success has to do with their offense being a well-rounded and high-scoring unit.
Whether it's Nick Sirianni or offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, the Eagles have their share of great coaches on hand. But, their associate head coach Kevin Patullo might also get some consideration. You don't hear his name talked about as much as Johnson, but he does help scheme up the passing game and has been given the title of Associate Head Coach, and that has to mean something.
If the Patriots had the idea of going with an underrated offensive mind coming from a fantastic coaching tree, for years in Philadelphia, then Patullo might be of interest.
2. Bobby Slowik, Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans currently boast the league's top passer, right now, in rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Ohio State product leads the league in passing yardage and has been one of the NFL's biggest surprises this season. Actually, Houston's entire offense has been full of surprises.
Rookie wide receiver Tank Dell looks like a star in the making. Nico Collins is finally enjoying a big breakout. Even Devin Singletary has seen career days this season.
A lot of this is thanks to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Eventually, Slowik should get plenty of attention if his Texans offense continues to succeed at this rate. He's a dark horse candidate mostly due to the fact that he is a first-year coordinator and likely won't have a ton of interest as a head coach.
Still, Slowik comes from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree and that typically means a positive future if you want to be an NFL coach -- as long as your name isn't Luke Getsy.
3. Jim Harbaugh
Former San Francisco 49ers head coach and current Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has seen his name in rumors in regards to returning to the league for years now. Eventually, you'd have to believe he comes back to the pros. But, for now, he seems very comfortable and unlikely to leave his gig in Ann Arbor.
Still, he has to be talked about. He is being talked about, therefore he's certainly a candidate, even though the likelihood isn't high that he comes to New England.
In his tenure with the 49ers, Harbaugh went 44-19-1 with a Super Bowl appearance. At Michigan, Harbaugh has led the Wolverines to a record of 87-25. Should he return to the pros, maybe a job like New England could interest him. Objectively speaking, the Patriots' gig is a high profile gig. Replacing Bill Belichick is no small task, and Harbaugh's overall pedigree and experience could lead him to want to give that a shot.
As a former NFL quarterback, too, Harbaugh would be a great candidate to help develop a new franchise passer in New England.
4. Ken Dorsey
In 2022, the Buffalo Bills were the no. 2 offense in football in both yards per game and in scoring. They were second in yards per rush and no. 1 in third down conversion rate. This season, the Bills took a bit of a step back, but there is no way you can attribute that to former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Instead, head coach Sean McDermott used Dorsey as his scapegoat. It might end up being McDermott's job, at the end of the year, that's also lost.
Before he was fired, Dorsey had the Bills sitting as a top-10 offense, yet quarterback Josh Allen was hurting his offense with turnovers and the team, overall, was less disciplined in crucial moments. This was not on the shoulders of Dorsey, which is why he should have no problem getting another coordinator gig in the near future.
He's a dark horse for a head coach gig, though, because of the fact that he was just fired as an offensive coordinator. Dorsey is familiar with the AFC East, though, after having spent the last five years with Buffalo. So, he has familiarity with how current AFC East defenses are run and how to beat them. That gives him an edge, and at the very least, he should be considered for the team's next offensive coordinator.
5. Josh McDaniels
God forbid the Patriots give a look back to an old friend. Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach and Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh. McDaniels, has to be brought up in this conversation.
Note: just because his name is being brought up does not mean this is an endorsement for him to get the job. In fact, the Patriots should avoid McDaniels at all cost. After all, the Raiders' locker room seemed a whole lot happier and relieved once McDaniels was let go. Just go search for some of the quotes from players after he was let go.
This would be a total Robert Kraft move, though, going back to someone he has known for a while and who saw success in New England.
But, how much of McDaniels' success had to do with Tom Brady? Additionally, you could make the same argument for Belichick having so much success thanks to Brady. The fact is, McDaniels is not cut out to be a head coach. He's hardly cut out to be an offensive coordinator. The lack of respect players have for him is apparent, and his reputation has gone down further and further since his departure in New England.