Patriots set up another offensive coordinator interview

The New England Patriots continue to interview candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

As first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Patriots are set to hold a video interview with Dan Pitcher, who is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016, starting with the final three seasons of Marvin Lewis' tenure. He's spent the past five seasons working under Zac Taylor, who came from the Sean McVay coaching tree.

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Pitcher is now best known for his work with Joe Burrow, helping put the 2020 No. 1 overall pick in position to succeed. The Bengals have a Super Bowl berth under their belt with Burrow and Pitcher working together.

The Patriots had already begun looking at offensive coordinator candidates prior to Pitcher. Others reportedly interviewing for the position include Rams pass game coordinator Zac Robinson, and former Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley, also with the Rams.

Pitcher certainly seems to be on the path to becoming an offensive coordinator, but he seems less qualified than Robinson. His experience in the league and positive development with Burrow should send him higher up the NFL ladder at some point, though. As detailed by Rapoport, Pitcher is an in-house candidate for the Bengals and also has interviews set up with the Raiders and Saints.

Read below for more logical candidates to become the next offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...

The New England Patriots need a new offensive coordinator, but some hires make more sense than others.

Depending on what exactly the Patriots are going for with their next OC, they'll want to identify the candidate with the best mix of experience, skills, pedigree, and potential. Those come in different shapes and sizes. So how do they determine the best choice?

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It remains to be seen which route the Pats want to take with the new offensive coordinator, whether it's someone with years of experience in the role or more of an up-and-comer. Based on the Pats' early interviews, they're going with the latter.

So, who would be the best choices to become the next offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots? We broke it down to specific criteria, and identified the best fit for each of them, which you can read below...

Robinson is on the Patriots' shortlist of candidates, as he's reportedly set to interview for the offensive coordinator opening. He's been on track to become an offensive coordinator ever since joining the Rams, where he's worked as both a quarterbacks and receivers coach and most recently served as their passing game coordinator.

He should also be a familiar name to Patriots fans who have followed the team in the draft, as a former seventh round pick of the Pats in 2010. But Robinson's real claim to fame in recent years has been his rise as a promising branch of the growing Sean McVay coaching tree.

The only risk with Robinson, other than his lack of OC experience, is that he could be a flight risk as a future head coaching candidate. But if Robinson came to the Patriots and ended up poached 2-3 years later, that means the team likely had big offensive success under him.

Johnson's most recent success has come with the Houston Texans, where he served as quarterbacks coach for C.J. Stroud's historically impressive rookie season. So, he could be on the fast track to bigger and better things.

Johnson has experience in multiple notable coaching trees, including Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers, Andy Reid with Frank Reich's Colts, and McVay with Kevin O'Connell's Vikings. And as a former quarterback himself, seems to know what he's doing at the position.

Not to be confused with Josh. But Ben IS Josh's younger brother. So, if he got the job, that may annoy certain segments of the Patriots fanbase. But he's been the Texans' passing game coordinator for the past two seasons, so one might say he's done a good job there.

McDaniels would count as a sub-branch of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, as an underling to former 49ers assistant Bobby Slowik. He also has big-time college experience at Michigan, which would help the Pats bring some cutting-edge concepts to the pros.

Another familiar name to Patriots fans, Caley could count as part of the Belichick coaching tree, as the Pats' former tight ends coach from 2017-22. But now that he has a year under his belt in the McVay system in Los Angeles, Caley should be able to impart some of that new-wave knowledge in New England. Even if he can't be the OC, a return as tight ends coach would make sense.

Bieniemy has long been a top choice of the Andy Reid coaching tree to become a head coach. His inability to reach that next level has been one of the league's great mysteries. But if he can get more money to coordinate the offense in New England, he'd have an opportunity to resurrect a dead operation. That would be quite the feather in his cap.

Frank Reich would be another name to consider from the Reid tree, if he can't land a head coaching job and needs to reestablish himself.

Coen has spent four seasons under McVay with the Rams, including as offensive coordinator, and he's most recently coached in the college ranks at Kentucky. So, he'd be another hybrid candidate who could bring some knowledge on where the game's heading, and he'd also check important boxes like coordinating experience and membership in a strong coaching tree.

Kingsbury may be returning to the NFL as a head coach again, anyway. But if he can only return as a coordinator, he'd be a great addition to any staff. And there's the added familiarity with the Krafts as a former draft pick of the Patriots.

Been there, done that. If the Patriots just want to be comfortable and familiar with their pick, McDaniels is the ideal choice. And that's especially true if their plan at quarterback is to stick with Mac Jones. But ideally, the Pats go in a totally new direction.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt's content.

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