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The Mysterious Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator Search

Kevin Massare
01/18/2017
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As many of us look around for our favorites for the very important vacant Bills offensive coordinator position, a one stop shop for stats and projections will help make that decision. Below is listing of potential coaching candidates. The Bills technically have a QB coach, WR coach (hoping the keep Lal), as well as assistant head coaching spots open, some of these names could fill in there, although they’d have to be free agents in order to do so. Teams will assuredly only grant position to talk with us about the OC position, and none else. Many teams have even blocked their coaches from this promotion. A problem that is very possible the Bills have came across.

This is also assuming the two co-coordinators of KC are out of the running (Childress and Nagy) as well as Norv Turner.

It is still my opinion that the leader of the pack is from a playoff final four team, so I’ll focus a lot on that.

Greg Olson – Former DET/STL/TAM/OAK/JAX OC

*Update: Olson will become LA’s QB coach.

The only current interviewing candidate, the leader of the pack. Is it possible he could be interviewing for QB coach at the same? With the way we’ve been hiring positional coaches, it sure is. He is not my favorite. He would be a candidate we have to settle on. Olson has struggles from a stats side of things since coming into the league as an OC.

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He has 5 years of QB coach experience too. Had success in 2006, and not much else. But has worked with a bad list of QBs. Harrington, Garcia, Frerotte, Bulger, Freeman, Johnson, Pryor, Flynn, Carr(rookie), Bortles, are a list of guys that Olson has worked with. With the hiring of former Jags RB coach – Kelly Skipper, Olson is almost certainly on the Bills staff in some capacity. Even though the two didn’t get along toward the end.

Tom Clements – Packers AHC/Offense 

An old Bills assistant and was stripped of play calling in 2005 by Mularkey. Has since developed into one of the best QB coaches in the game helping with the latter years of Favre and helping develop Aaron Rodgers. It was once said that Aaron won’t let him leave. He has experience as an OC in 2013 and 2014. Could be an interesting option along with Alex Van Pelt (AVP) when the Packers are eliminated because he knows how to help develop QBs.

Mike Munchak – PIT OL Coach –

Is said to be a great teacher, Munchak has revamped the Steelers OL and leading to help make LeVeon Bell the best RB in the NFL.

Munchak could do something similar with McCoy and a talented Bills OL. Would be a great addition to lead Castillo and Boras. Tennessee’s offense was getting better in 2013 but it was too late for Munchak as they decided to move on. Munchak would also bring in HC experience and the ability to help manage lead effective game plans.

Raheem Morris – Falcons AHC/WR Coach

Raheem is a former HC of the Buccaneers, he has had an interesting path. He spent most of his career on the defensive side of the ball, that was up until 2016. Dan Quinn had him switch to the offensive side. This could give him a leg up in his weekly game plans knowing how defenses think. He had a great year helping Matt Ryan to his best season of his career, helped lead a final 4 offense, and helped  Gabriel/Sanu turn into great complementary WRs. He might be a season or two away from a true OC, but taking the chance now could prove to have great rewards. His players love playing for him.

Rick Dennison – DEN/HOU OC

Dennison has a good amount of success leading offenses. He had 3 top 13 offenses in HOU, a SB ring in DEN leading a beat up Manning and getting Brock Osweiler a super deal. He also brings in awesome QB and OL experience. He should be talked about more for open OC positions. If not, he’s a prime candidate for any open QB coach position. Has a good run/pass balance and knows what its like to be a part of a winning culture. He is one of the better candidates on the market.

Alex Van Pelt – Packers QB coach

Limited play calling responsibility. Only the one year in 2009 after the firing of Turk Schonert. Van Pelt is popular name in the Bills community. He has had experience with every facet of the Packers offense. A good one to learn from. AVP has become Aaron Rogers right hand man and Rogers thinks so highly of him that he believes that AVP should be mentioned as an up an coming OC.

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He also comes in trained with Clements. A really good candidate at this point who is ready to take the leap with plenty of Bills history.

 

Brian Daboll – Patriots TE coach 

Daboll comes in as a young innovative mind that has a ton of experience. He has top 10 experience leading a rushing offense and I’m sure he’d love to get his hands on LeSean McCoy. As the Pats TE coach, he’s obviously had success with Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett.

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A Super Bowl winning WR coach (3x) and helped lead lackluster WRs into very productive players for Tom Brady. Led offenses for several organizations inluding CLE/MIA/KC.  A 2017 version of Daboll would be a much improved addition to lead any team. He also has a William & Mary connection, the alma mater of Head Coach Sean McDermott. I’d expect McDermott to be interested when NE is knocked out/wins.

  

Randy Fichtner – Steelers QB Coach

Fichtner has a ton of successful college experience before coming to Pittsburgh as a QB coach. He has held the same position since 2007 and is rarely talked about, however he is credited by Tomlin as a key developer of Ben Roethlisberger.

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It is time for Fichtner to get a shot, however I truly would think he’d continue to stay under Tomlin and PIT would block him from interviewing. Also a great WR coach that is credited with the development of Holmes, Wallace, Sanders, and Antonio Brown. The Bills should take a deep look into him, and would bring a great offensive presence and would get a first crack as him as an OC. He became the QB coach in 2010 after the success of his WRs.

 

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Matt LaFleur – Falcons QB coach

A key member of the Falcons coaching staff, LaFleur is another young innovative mind. He is largely credited with continued development of Matt Ryan, helping him to have one of the best seasons in the NFL as well as a large jump in his production. It is rather surprising there have been no mentions of LaFleur as an OC, but that might be due to the Falcons being a final four team. Atlanta could very well block LaFleur from leaving as either him or Morris will be promoted to OC once Kyle Shanahan leaves for SF. Though it does leave the other open for an OC position once passed up. He is also credited with the success of RG3 and Kirk Cousins, who he pushed in Washington to be the starter. He is Kyle Shanahan’s right hand man who could easily be plucked as the SF in OC when Shanahan takes the job. A perfect spot for the Bills. A top candidate.

George Godsey – Former Texans OC

Not much to say about Godsey. Has some limited experience working underneath Bill O’Brien. However, is tagged as a young innovative mind. Could he get another shot? I’d like to see him on the staff in some capacity. He comes from the NE coaching tree. Has good QB coach experience. Had an ok 2015 with limited QB play. Lost play calling duties early during the 2016 season.

Marc Trestman – Former Bears HC and Ravens OC

Trestman has vast experience coaching football. Something Sean McDermott puts a precedence on. Trestman had a ton of success early on, including some of the best offenses in the NFL. A similar path as Norv Turner. Had a great run from 08-12 as the top coach in the CFL. However upon returning to the NFL in 2013, Trestman struggled with Cutler to get anything going. He got a great 2013 out of him and he’s a great teacher of QBs and throwing the ball. Had two average years in Baltimore recently and could not run the ball to save his life. Although could he be reunited with Castillo… I wouldn’t blink an eye if he is brought on as a QB coach, although Trestman could just hang it up at this stage at 61 years old. Though he does have some coaching still left.

Ken Dorsey – Panthers QB Coach

An obvious connection to McDermott, Dorsey coached with him back in Carolina. Dorsey is a young up and coming coach who is only 35. Coming up as a pro scout, he helped train Randall Cobb. Dorsey was also known to help Cam Newton develop and is considered a large part of the Carolina offense. It is reported that Dorsey interviewed for the position on 1/18 and is in the running.

*stats provided by pro-football-reference.

Rankings:

  1. Munchak
  2. LeFleur (unlikely to be given permission)
  3. Dennison
  4. Daboll (unlikely to be given permission)
  5. Dorsey
  6. Morris
  7. Van Pelt
  8. Clements
  9. Trestman
  10. Godsey
  11. Fitchner

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#BillsFanatics

Kevin Massare

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