Offensive coordinator candidates for 2024

[Maelstrom787]

It makes less and less sense every time the reductive "it doesn't matter" gets repeated.

It obviously matters on some level. The mental gymnastics required to arrive at the conclusion of "the offensive coordinator, who is also the playcaller, does not matter" is some anti-intellectual nasty work that I pray I never fall victim to.

If you can't find ways in which it matters, then you're not looking.

The LOB was fun to watch, but they doomed this fanbase to a generation of obtuse nihilism that we'll not recover from for some time.

 

[NoGain]

One thing is clear. PC/JS have not drafted a QB in the draft since RW. They chose Geno to be their guy. They didn't even have a young developmental QB on the squad. This situation is all on them. Cry all you want about Geno, the buck stops squarely on PC and JS.

 

[Ozzy]

It makes less and less sense every time the reductive "it doesn't matter" gets repeated.

It obviously matters on some level. The mental gymnastics required to arrive at the conclusion of "the offensive coordinator, who is also the playcaller, does not matter" is some anti-intellectual nasty work that I pray I never fall victim to.

If you can't find ways in which it matters, then you're not looking.

The LOB was fun to watch, but they doomed this fanbase to a generation of obtuse nihilism that we'll not recover from for some time.

Meh it’s no different than the camp who claims Pete is a victim of the OC and helplessly watching it unfold for 12 weeks and is powerless to do anything. That takes some mental gymnastics as well

 

[WarHawks]

It makes less and less sense every time the reductive "it doesn't matter" gets repeated.

It obviously matters on some level. The mental gymnastics required to arrive at the conclusion of "the offensive coordinator, who is also the playcaller, does not matter" is some anti-intellectual nasty work that I pray I never fall victim to.

If you can't find ways in which it matters, then you're not looking.

The LOB was fun to watch, but they doomed this fanbase to a generation of obtuse nihilism that we'll not recover from for some time.

As an admitted nihilist, that's fair.

 

[keasley45]

One thing is clear. PC/JS have not drafted a QB in the draft since RW. They chose Geno to be their guy. They didn't even have a young developmental QB on the squad. This situation is all on them. Cry all you want about Geno, the buck stops squarely on PC and JS.

I think Geno and Lock and a stocked roster were better options than the crap class that they had to choose from. I mean, outsude of Houston, i dont think any if the teams that took a qb in the last two years is thinking theyre good to go. Carolina may still have something in their guy, but the rest? Sometimes the best you can do is Best of the Rest. And in that case, you dont waste time developing a young guy. You go with a brisge guy and wait for who you want.

And JS wanted to try for J Allen and loved Mahomes. It woukd have taken a kings ransom to pick where they went, but if there had been agreement on moving Wilson 4 or 5 years ago, he may have pulled the trigger.

 

[Seahawk_Dan]

I don't get excited for intrigued in the idea of a new OC. One, we're cycling through so many that it's becoming tiresome, and two it's not the OC. It's Pete.

Not say Waldron is being held back and is secretly good, but he's making these choices and is picking poorly and a bad judge of coaching talent. Wasn't it also reported by Brady Henderson that when Schotty took the job he inherited 70% of Pete's playbook? If that is your fate as an OC to Seattle why bother coming here if 70% of your playbook isn't even yours?

 

[Maelstrom787]

I don't get excited for intrigued in the idea of a new OC. One, we're cycling through so many that it's becoming tiresome, and two it's not the OC. It's Pete.

Not say Waldron is being held back and is secretly good, but he's making these choices and is picking poorly and a bad judge of coaching talent. Wasn't it also reported by Brady Henderson that when Schotty took the job he inherited 70% of Pete's playbook? If that is your fate as an OC to Seattle why bother coming here if 70% of your playbook isn't even yours?

You're leaving out the entire context of that report, as well as the logic behind it.

Russell Wilson doesn't really do well with change, if you haven't noticed. So yeah, they operated on the staples of their offense based on the team they had at the time.

With that said, they also changed the entire blocking scheme, the entire offensive philosophy, and the way the offense was run that season, to pretty incredible effect. Russell Wilson had his best season to that point, and we were the best rushing team in the league. We're really shitting on the process that lead to that INSTANT turnaround?

Russell wasn't passing the ball well for two years in a row at that point, and instantly became the most efficient passer in the league. Run game was historically terrible in 2017 and was the literal best in the NFL in 2018. Is THAT what we're criticizing now? The decisions that lead to THAT turnaround?

That turnaround was happening just 5 years and you're going to tell me the offensive coordinator does not matter here? In what world?

It wasn't arbitrarily mandated that "oh and you have to keep all these plays because I'm Pete and I'm the offensive guy here haha haha haha!" and I can't believe we entertain notions like that as easily as we do.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Indeed.
It feels like this isn't Nihilsm, but just experience.

For years, we had certain issues in offense no matter how many OCs we cycled through. We were assured this was due to our QB, and his weaknesses.
Then we got a new QB, and had some of the same issues.

After so many OCs and now even a different QB, and certain things not changing, maybe the fault isn't the OC at all?

 

[flv2]

This has so many logical holes in it that, again, it's hard to know where to start.

Schottenheimer was fired because his offense, after completely changing identity, fell apart spectacularly at the end of 2020 and he didn't want to revert to something closer to the significantly more successful 2018/2019 game.

That isn't "challenging Pete," it's "being shittier than you used to be."

Carroll initially announced that Schottenheimer had been retained. The following day he said that Schottenheimer had been released due to philosophical differences.

skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/12186516/seattle-seahawks-extend-gm-john-schneiders-contract-and-fire-brian-schottenheimer

 

[Maelstrom787]

Carroll initially announced that Schottenheimer had been retained. The following day he said that Schottenheimer had been released due to philosophical differences.

skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/12186516/seattle-seahawks-extend-gm-john-schneiders-contract-and-fire-brian-schottenheimer

I'm well aware. This could very well mean that he challenged Russell, though. Russell probably wanted him fired, at least according to Seattle insiders.

If the "philosophical difference," though, was that he didn't want to return to balance and wanted to persist in that unsustainable offense, then yeah. I agree. But I don't think Schottenheimer was particularly of that mind, given his entire coaching background and the offenses he'd run prior.

 

[renofox]

Carroll initially announced that Schottenheimer had been retained. The following day he said that Schottenheimer had been released due to philosophical differences.

skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/12186516/seattle-seahawks-extend-gm-john-schneiders-contract-and-fire-brian-schottenheimer

This. I remember PC had a meeting with Schotty that day to sign an extension. After the meeting, "philosophical differences" was cited to explain why he was not extended.

From my experience, I would guess PC was telling Shotty how he was going to have to do his job and taking away his authority and freedom to do it his way, and Shotty said "Thanks, but No Thanks".

I don't remember all the details but I would give 3-1 odds that's how it went down.

 

[flv2]

I don’t get it? Tyler Lockett looks like he is fading, The second fastest WR in the NFL (DK) can’t get a drag route for life of him. On Paper we have one of the best offensive looks. The offensive scheme looks terrible, we have to stick to play action to open up the passing game. Shane Waldron is terrible and this has been the worst offensive performance since we had Tavaris Jackson!!

On paper you have 3 explosive WRs. On the field you often have 2 TEs and an RB, (Walker), who doesn't really block. In that set it takes time to get the WRs open and the O-Line can't give the QB that time. Out of that set the plays have to be quicker and less ambitious. If you have the 3 dynamic WRs on the field it might be better to have Charbonnet and a single TE blocking and then be ambitious. Charbonnet isn't an outside runner or breakaway threat so there are scheme limits. Square pegs and round holes.

 

[flv2]

I genuinely think he's a great behind the scenes offensive mind but may not be ready for the OC role. IIRC McVay spoke glowingly of him regarding weekly game prep and design for their passing game. So he's a smart guy who seemingly cannot (yet?) adapt and counter what the defense does mid-game, which as you said is what makes great OC's. Shanahan and McVay obviously have great opening game scripts, where they separate from others is how they adjust throughout to counter what the other team does. This team runs out of steam almost immediately following their opening 15 or so plays and gets zero rhythm until the defense goes prevent.

This isn't inherent to the NFL, in any profession people get promoted and show they really aren't prepared or their skillset doesn't translate well at the next job tier. It may very well be Waldron is best suited as a week to week planner and less involved with actual game flow. Given what Pete has said over his career (and interviews with former players), he really tries to not inject himself in the day-to-day functions for his coordinators until it is needed, which it sounds like is actually happening now. So I would guess unless things turn around QUICKLY, Waldron will be looking for work next year.

I think this is the reason Waldron stayed with McVay for 4 years but was never considered for the OC job. In his last season+ with the Rams the Rams tried to migrate away from 11 personnel to some empty set formations, (due to the lack of a quality RB). However, empty sets require different blocking schemes and different check-downs because the outside rush/lack of rushing threat will result in blocking different passing lanes and different coverage schemes. The playbook and check-downs didn't change and there were multiple malfunctions. I always felt that was on Waldron more than McVay. He sees the overall picture but doesn't dot the Is or cross the Ts.

 

[flv2]

I think it was a natural progression because the question hinges on if Waldron shoud be the OC and it assumes Waldron is mostly at fault.

I really like Ben Johnson but he probably is going to get a head coaching opportunity. It's really hard to identify offensive coordinators because they tend to come from lower positions. Bienemy as he's probably getting fired in Washington when Rivera does comes to mind? He's directing an offense with a lower level QB and the team is a sinking ship yet he's having some success.

Mcdaniels is a terrible head coach but has been a good play caller. He brought out the best in Jacobs and that could entice Pete.

I think Pete would like Luke Getsy as well because of his success with running the football.

Kellen Moore makes sense as a local kid and a decent chance Chargers fire that staff.

I'm at a loss because Pete will want someone who will run under his vision of an offense so getting a high level guy probably isn't going to happen. Those guys want to go somewhere they can run their vision of an offense and not one that only throws at the line of scrimmage or 15 yard out routes and A/B gap handoffs.

The 1 thing I remember from McDaniels' time at the Rams was his love of 2 TE sets and trying to hit TEs down the field. He could be an OC fit if he doesn't have a settlement clause keeping him out of the NFL.

 

[flv2]

Duce Staley will be an OC candidate 'somewhere'.

 

[Fade]

 

[NoGain]

I think Geno and Lock and a stocked roster were better options than the crap class that they had to choose from. I mean, outsude of Houston, i dont think any if the teams that took a qb in the last two years is thinking theyre good to go. Carolina may still have something in their guy, but the rest? Sometimes the best you can do is Best of the Rest. And in that case, you dont waste time developing a young guy. You go with a brisge guy and wait for who you want.

And JS wanted to try for J Allen and loved Mahomes. It woukd have taken a kings ransom to pick where they went, but if there had been agreement on moving Wilson 4 or 5 years ago, he may have pulled the trigger.

Any way you cut it, they've been negligent about drafting a developmental prospect at the QB position. I mean, this is THE most important position in all of team sports, and they've been acting like for some years now that it isn't.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Bumping with a new name who is my new favorite pick for the job.

Aaron Kromer, Bills OL Coach


Kromer has been an offensive coordinator in the past and experienced big initial success in his only shot at the gig under Marc Trestman in 2013-2014. The Bears were second in the league in scoring offense in 2013, second only to the Broncos that year, and had a strong pass offense. He pulled double duty as the offensive line coach that year, as well. He moved on to the Bills as their OL coach in 2015-2016. He joined the Rams in 2017 as their OL coach under McVay. He was given the additional duty of run game coordinator, doing that as well until 2020. After a short hiatus, he came back as the Bills OL coach in 2022 and immediately improved that unit, with several players taking large developmental steps and the struggling young tackle Spencer Brown especially developing immensely under his tutelage.

Prior to 2013, he worked under Sean Payton in New Orleans as initially the running backs coach, and then the OL coach from 2009-2012. He was the interim head coach during Payton's Bountygate suspension.

Kromer has shown an ability to immediately fix struggling offensive lines and turn them into top-10 units, and has done so consistently for over a decade.

I'm tunnel-visioning on him as my guy right now. We need a veteran coach who has done this before, and we need one who has proven track record in righting wrongs on the line and building a competent rushing attack behind that strength. I'd like to let him hire his own OL coach to free him up to call plays, and pair him with a competent pass game coordinator to assist in play design and implementation of our passing concepts. I would have Arians protege and former quarterback Byron Leftwich, currently taking a year off after being fired as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator, in mind to take over that role along with the duties of quarterbacks coach.


TL;DR: Aaron Kromer for OC, Byron Leftwich paired with him as the QB coach/passing game coordinator.

 

[mistaowen]

Bumping with a new name who is my new favorite pick for the job.

Aaron Kromer, Bills OL Coach
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Kromer has been an offensive coordinator in the past and experienced big initial success in his only shot at the gig under Marc Trestman in 2013-2014. The Bears were second in the league in scoring offense in 2013, second only to the Broncos that year, and had a strong pass offense. He pulled double duty as the offensive line coach that year, as well. He moved on to the Bills as their OL coach in 2015-2016. He joined the Rams in 2017 as their OL coach under McVay. He was given the additional duty of run game coordinator, doing that as well until 2020. After a short hiatus, he came back as the Bills OL coach in 2022 and immediately improved that unit, with several players taking large developmental steps and the struggling young tackle Spencer Brown especially developing immensely under his tutelage.

Prior to 2013, he worked under Sean Payton in New Orleans as initially the running backs coach, and then the OL coach from 2009-2012. He was the interim head coach during Payton's Bountygate suspension.

Kromer has shown an ability to immediately fix struggling offensive lines and turn them into top-10 units, and has done so consistently for over a decade.

I'm tunnel-visioning on him as my guy right now. We need a veteran coach who has done this before, and we need one who has proven track record in righting wrongs on the line and building a competent rushing attack behind that strength. I'd like to let him hire his own OL coach to free him up to call plays, and pair him with a competent pass game coordinator to assist in play design and implementation of our passing concepts. I would have Arians protege and former quarterback Byron Leftwich, currently taking a year off after being fired as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator, in mind to take over that role along with the duties of quarterbacks coach.


TL;DR: Aaron Kromer for OC, Byron Leftwich paired with him as the QB coach/passing game coordinator.

I admittedly don't know much about Kromer but his resume seems solid, at least in terms of fielding a dominant OL. Every metric that relates to how the offense plays this year hinges on does the OL play better than ~20th overall that week. If they do, the offense is explosive, Geno looks like a top 10 guy, and they have no problem putting up 30+ points. The WR group is easily a top 10 unit, one that I don't think Waldron gets enough out of, and are hindered by poor OL play. I'm all for whatever it takes to get this OL to average or even somehow above average.

 

[DarkVictory23]

I admittedly don't know much about Kromer but his resume seems solid, at least in terms of fielding a dominant OL. Every metric that relates to how the offense plays this year hinges on does the OL play better than ~20th overall that week. If they do, the offense is explosive, Geno looks like a top 10 guy, and they have no problem putting up 30+ points. The WR group is easily a top 10 unit, one that I don't think Waldron gets enough out of, and are hindered by poor OL play. I'm all for whatever it takes to get this OL to average or even somehow above average.

I'm not into coaching personnel to the degree to know that guy either, but if he can turn around the OL, that would be the key for this squad.

During the game, they showed how Geno is top 7 or better in so many 'under pressure stats' and I had two thoughts: One, cool, Geno is like a top tier QB under pressure. Two, wow, those numbers are still bad.

Because good results under pressure are still not 'good' overall results and Geno is under pressure like every 4 drop backs.

I'm not sold on dumping Waldron 100%, but our weakness on offense is the OL and our inconsistent running game (probably hindered by the OL play), so getting a guy who can actually turn that around might be worth replacing Waldron regardless.