New Coordinators

Peter King ran this interesting little factoid in his Monday Morning Quarterback column last week.

There are only six new head coaches this year but there are a bunch of new coordinators.

Offense (10)-Steve Sarkisian (Atlanta), Rick Dennison (Buffalo), Hue Jackson (Cleveland), Mike McCoy (Denver), Bill O'Brien (Houston), Matt LaFleur (Rams), Todd Downing (Oakland), John Morton (Jets), Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco), Matt Cavanaugh (Washington)

Defense (11)-Marquand Manuel (Atlanta), Leslie Frazier (Buffalo), Steve Wilks (Carolina), Gregg Williams (Cleveland), Joe Woods (Denver), Mike Vrabel (Houston), Wade Phillips (Rams), Matt Burke (Miami), Gus Bradley (Chargers), Robert Saleh (San Francisco), Greg Manusky (Washington)

21 coordinator changes in an offseason feels excessive.

Three head coaches are taking on their own offensive coordinator duties.
Hue Jackson
Bill O'Brien
Kyle Shanahan
While the double duty of head coach and coordinator is a demanding one it's not all that unusual. There are also some coordinators that are pretty much in name only. Like every offensive coordinator that's ever worked for Andy Reid.

It's somewhat interesting that two of the teams with new head coaches aren't among the 10 teams with new offensive coordinators. A head coaching change usually brings about a coaching overhaul. Anthony Lynn is getting his first non-interim head coaching shot with the Los Angeles Chargers. He maintained continuity on a potentially potent offense by retaining Ken Whisenhut to run it. Doug Marrone was the Jacksonville Jaguars' assistant head-offense/offensive line coach last season. He was bumped up to interim head coach after Gus Bradley was fired with two games remaining and got the full-time head coaching gig after the season. Marone retained offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and defensive coordinator Todd Walsh. The only real change on the Jaguars coaching staff was with the head coach.

A head coaching change on one team often disrupts the coaching staff on other teams. The five head coaching hires, other than the Jaguars, resulted in coordinator holes on the teams that those coaches left.

The Rams hired Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay as head coach. The Redskins promoted quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh to replace McVay.

The Chargers hired Bills assistant head coach/running backs coach/offensive coordinator/interim head coach Anthony Lynn as head coach. Lynn sure wore a lot of hats for the Bills last season. The Bills hired former Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, and others, to replace Lynn.

The 49ers hired Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan as head coach. The Falcons hired Alabama offensive analyst/coordinator Steve Sarkisian to replace Shanahan.

The Broncos hired Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph as head coach. The Dolphins promoted linebacker coach Matt Burke to replace Lynn. Word around the league campfire is that the Dolphins hired Joseph and Burke (from the Bengals) in 2016 to run the defense for new head coach Adam Gase knowing that Joseph's time there was going to be a short one. Joseph was going to get a head coaching opportunity soon and Burke would be ready when he did.

The Bills hired Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as head coach. The Panthers promoted assistant head/defensive backs Steve Wilks to replace McDermott.

So, one head coaching hire often results in three coordinator changes. The six head coaching changes accounts for about two-thirds of the 21 coordinator changes. The remaining third were made because things just weren't working. The Texans changed both of their coordinators. Head coach Bill O'Brien is taking on the offensive coordinator duties. That change was due to offensive struggles. The defensive coordinator change wasn't made due to struggles. The Texans defense was terrific. Change on that side of the ball became necessary when defensive coordinator Wade Phillips bolted to take on the same duties with the Rams. Texans linebacker coach Mike Vrabel was promoted to defensive coordinator to replace Phillips. The Browns also changed both of their coordinators. Unlike the Texans, both changes were due to struggles. Like the Texans, head coach Hue Jackson is taking over the offensive coordinator duties. Maniac coach Gregg Williams was hired to replace Ray Horton as defensive coordinator. It's a mystery as to how this clown keeps getting hired. If the league really wanted the football field to be a safer place Williams wouldn't be allowed anywhere near it.

Perhaps these coordinator changes interest only me. And Peter King. It's early June.