We still have plenty of football left this season, but the talks of future head coaches have already started. Going into the month of December, we have some job openings already for next offseason. The Jets first fired Robert Saleh five weeks into the season, the Saints parted ways with Dennis Allen, and the Bears recently made their first ever in-season fire by letting go of Matt Eberflus.
There may be more coming but at least three jobs will be up for grabs after the season. The hiring cycle is a time for hot-shot coordinators to put their best foot forward and get their first head coaching shot. Or previous head coaches could even get back into the game in that capacity (Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, etc).
One coordinator that got an interview last year with the Atlanta Falcons was Joe Brady of the Buffalo Bills. After the Bills fired Ken Dorsey in the middle of last season, Brady was promoted to interim offensive coordinator. Buffalo’s offense saw a major jump in production and guys like Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid. Brady was eventually promoted to the full-time offensive coordinator going into this season and the Bills’ offense has been more explosive than ever.
Losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis did not affect the Bills offense and Brady has put together a scheme that has the Bills riding a six-game winning streak and on the verge of clinching the number one seed in the AFC. Brady will more than likely get some interviews this coming offseason and there is a chance he might be on his way out of Buffalo.
If that is the case, there are four names that Bills fans will want to become familiar with to replace Brady.
Ronald Curry - QB coach for Buffalo Bills
Starting in-house, the Bills could go ahead and promote quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry to call the plays. Continuity is important and Curry having been with the Bills for this season keeps that familiarity. Curry has experience working with quarterbacks and wide receivers. With the way this offense has produced this season, Curry could be getting an interview to get a promotion within the organization.
Josh McCown - QB coach for Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are one of the few surprises of the NFL and part of the reason is because of the re-emergence of Sam Darnold. The Vikings brought in Darnold and drafted J.J. McCarthy but with McCarthy suffering a season-ending knee injury, Darnold utilized the opportunity as the starter and has the Vikings rolling strong. Darnold can thank head coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.
The Vikings hired McCown last offseason as their quarterbacks coach and with how Darnold has performed this year, McCown should get some looks as a potential play-caller. The only knock on him is that he’s only been with the Panthers and Vikings as a coach, and he was fired in less than a year with the Panthers. However, he has played the game in recent memory so that would give him a slight advantage as well.
Davis Webb - QB coach for Denver Broncos
Another surprise at quarterback this season is rookie Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos. He has an argument to be considered the Offensive Rookie of the Year considering the work he has done with the Broncos who were a dumpster fire the last two years. Quarterbacks coach Davis Webb deserves some credit with how Nix has performed.
Davis is familiar with the Bills organization, having been a player there and he has had the chance to work with Josh Allen. There is some continuity there as well with Davis so the coaching staff for the Bills may want to consider adding him if Brady leaves.
Chad Hall - WR coach for Jacksonville Jaguars
For those who remember, Chad Hall started his coaching career with the Buffalo Bills back in 2017 as an offensive assistant before becoming the team’s wide receivers coach. He has had the chance to work with guys like Gabe Davis, Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and John Brown throughout his time in Buffalo.
Hall left the Bills after the 2022 season and joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as their wide receivers coach. The last two seasons, Hall has had the chance to work with guys like Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, Gabe Davis, and Brian Thomas Jr. who has been phenomenal in his rookie season.
If Hall is looking to make the move up to offensive coordinator, why not go back to where it all started? He knows Allen, he knows the players and he knows the culture that the Bills have.