Unsurprisingly, the New England Patriots are in the market for an offensive coordinator and will begin interviewing candidates this week.
One target that’s been speculated to be on the Patriots’ list for quite some time has been Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. O’Brien, who has spent two seasons with the Crimson Tide, has been linked to the Patriots due to his previous stint with the franchise which ultimately led him to become the head coach at Penn State and later the head coach of the Houston Texans before arriving in Tuscaloosa.
But the speculation may indeed be coming to an end as it was reported by NBC Sports Boston reporter Tom E. Curran that O’Brien is the “primary target” for the Patriots.
In Curran’s report, he highlights that there is “unanimity” on all sides that O’Brien is the best man for the job to call the plays for quarterback Mac Jones.
Aiding Jones as he goes into his third season in the NFL is one of the top priorities for head coach Bill Belichick who had hired former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to serve as the offensive coordinator this past season.
That move proved less than satisfactory as Jones’ production took a noticeable step back from his rookie season where he helped the team reach the postseason.
For Alabama, this would mean that Nick Saban would now be tasked with replacing his second play caller of the offseason as defensive coordinator Pete Golding left the Crimson Tide for Ole Miss last week.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
