McDaniels not gone yet
OC will need a perfect offer
FOXBORO — Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ priorities haven’t changed, even though he has been viewed as the premier coaching candidate on the market.
As the Patriots closed down their football activities yesterday for the weekend, they shifted their focus toward the round of interviews for three of Bill Belichick’s assistant coaches. McDaniels (Giants, Bears, Colts), defensive coordinator Matt Patricia (Giants, Lions, Cardinals) and linebackers coach Brian Flores (Cardinals) are expected to complete their interviews by tomorrow, though the weather could potentially alter the schedule.
McDaniels, Belichick’s only assistant with NFL head coaching experience, has been sought after since returning to the Patriots during the 2011 playoffs, and he has admitted on several occasions that he is eager to become a head coach again.
However, a source said McDaniels won’t just jump at any offer this month, and he’ll need the perfect situation to leave the Patriots. Therefore, the Giants, Bears and Colts have to sell themselves to McDaniels as much as he does to them.
So don’t assume McDaniels is a goner just because this is the fourth time he has gone through the interview process. He met with the Browns in 2014, the 49ers and Falcons in 2015, and the Rams, 49ers and Jaguars last year.
“I love Josh,” Tom Brady said when asked about McDaniels’ busy weekend. “I think I’ve said a lot of things about him over the years. I think those things take care of themselves, so I want nothing but the best for him always.”
Patricia’s profile has increased in recent years, too, and he might be ready to make the leap to lead his own program if he receives an offer. He was viewed as a miracle worker this season by a team source who speculated Patricia could be interested in a different type of challenge, though the coordinator’s intentions haven’t been disclosed.
Two years ago, Patricia interviewed with the Browns, and he met last year with the Rams and Chargers.
Flores, who has been groomed as Patricia’s successor, is an up-andcoming coach with plenty of potential. He might be more of a longshot to get an offer from the Cardinals, but those who know Flores are confident he will give an impressive interview. If he doesn’t land the job, he’ll gain valuable experience by going through the process.
The interviews will happen locally, so the trio can return to Gillette Stadium as quickly as possible to resume their preparations for the divisional round of the playoffs.
Snow problem
The Patriots reported on time yesterday despite the snowstorm, as their only practice absentee was injury-related.
Running back Mike Gillislee, who hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in Week 16 against the Bills, still couldn’t suit up for the workout, which was held in full pads inside the bubble. It was the Patriots’ last of two practices during their bye week.
Prior to the injury, Gillislee was inactive for six consecutive games as he tumbled to the bottom of the depth chart. The Patriots hope running backs Rex Burkhead (knee) and James White (ankle) will return for the playoff opener after two-game absences, so Gillislee likely would have returned to the bench anyway. It’s also conceivable Gillislee could be placed on injured reserve if wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell is healthy enough to return from IR.
Defensive end Eric Lee returned after missing practice Wednesday with an ankle injury. He also sat out last Friday, but he played Sunday against the Jets and recorded a safety despite being noticeably hobbled.
The Patriots were originally scheduled to practice on the Gillette Stadium game field, but they moved inside because the wintry conditions worsened in the late morning.
Zero to hero
Safety Duron Harmon doesn’t often find himself in one-on-one assignments, but he proved to be virtually impenetrable this season.
Quarterbacks were 2-of-9 for 9 yards when targeting Harmon, who intercepted four passes in the regular season. That equated to a 0.0 passer rating.
When presented with those numbers, Harmon deflected the praise.
“It’s cool to hear it, but it’s never just me,” he said. “It’s always a complete effort from the defense, the (defensive) line rushing, getting pressure on the quarterback, guys covering well. I’m just back there trying to read the quarterback and do my job. It’s definitely a complete effort. It’s nothing I can take credit for by myself because it’s not just me. It’s everybody doing their job and making sure I can do mine as well.”