Brand-new, old coaches need time, support
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Six down, two to go.
This week brought a flurry of NFL coaching hires. But outside of Tampa Bay’s hiring of Bruce Arians, it’s hard to see many slamdunks just yet.
These things do often take time, if teams are willing to afford coaches that. But for now, more questions than answers loom over many of the franchises making moves.
I’ve spent the week talking to opposing coaches, team officials and current and former players to build an understanding of each hire and the questions that are still lingering.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
Packers: Matt LaFleur
The first to be hired this cycle, LaFleur has worked under talented coaches, including Mike Shanahan, Gary Kubiak, Kyle Shanahan, Dan Quinn and Sean McVay. After one year as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, he jumped to the Titans in 2018 so he could gain experience calling plays.
Biggest question: Does he have what it takes to command the respect of Aaron Rodgers and other established veterans? Some around the league view him as tal-
ented but in need of additional seasoning. It would be wise for the team to partner LaFleur, 39, with a well-seasoned top assistant, just as the Rams did for McVay with Wade Phillips. Holdover defensive coordinator Mike Pettine could be critical for that role.
Buccaneers: Bruce Arians
Not everyone prizes youth over experience, as the Buccaneers went for one of most veteran quarterback groomers available in the former Cardinals coach who retired last year. Arians, 66, has helped guide Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and aging Carson Palmer to success.
Biggest question: Can he turn the wildly inconsistent Jameis Winston into an elite quarterback? Arians might be the right guy for the task. The two already have a great relationship. They met when Winston attended Arians’ high school football camp in Birmingham, Alabama. Arians could help Winston mature as a person and player or mold his replacement if it doesn’t work out.
Browns: Freddie Kitchens
Some expected general manager John Dorsey to tab good friend and former Packers colleague Mike McCarthy for this role. Instead, he went with Kitchens, who capitalized on the promotion from running backs coach to interim offensive coordinator despite having never served as a play-caller.
Biggest question: Can he parlay his short-term success into winning as a head coach in the long haul? Drawing on his diverse coaching background (he coached quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends at different points for Arians in Arizona), Kitchen has shown he has a higher ceiling than many believed. He relates well to players, and his fast bond with quarterback Baker Mayfield earned him points. But a lot changes when you go from overseeing one area to the entire operation.
Broncos: Vic Fangio
The only defensive hire thus far. Well-respected around the league, Fangio, 60, has produced formidable defenses, including a Bears group this season that allowed the fewest points of any team. Serving in a top job for the first time in his career, he will try to bring the same success to a Broncos squad that has floundered since Peyton Manning retired.
Biggest question: Can Fangio quickly restore the Broncos? John Elway had little patience with Vance Joseph after consecutive losing seasons. Elway wants a quick fix, believing this team isn’t far off from contending. His post-Super Bowl personnel moves haven’t exactly panned out. How much blame Fangio will draw if things don’t change quickly?
Cardinals: Kliff Kingsbury
No hire raised more eyebrows. Determined to find the next hot name in coaching, GM Steve Keim fired Steve Wilks after one season and hired Kingsbury, who went 35-40 at Texas Tech and was dismissed. But he’s considered a great offensive mind, and that’s what matters most to the Cardinals, whose attack finished last in the NFL in almost every statistical category.
Biggest question: What makes him qualified? Many agree that Kingsbury drew up some innovative passing concepts at Texas Tech. But in the NFL, the run game and defense also have to be addressed sufficiently. Also, he has never worked an NFL practice or planning meeting. He’s unfamiliar with the personnel across the league, and he admits his NFL coaching Rolodex is rather limited. A significant challenge awaits, as this Cardinals’ roster has very little existing talent.
Jets: Adam Gase
After going 10-6 and reaching the playoffs in his first year, Gase and the Dolphins endured back-to-back losing seasons. Injuries partly were to blame, but Gase also clashed with his bosses at various points, according to multiple reports. He didn’t have to wait long to find work because the Jets, seeking an offensive-minded coach to groom Sam Darnold, turned to him.
Biggest question: Is he the quarterback guru he’s viewed as? Two seasons as Manning’s offensive coordinator in Denver helped Gase build the reputation as a top mind. Yet his track record since then (21st-ranked offense in Chicago and Miami units that averaged a 26th-place ranking) raises questions about the validity of his expertise. One big potential obstacle: Nothing about Jets GM Mike Maccagnan’s history of personnel moves suggests he can assemble a championship-caliber roster.