Is It Time To Consider Replacing McDaniels As The Offensive Coordinator.

I've been adamant for years that the Patriots do not need a number one receiver. That all the Patriots were lacking with how they spread the ball around was a decent number two quality stretch receiver. While I still believe they don't need a number one, they seem to have an issue with getting the ball down field when they shouldn't.

Nelson Agholor has proven to draw coverage. That's what a true stretch receiver will do. Whether Agholor a number one or a number two, it doesn't matter, he's getting the defenses attention. The problem is Agholor is not getting targeted but the question is why. If the problem is Mac Jones, that can be fixed. If the problem is lack of separation, because he's getting double coverage that could explain that. However, there might be another reason.

Josh McDaniels has admitted to not using N'Keal Harry properly in previous seasons. Harry called out the Patriots earlier this season and demanded a trade. Then later this season McDaniels admitted that he's done a bad job at using Jonnu Smith and needs to do a better job at getting him the ball. There are some that that think Jonnu is a better tight end then Henry, I disagree but it still doesn't change things. McDaniels isn't doing a good enough job.

I have said for years that the league has caught up to McDaniels. That he should stay a coordinator and not be promoted. There are those now saying that McDaniels was a product of Brady. That might be the consensus around the league as McDaniels hasn't been requested for coaching interviews. Jacksonville was a place that was believed could be a fit for the Patriots coordinator.

If McDaniels cannot figure out how to use a stretch receiver, a contested catch receiver, or a move tight end properly than the Patriots really need to think about replacing him. The offense has been on the vanilla side since 2018. The pass catchers got the blame, as fans asked who Brady and Cam had to throw to. Now there were some that blamed McDaniels in 2019 and Newton in 2020 but the pass catchers got the majority of the wrath. Which is why Dorsett, Byrd, and Izzo are gone.

On the season Agholor has 64 targets, Smith has 45, and Harry has a lonely 22. Two of the three are thought to be better pass catchers than Brandon Bolden who has 49 targets. Agholor is fourth on the team in targets. While Jakobi Meyers has over 120 targets. Meyers targets could be on Mac Jones but it could be on McDaniels as it would appear that he doesn't know how to scheme at least three of his players open.

There are people that have said the problem isn't with the players the Patriots draft, that it's been with development. Robert Kraft appeared to put blame on the coaching staff this past offseason. With what we've seen from the Patriots offense this season, the problem maybe with how they're used and not their development. 

McDaniels is believed to be the front runner for the job after Bill Belichick steps down. However with how things are looking, if McDaniels cannot find away to use his weapons, it maybe time to cut strings. Was Tom Brady carrying Josh McDaniels? McDaniels didn't work in Denver and the Rams were also quick to dump the coordinator. The more the Patriots pass catchers struggles. The more it looks like that was the case.