Football Outsiders suggests Patriots should hire ex-Colts coach Frank Reich as offensive coordinator

The New England Patriots offense is a mess right now, and has considerable work to do during the bye week. For Football Outsider’s Mike Tanier, however, the solution to the problems lies elsewhere: he suggests the team should hire former Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich to serve as offensive coordinator.

The suggestion was made as part of an analysis of all 32 quarterback situations, and how teams should handle them moving forward:

New England Patriots

Hire Frank Reich as offensive coordinator. Immediately. Give Reich complete offensive autonomy as soon as it is feasible. Let Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe duke it out in 2023. Perhaps add Jacoby Brissett, familiar to both Reich and the Patriots, as a scout-troop leader and insurance against a double knockout. Try to draft receivers who can both run and catch, not one or the other.

The Patriots will not hire Frank Reich, and they will definitely not make him offensive coordinator midway through the season. Bringing him in after the year might be worth exploring, but it seems unlikely he will find his way to New England.

For starters, he is a realistic candidate to be named head coach elsewhere. Also, the Patriots traditionally promote from within rather than bring in outsiders. Of course, if the current offensive issues continue for the rest of the year all bets are off.