Breer: This team could be “team to watch” with Josh McDaniels

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New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been a popular head coach candidate over the last several years, and he might again be a sought after man next offseason.

The Patriots are 1-3 entering Sunday afternoon's Week 5 game against the Houston Texans, but rookie quarterback Mac Jones has developed quite well since the team selected the former University of Alabama star in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

How could this impact McDaniels as a coaching candidate?

"There's nothing that can help Josh McDaniels more on the head coaching market than Mac Jones playing well, and Mac Jones has played well," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer said Sunday on NBC Sports Boston's "Patriots Pregame Live". "This is going to cause teams to take another look at Josh McDaniels in the offseason."

Breer also highlighted one potential fit for McDaniels should this team need a head coach before the 2022 season.

"I'll give you one team that's at least interesting," Breer said. "A lot is going to have to happen between now and the end of the season, but everyone knows what happened in Jacksonville with Urban Meyer. If Urban Meyer doesn't make it to 2022, I think that would be one team to watch with Josh McDaniels. I think Josh would want to go to a place with a good young quarterback. There haven't been many young quarterbacks over the last 40 to 50 years who have been held in the esteem Trevor Lawrence has been."

The Jaguars are 0-4 entering to begin the season and Lawrence hasn't played at the level many expected. The No. 1 pick from 2021 draft is completing just 57 percent of his passes for 873 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions through four games.

The Jaguars have enjoyed very little success since losing to the Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship Game, but Lawrence's presence does make them a very intriguing team for potential head coach candidates.

McDaniels will get an up-close look at Lawrence when the Patriots host the Jaguars at Gillette Stadium in Week 17.

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