Who will replace Josh McDaniels as the New England Patriots' next offensive coordinator?
So far, we've heard plenty about two potential candidates: Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and former New York Jets head coach Adam Gase. O'Brien seems like the best fit thanks to his five-year history with the Patriots (2007 to 2011) and brief experience working with Mac Jones, while Gase is believed to be on New England's radar.
But Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry are throwing two more names into the ring.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
During a new Patriots Talk Podcast from sunny Los Angeles near the site of Super Bowl LVI, Perry floated recently-fired New York Giants head coach Joe Judge as a possible offensive coordinator candidate in New England.
Patriots Talk Podcast: Touchdown in L.A. Setting the stage for Super Bowl week | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"I had been told a while ago now that had Josh McDaniels actually left for Indianapolis (in 2018) -- it was rumored that Joe Judge would be going with him to Indianapolis, but what I had been told was that, maybe not, he was actually going to stick around to be offensive coordinator potentially," Perry said.
New England Patriots
While Judge had limited offensive coaching experience with the Patriots -- he was primarily a special teams coach and spent one season as the team's wide receivers coach -- Perry recalled a time when Belichick gushed about Judge's ability to "probably coach any position on the field" while noting his experience as a college quarterback.
"It was almost as if (Belichick) was setting up for an offensive move for Joe Judge," Perry said.
Meanwhile, Curran suggested Cleveland Browns wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Chad O'Shea as a name to watch. O'Shea won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots as their wide receivers coach from 2009 to 2018 and has experience as the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator in 2019, although he was fired from the role after just one season.
It might be several weeks before New England settles on its next offensive coordinator, but there are several names worth monitoring in the meantime.
For more on the Patriots' OC search, Mac Jones' Pro Bowl performance and the possibility of Tom Brady being an NFL owner one day, subscribe to the Patriots Talk podcast or watch it on YouTube below.