INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts general manager Chris Ballard has landed his next head coach in New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The pressure on Ballard is about to intensify.
There will be pressure on McDaniels because he’s going to be in charge of coaching the players. But there’s going to be even more pressure on Ballard, who spent his first season cleaning house with the roster and analyzing the coaching staff. The Colts, who haven't been to the playoffs since 2014, must take a step forward after finishing with a 4-12 record this season.
Ballard will have nearly $85 million in salary-cap space -- third most in the NFL -- to work with in free agency and the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft. The Colts are working under the assumption that they’ll have a healthy Andrew Luck (shoulder), who missed the entire 2017 season. There’s no excuse for the team not to be a better next season.
Back to McDaniels.
Ballard is hitching his wagon to a coach who clashed with players and coaches during his unsuccessful go-round as head coach in Denver. He was 11-17 as coach of the Broncos before being fired halfway through the 2010 season. One difference this time is McDaniels won’t be in charge of personnel decisions. That’s Ballard’s department.
Is McDaniels a good coach or just a product of Bill Belichick’s system in New England?
It’s understandable to be wary of hiring one of Belichick’s assistants to be head coach. History has shown they haven’t done well after leaving New England for NFL head-coaching jobs.
Former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel went 26-54 as head coach in Cleveland and Kansas City. Eric Mangini, another former New England defensive coordinator, was a combined 33-47 with the Browns and New York Jets. Houston coach Bill O’Brien, who was Belichick’s offensive coordinator, has done the best of the group. He is 31-33 with two playoff appearances despite having quarterback issues with the Texans.
His experience in Denver -- and further work with Belichick -- should help McDaniels this time around. The Patriots have reached at least the AFC Championship Game each season since McDaniels returned in 2012. They’ll try to win their third Super Bowl in that span when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 4.
McDaniels wants to join O’Brien in having success as a head coach. With a healthy Luck and plenty of capital available to upgrade the roster, this could end up being the best head-coaching job that was available.
Ballard hopes so, because he can't afford for the franchise to go backward anymore.