Josh McDaniels is Stupid

The 2009 season hasn't even started yet, and I'm already adding Josh McDaniels to the growing list of Bill Belichick proteges that have been utter failures as head coaches. Former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has been mediocre at Notre Dame. Former Patriots defensive coaches Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini were fired after disappointing campaigns with the Browns and Jets, respectively. Mangini has taken Crennel's job in Cleveland (some people never learn). But Josh McDaniels seems determined to upstage all three of them, and he has yet to coach a single game.

While Josh McDaniels didn't exactly inherit a great team, he did inherit a great offense with one of the NFL's brightest young quarterbacks in Jay Cutler. Denver almost reached the playoffs last season solely because of Jay Cutler. Denver's running game, a perennial strength, was decimated by injuries last season. The only consistent players on the offensive side of the ball were Cutler, wide reciever Brandon Marshall and rookie left tackle Ryan Clady. McDaniels inherits a number of offensive weapons to work with, so his first step as head coach would be to rebuild the defense, right? Shows what you know.

McDaniels attempted to orchestrate a three team trade for New England Patriots backup quarterback Matt Cassell, who played well for the injured Tom Brady last season. When rumors of the trade surfaced all over the internet, McDaniels lied about it. Then he admitted to it. Then Jay Cutler demanded a trade, and the future of Denver's quarterback position is in jeopardy.

For starters, there's no way to predict how well Cassell will perform in the starting role. There are countless examples of backups that are thrown into the starting lineup and wind up succeeding. Hasn't anyone learned from one-year wonders like Scott Mitchell and A.J. Feeley?

Matt Cassell also played in an offense that is very, very quarterback friendly. Any quarterback, nay person, could easily put up great numbers behind a mammoth offensive line and arguably the best receiving corps in the NFL. In short, Jay Cutler has done more than Cassell with less talent around him.

Josh McDaniels finds himself in a hole he got himself into and he may not be able to get out of it. He may now have to use a first round pick on a rookie quarterback, which would be even more of a risk than betting against a Cassell sophomore slump.

After this season, it will be clear that the only coach that matters in New England is the one that dresses like a homeless man. McDaniels will fail, just as all the other Belichick proteges have, but his case is unique. McDaniels will fail because of his poor character and lack of judgment off the field, rather than because of his incompetence on it.