After nine years, eight winning seasons, five divisional titles, and 16 playoff wins, the Buffalo Bills have officially parted ways with their now-former head coach, Sean McDermott, after the franchise failed to reach the Super Bowl yet again.
Advertisement
Many are blaming the team’s general manager, Brandon Beane, who was recently promoted to president of football operations, for scapegoating the veteran play caller in an attempt to defend a deficient roster and an underperforming Josh Allen, but that’s neither here nor there.
All that matters now is that Buffalo is searching for its 21st head coach in franchise history, and according to Bleacher Report’s NFL insider, James Palmer, the answer to the Bills’ search may have been standing on the opposite sideline during their divisional round matchup with the Denver Broncos.
“He’s a really intriguing candidate in this head coaching cycle,” Palmer notes of the Broncos’ QB coach, Davis Webb.
“He’s talking to Josh [Allen.] They have an unbelievable relationship, I’m told when talking to people in the organization. He knows so many people there… Nobody can interview him right now in person because they are in the AFC Championship… If teams are going to wait and their jobs are still open, multiple teams, I am told, are going to want to sit down with him.”
According to Palmer, the Las Vegas Raiders appear to be the most interested in Webb’s services at this time. However, there’s a prevailing sentiment that Buffalo wants to prioritize its offense first and “make their quarterback happy,” so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see the Bills without a head coach in early February.
As of writing, the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, continues to be the odds-on favorite to land the job after the conclusion of his own postseason run. Right behind him, however, is the former head coach of the New York Giants, Brian Daboll, at +185 odds.
Webb slots in as the third-most favored candidate, along with the Bills’ offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, at +550 odds. It’s also worth noting that, out of the 17 total coaches who are sporting odds right now, the former New England Patriot and current head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Bill Belichick, has just the 11th longest odds to win the job.
While the idea of a Belichick-Allen union in Buffalo seems more like the product of fantasy booking than anything else, it’s also a testament to the fact that the Bills’ head coaching gig is essentially open for all qualified candidates. That could indicate that the franchise is simply hoping to establish a meritocracy, but it could also suggest a lack of direction.
Only time will tell whether they make the right hire, but with five more months to go before minicamp discussions begin, it’s safe to say they have plenty of time to do so.
