Mike Vrabel may have just been playing coy about Patriots next OC

The New England Patriots didn't waste any time to hire their next head coach. After interviewing four candidates, the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel to be their new sideline boss, which was essentially the worst kept secret in football. The mutual interest was there for both sides, and they reached a quick agreement to get a deal done.

While Vrabel will have significant say in how the team is built, fans want to know what his coaching staff will look like. Obviously, any assistants from his Tennessee Titans head coaching tenure come to mind. However, there was reporting that bringing back Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator for the Patriots would happen. However, Vrabel tried his best to ensure that it wasn't a formality, saying that McDaniels was part of a "long list" of candidates for the offensive coordinator position.

According to NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport, McDaniels is still "considered to be the favorite" for the Patriots offensive coordinator job.

"Most people believe Josh McDaniels, former Patriots OC, actually a couple of times, still lives in New England, currently not working, would be a prime candidate for that job, considered to be the favorite," said Rapoport. "I would expect Mike Vrabel to talk to him as they go about the process of trying to find a new offensive coordinator."

Josh McDaniels still considered to be the favorite to be next Patriots OC

While Vrabel was seemingly playing coy, McDaniels is still viewed as the favorite to be New England's offensive coordinator once again.

McDaniels is known for his disastrous head coaching stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, but he has made a name for himself as one of the best offensive coordinators in the league.

The last time as offensive coordinator for the Patriots, McDaniels got the most out of Mac Jones in his rookie season, and the team made it to the playoffs. That year, the Patriots averaged 353.4 yards (15th in NFL) and 27.2 points (sixth in NFL) per game.

This season, the Patriots offense was one of the worst in the league, as they averaged 291.9 yards (31st) and 17.0 points (30th) in the NFL. Granted, that can mostly be attributed to the lack of playmakers and blocking. Even so, the future looks bright with quarterback Drake Maye, who made the most out of nothing as a rookie.

The future in New England will depend on the success of Maye. It's up to Vrabel to find the best offensive coordinator to further develop the quarterback.