The Giants have let go of head coach Ben McAdoo, and they started their head coaching search early — about four games early, in fact — with the thoughts of perhaps having a strategic advantage over the rest of the NFL.
Like in a housing market, the Giants are in the coaching market before it starts getting crowded. That means they have the time to make a good decision, and that also means they have the opportunity to make overtures to coaches before other franchises who end up firing their head coaches can.
They're basically in a buyer's market. Demand is low and supply is high.
At least here in the early going of the Giants' search, there is one coaching candidate who seems to be sticking out. He's currently employed by a team, the New England Patriots, but apparently, the interest from New York interest is high enough that the Patriots are expecting the Giants to reach out.
That coach isn't Bill Belichick, though that would be a legendary steal by New York. No, the coach New York is apparently interested in is Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, per Michael Giardi of NBC Sports Boston:
Bob Glauber of newsday.com added a bit more fuel to that fire with this analysis:
"McDaniels likely will be a hot candidate after doing more fine work with New England. In between stints as an assistant for Bill Belichick, McDaniels quickly flamed out with the Broncos; if he has learned what not to do from that experience, he'll be in a much better place with a second opportunity as a head coach."
Glabuer is right in his analysis of McDaniels' first stint as an NFL head coach: it wasn't good.
He went 11-17 in just under two full seasons with the Denver Broncos before being fired in Week 13 of the 2012 season in the midst of a 3-9 campaign. He was a hot name hire for the Broncos after a great stint as offensive coordinator with the Patriots, and he'd be in the same situation this time around for a team like the Giants, though with much for experience under his belt.
There's the Super Bowls with the New England, of course, and yes, he has Belichick and Tom freaking Brady at his disposal, but it's worth noting that McDaniels has been great once again as offensive coordinator for the Patriots since re-joining the team.
Perhaps he's one of those guys who just can't cut it as a head coach. Or perhaps, he just needed more time to season.
Perhaps the Giants will find out soon enough.
