David Culley leaves to take a position with the Baltimore Ravens.
By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Buffalo Bills were handed a bit of an unexpected announcement this week as the Baltimore Ravens announced David Culley was joining their coaching staff. One problem, though: he was on the Bills’ staff.
Culley took a promotion which included Baltimore’s assistant head coaching position. The Bills now have a vacant role at their quarterbacks coach spot.
Some observers of the Bills were previously calling for Culley to be fired because most of his prior experience as a wide receivers coach, not a QBs coach. Grooming Josh Allen is a key for the Bills, now the team will have their pick of the litter in regard to who will do just that.
With that, here are 7 potential candidates for Bills and their QB coaching search:
Ken Dorsey
Naturally many coaching hires are made based on relationships and that could be the the case with Ken Dorsey. The 37-year-old who played five seasons for the 49ers and Browns is currently the offensive coordinator at Appalachian State. At the University at Miami he was a two-time Hiesman Trophy finalist and National Champion (2001). Most importantly, he was the Carolina Panthers quarterbacks coach from 2013 to 2017. He knows both Buffalo’s head coach in Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane well as both were also there for most of his spell.
Jordan Palmer
Palmer, 34, is a popular name among Bills fans. Because he once played for the Bills in the preseason? Not exactly. During the lead up to the 2018 NFL Draft, Allen worked out with Palmer. It’s already been confirmed this offseason that he’s doing so once again. McDermott has previously stated that he’s fine with Allen working with the former QB. Palmer wouldn’t have to be pulled away from another coaching staff, but Allen isn’t the only QB he works with. Palmer runs his own clinic working with QBs. Others such as Jets QB Sam Darnold have worked with him. However, Palmer has praised Allen in the past, he’d just need some convincing.
Bill Lazor
Lazor’s connections are lacking. The 46-year-old hasn’t spent extensive time with the higher ups on the Bills’ coaching staff, but he was with the Miami Dolphins as their offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. Buffalo assistant general manager Joe Schoen was with the Dolphins for nine years prior to joining the Bills in 2017. Lazor recently had a strong track record with Bengals QB Andy Dalton as his offensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018. He also has another interesting connection: he coached at the University at Buffalo as the Bulls’ offensive coordinator way back in 2001 and 2002.
Bill Musgrave
Musgrave, 51, isn’t coming off an impressive stint with the Denver Broncos as they might be in the market for a new QB after his two-year stint as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. However, he’s got plenty of experience working in roles on offense, mainly as a coordinator and QBs coach, since 1997. With Raiders QB Derek Carr, from 2015-16, Musgrave got 60 TDs and 19 INTs out of him. He also knows Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier as well. Frazier was Minnesota’s head coach from 2011-13. Musgrave was his offensive coordinator throughout that tenure.
Jim Bob Cooter
Along young candidate at only 34, Cooter has spent 2014-18 with the Lions. First he was Matthew Stafford’s quarterback coach, then jumped to offensive coordinator in 2015. In all of those years, Stafford’s yards went down. In 2012 and 2013, Stafford had 5,038 yards and 4,967 yards, respectively. His high under Cooter was 4,446. There is a silver lining, though. He cut down on his interception totals from both of those seasons and increased his completion percent. Prior to joining the Lions, he was an offensive assistant with Buffalo’s offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Kansas City.
Marty Mornhinweg
Mornhinweg, 56, has extensive experience in two categories: coaching offense and quarterbacks and coaching with McDermott. Both spent 2003 to 2010 with the Eagles while both were in various assistant roles. Mornhinweg was most recently with the Baltimore Ravens where he helped bring along rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. He also has experience as a head coach, spending 2001-02 as the lead man for the Lions. Quarterbacks Mornhinweg has worked with include Steve Young, Brett Favre Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Joe Flacco.
Derek Anderson
So, here’s an interesting idea. He’s already under contract with the Bills, but as QB3. On top of that, the Bills’ front office and Allen have praised Anderson for everything he’s taught the young QB behing closed doors with his experience. McDermott clearly trusts him after bringing him in initially after spending several years together in Carolina. In addition, aside from 2018 when the injury bug and Nathan Peterman hit the Bills’ QB room bad, McDermott has usually only kept two quarterbacks on his 53-man roster. It’s a realistic thought that Anderson could put down the helmet and pick up the clipboard, especially since he spent extensive time on the injury report this past season with a concussion.