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Nathaniel Hackett didn’t last long as head coach of the Denver Broncos, but that doesn’t mean the AFC West franchise won’t hire another promising offensive mind to replace him. If they do, it could be bad news for the New York Giants.
Hackett, who was officially fired on Monday, December 26, established his reputation as offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, specifically, his work with quarterback Aaron Rodgers from 2019-21. Hackett failed to translate that expertise into helping Russell Wilson make the grade as QB1 in Denver.
The Broncos invested a ton of money and gave up multiple first-round draft picks and veteran players to acquire Wilson last offseason, so the franchise still needs the 34-year-old to come good. It means hiring another QB guru to take charge is a likely move, with Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News naming Giants’ OC Mike Kafka among the best candidates.
Kafka is an intriguing option on several levels, despite the apparent one-dimensional makeup of the Giants’ offense in 2022.
Top Giants’ Assistant Makes Sense for QB in Distress
Iyer threw Kafka’s name into the hat after mentioning Kansas City Chiefs’ OC Eric Bieniemy as a prime candidate: “Here’s another way to tap into the Chiefs, Kafka has done well working with Brian Daboll during his first year in New York to revive the career of Daniel Jones and given the Giants enough offense to put them in playoff position.”
Those are both excellent reasons to believe the Broncos would be interested in hiring Kafka. Their trade for Wilson has been an unmitigated disaster, with the three-time Super Bowl champions getting mediocre performances from football’s most important position, at the cost of five picks, including two first-rounders, and three players, including defensive tackle Shelby Harris, sent to the Seattle Seahawks.
As Dov Kleiman put it, the Broncos are paying Wilson too much to tolerate his struggles this season:
The problem with doling out that much cash is the Broncos can’t just walk away from Wilson overnight. They have to try and fix him, something general manager George Paton told reporters can happen, per NFL.com’s Kevin Patra: “It’s not whether Russ is fixable or not. We do believe he is. We do.”
Kafka would be a good choice to oversee the Wilson restoration project because of the reasons Iyer listed. The Giants’ play-caller has experience helping develop a star quarterback from his time as Patrick Mahomes’ position coach with the Chiefs.
Recommendations as a QB guru don’t come much better, but Kafka has only enhanced his credentials through his work with Giants’ starter Daniel Jones.
Giants Need Key Mentor to Continue Important Work
Jones is a free agent, but his future is no longer an open and shut case. That’s what it looked like when the Giants declined to exercise his fifth-year option before this season.
The decision made Jones look like a mere stopgap, but the sixth player drafted in 2019 has given general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll a tougher choice. Jones has played his way into justifying a new deal from the Giants, largely because of how he’s improved on Kafka’s watch.
Jones has set career-best marks in yards (3,028), yards per attempt (6.8) and QB rating (90.7). He’s also thrown just five interceptions, his lowest tally since entering the league and a far cry from the 29 picks Jones tossed during his first three seasons.
The 25-year-old also lost 20 fumbles in the same timespan, but Jones has become more than merely efficient since Kafka started designing gameplans. He’s also more accurate and adept at making quicker reads and smarter decisions.
All of those qualities were on display when Jones torched the Minnesota Vikings for 334 yards during Week 16’s 27-24 defeat. Jones excelled in a losing cause by completing 30 passes against the NFL’s softest pass defense.
One of his best throws was this vertical strike to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins:
The play showcased Jones’ increasing comfort with throwing deep. His “119.4 passer rating on passes of 20 or more yards downfield is the third-highest mark in the league,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Jones wasn’t always noted for his arm strength, but Kafka is refining his technique while expanding the playbook for the fourth-year signal-caller. That’s why the Giants shouldn’t give up on No. 8 just yet, even though most of Kafka’s offense goes through running back Saquon Barkley and his 283 carries, the third-most in the league.
Kafka has Jones playing at a high level, despite a lack of elite receivers or marquee blockers along the interior of the offensive line. Schoen and Daboll should be eager to see what both can achieve with more talent at their disposal next season.
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