Key intel on all 32 playcallers, including McCarthy and Bieniemy in new roles
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NFL Nation, ESPN
The NFL playcaller landscape will feature new faces and some familiar ones in fresh surroundings, with Eric Bieniemy and Kellen Moore changing teams.
And then there’s Mike McCarthy.
The Cowboys coach will be the primary playcaller for the first time since Dallas hired him in 2020. McCarthy was a longtime, successful playcaller for the Green Bay Packers, but he didn’t want to upset the continuity of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, so he let Moore continue to call plays.
But with Prescott struggling as last season progressed, and after an underwhelming 19-12 divisional-round loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys parted ways with Moore, who is now calling plays for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It’s really cool to see Mike in that role,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “It looks, from my opinion, that he’s having a blast. Sometimes as a head coach, when you’re not the playcaller, you’re yearning for it, so I’ve seen that with him, the energy he has for it. I’ve felt some happiness and joy for him going out there, and you can see his competitive juices going.”
Meanwhile, Bieniemy left the Kansas City Chiefs after spending the past five seasons as their offensive coordinator, but with Andy Reid as head coach, Bieniemy was never the primary playcaller. He’ll assume that duty with the Washington Commanders.
Here is who will be calling plays for all 32 teams, including the experience they bring and the storyline surrounding them entering this season. ESPN Stats & Information also provides a key stat on each playcaller.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Playcaller: Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator
Experience: Dorsey called plays last season for the first time in his career. He previously was the Bills quarterbacks coach from 2019 to 2021 and the passing game coordinator in 2021, while also having experience as the Panthers quarterbacks coach (2013 to 2017). He was a quarterback in college, going 38-2 as a starter at Miami, and in the NFL.
What to know: Dorsey had some up-and-down moments last year, especially in the second half of the season. The Bills’ offense was successful overall, finishing in the top five in the league in a variety of categories, including second in points per game (28.4). The team wants to put less on quarterback Josh Allen‘s shoulders this year, which should mean more opportunities for running back James Cook, while first-round pick tight end Dalton Kincaid will add to what the team can do, especially in the middle of the field. — Alaina Getzenberg
Key stat: In Dorsey’s first season as offensive coordinator, the Bills dropped back to pass on 59% of first-down plays, the highest rate in the NFL.
Playcaller: Mike McDaniel, head coach
Experience: Last season, which was McDaniel’s first as a head coach and first in Miami, was also his first as a primary playcaller, but he has plenty of experience designing plays, which he did in San Francisco under coach Kyle Shanahan from 2017 to 2022.
What to know: McDaniel was widely seen as an offensive guru when the Dolphins hired him in 2022. With the help of a couple of key offensive acquisitions, such as WR Tyreek Hill and OT Terron Armstead, McDaniel made an immediate impact on the Dolphins’ offense, which finished sixth in yards per game last season at 364.5. While his time with the 49ers saw him orchestrate one of the league’s premier rushing attacks, the Dolphins ran the ball at one of the lowest rates in the NFL in 2022 — something McDaniel vowed to change this season. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Key stat: The Dolphins used motion at the snap on 45% of plays and any pre-snap motion on 77% of plays last season, both the highest rates in a season since ESPN Stats & Information began motion tracking in 2017.
Playcaller: Bill O’Brien, offensive coordinator
Experience: O’Brien first called plays from 2009 to 2011 with the Patriots before leaving to become Penn State head coach (2012-13), Texans head coach (2014 to 2020) and Alabama offensive coordinator (2021-22).
What to know: Offensive tackle Trent Brown said of O’Brien: “I love his attitude. I think he speaks a language that will get everyone fired up and ready to play ball. He brings excitement and energy to the whole building.” From a playcalling standpoint, O’Brien has long been an advocate of empty formations and giving the QB pre-snap responsibilities to read the defense. Already in training camp, there has been a notable increase in pre-snap motion from 2022, which is another staple of O’Brien’s offense. — Mike Reiss
Key stat: During O’Brien’s two full seasons with quarterback Deshaun Watson (2018-19), the Texans lined up in shotgun at the sixth-highest rate (74%). Last year’s Patriots lined up in shotgun 66% of the time (16th).
Playcaller: Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator
Experience: Hackett has six seasons of playcalling experience — Bills OC (2013-14), Jaguars OC (2016 to 2018) and Broncos head coach (2022). Only one of those teams made the playoffs (2017 Jaguars). In two instances (Jaguars and Broncos), he was fired before the end of the season.
What to know: Despite having the 32nd-ranked scoring offense in Denver, Hackett landed the Jets’ job, in large part, because of his past association with coach Robert Saleh. It also helped that he’s close friends with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who wound up following Hackett to New York. He built a rapport with Rodgers during his three seasons as the Packers OC (2019-21). Hackett didn’t have playcalling responsibilities behind Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, but he was heavily involved in game planning. He has autonomy in New York, but will lean heavily on Rodgers. The Jets haven’t been better than 23rd in scoring since 2015. There’s no place to go but up. — Rich Cimini
Key stat: During Hackett’s three seasons as Packers OC with Rodgers (2019 to 2021), Green Bay threw a league-high 29% of its passes at or behind the line of scrimmage.
AFC NORTH
Playcaller: Todd Monken, offensive coordinator
Experience: Monken, 57, is in his first season with the Ravens after helping guide Georgia to back-to-back national championships. His offense averaged 501.1 yards and 40.7 points per game last season. Monken was previously an NFL offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers (2016 to 2018) and Browns (2019).
What to know: The expectation is Monken will modernize the offense for quarterback Lamar Jackson. In four seasons with Greg Roman as their playcaller, the Ravens used their size and power to push around teams between the numbers. Now, Baltimore will spread out defenses, throw the ball more and execute at a faster pace. He will also give Jackson more freedom to change plays at the line of scrimmage. “He’s a very good teacher. He does it in a very energetic kind of way,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a very detailed coach — especially in the passing game — but not just that: the protection, the run game, the quarterback reads, everything. He’s very involved, very hands on.” — Jamison Hensley
Key stat: During Monken’s two seasons as Georgia’s OC, the Bulldogs ranked third in the FBS in 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs, 2 WRs) usage (59%). In five seasons with Jackson, the Ravens rank second in yards per play out of 12 personnel (6.2) but 22nd in usage (16%).
Playcaller: Zac Taylor, head coach
Experience: Taylor has been the team’s playcaller since he was hired as head coach in 2019.
What to know: Taylor’s playcalling has come under fire at times in his first four years with the Bengals. But criticisms were nonexistent by the end of 2022. Cincinnati finished fifth in points per drive and won its final eight games of the regular season. Taylor also navigated injuries to quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Taylor’s offense also shined when viewed through advanced analytics. Last year, the Bengals ranked sixth in total offensive expected points added, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In his third season, Taylor guided the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20. –– Ben Baby
Key stat: In three seasons since Taylor and Burrow were paired together, the Bengals have used empty formations at the second-highest rate (14%), behind only the Rams, with whom Taylor was an assistant before being hired by the Bengals.
Playcaller: Kevin Stefanski, head coach
Experience: Stefanski took over as the interim offensive coordinator with the Vikings in 2018. The following year, he got the permanent job before being named the head coach in Cleveland, where he continues to call the offensive plays.
What to know: In his first season with the Browns, Stefanski was named NFL Coach of the Year, as Cleveland advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2002 and won a playoff game for the first time in 26 years. Quarterback Baker Mayfield finished top 10 in QBR, as well. But the past two years, Stefanski’s offenses have struggled at times through the turmoil at QB, from Mayfield to Jacoby Brissett to Deshaun Watson. This is a pivotal year for Stefanski, who is expected to have Watson for a full season. Watson was suspended for 11 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Anything short of a playoff bid will be considered a disappointment and may put Stefanski’s job in jeopardy. — Jake Trotter
Key stat: In three seasons since Stefanski became their head coach, the Browns have lined up under center at the third-highest rate (49.5%) and run by design at the third-highest rate (44%).
Playcaller: Matt Canada, offensive coordinator
Experience: Canada joined the Steelers in the 2020 season as the quarterbacks coach after three decades in the collegiate ranks. After Randy Fichtner’s departure, Canada was elevated to the Steelers offensive coordinator job in 2021. He is entering his third season in that role.
What to know: Canada has been harshly criticized outside the building for a predictable offense that lacks explosive plays. Not only did the Steelers rank last in the league with 12 passing touchdowns in 2022, but they also generated explosive passing plays — passes that gained at least 20 yards — on 7.7% of their passing plays, 10th-lowest in the NFL. But Canada enters the 2023 season with more continuity in his offense as quarterback Kenny Pickett begins his second season as starter. That, coupled with the remade offensive line and more experienced offensive weapons, sets Canada up for a make-or-break season in the final year of his contract. — Brooke Pryor
Key stat: The Steelers have used play-action at the third-lowest rate (18%) in Canada’s two seasons as OC, including the fourth-lowest rate (18%) last season with Pickett taking over for Ben Roethlisberger.
AFC SOUTH
Playcaller: Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator
Experience: This season will be Slowik’s first time calling plays. He was the 49ers’ pass game coordinator in 2022 after serving as an offensive passing game specialist in 2021.
What to know: Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans hired Slowik to run Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Expect Slowik to rely on the run game since the Texans have running back Dameon Pierce, who rushed for 939 yards in 13 games. Expect a ton of pre-snap motion. The 49ers, Jets and Dolphins ranked in the top eight in pre-snap motion in pass and rushing attempts, as all three run the same Shanahan system. –– DJ Bien-Aime
Key stat: With Slowik serving as passing game coordinator for the 49ers last season, San Francisco used motion on 73% of its passing plays, the second-highest rate in the NFL behind the Dolphins (76%).
Playcaller: Shane Steichen, head coach
Experience: Steichen is in his first season as Colts head coach after spending the past two years running the Eagles offense. Before that, Steichen ran the Chargers offense for two seasons — first as an interim and later as the full-time coordinator.
What to know: Steichen feels like a good fit given his success helping shape the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts into a force. Like Hurts, Colts first-round pick Anthony Richardson is a dual-threat quarterback around whom the Colts plan to build their offense. Steichen is holding the particulars of his Indianapolis offense close to the vest. But his Philly scheme was productive, with the Eagles finishing top 10 in yards (389.1), points (28.1) and passing yards per game (241.5) last season. Steichen’s Eagles were one of just two teams to have a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith), perhaps raising expectations for what the Colts’ young wideouts might produce. –– Stephen Holder
Key stat: With Steichen serving as his OC in Philadelphia, Hurts led all QBs with 99 designed rushes last season, 21 more than the next closest QB (Justin Fields).
Playcaller: Doug Pederson, head coach
Experience: Pederson was Andy Reid’s offensive coordinator in Kansas City from 2013 to 2015, but Reid called the plays until he had Pederson do it following a 1-5 start in 2015. In 2016, Pederson left for Philadelphia and was the playcaller during his five seasons as head coach of the Eagles (2016 to 2020). He continued calling plays last year in his first season with the Jaguars.
What to know: Pederson wants the Jaguars to average seven more points per game in 2023 than last season, and the potential is there with the addition of receiver Calvin Ridley to three players who set career highs in catches and yards last season — wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and tight end Evan Engram. Pederson believes those players being comfortable in the offense is a key part of getting more production — especially from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was the league’s second-highest rated passer from Week 9 on in 2022. Remember, Pederson turned Carson Wentz into an MVP candidate in their second season together (2017) in Philadelphia before Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury that December. — Michael DiRocco
Key stat: Twenty-nine percent of Jacksonville’s rushes were outside the tackles last season, third-highest rate in the NFL. Travis Etienne Jr. led all players in yards per rush (8.3) outside the tackles.
Playcaller: Tim Kelly, offensive coordinator
Experience: Kelly spent three years as offensive quality control coach for Texans coach Bill O’Brien before overseeing the tight ends in 2017 and 2018. He was Houston’s offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021.
What to know: Kelly and Titans coach Mike Vrabel were together in Houston from 2014 to 2017. Vrabel requested to interview Kelly for the offensive coordinator job in 2021 but it was blocked by the Texans. O’Brien called the plays in Kelly’s first year as offensive coordinator. But Kelly got full control of playcalling when O’Brien was fired in 2020. Quarterback Deshaun Watson set career highs with 4,823 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes under Kelly. In 2022, Kelly joined the Titans’ staff as a senior offensive assistant/passing game coordinator. As coordinator, Kelly vowed to increase the speed and tempo Tennessee’s offense plays with this season. — Turron Davenport
Key stat: Forty-four percent of Tennessee’s passing yards last season came off play-action, the second-most in the NFL. However, the Titans used play-action on 27% of their dropbacks, which ranked 16th in the NFL.
AFC WEST
Playcaller: Sean Payton, head coach
Experience: Payton has called plays in the NFL for more than two decades. In his time as the Giants’ offensive coordinator, they went to the playoffs three times, and in his three seasons as Cowboys assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach, Dallas went to the postseason once. During his 15-season run as Saints head coach, quarterback Drew Brees had a record five 5,000-yard passing seasons. New Orleans finished in the league’s top five in scoring nine times and the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV.
What to know: He has a fairly large to-do list to get the Broncos offense, which last averaged 21 points a game in 2015, back in gear. The Broncos can help quarterback Russell Wilson rebound from his worst season as a pro (16 touchdowns, league-high 55 sacks) by playing better defense and having a “more productive run game — that will be in our DNA,” Payton has said. He will push Wilson to get the ball out more quickly. The Broncos figure to be in plenty of two-tight end, two-back looks, even when they’re throwing the ball because Payton wants the Broncos to handle the line of scrimmage better. He also wants more tempo and more personnel groupings to stress defenses down to down. –– Jeff Legwold
Key stat: Over Payton’s final five seasons with the Saints (2017 to 2021), New Orleans had the league’s fourth-highest designed rush percentage (43%), including the fifth-highest rate on first down (51%).
Playcaller: Andy Reid, head coach
Experience: Reid has been calling plays in most of his 24 seasons as a head coach, 14 with the Eagles and 10 with the Chiefs.
What to know: The Chiefs made a change at offensive coordinator for the fourth time in Reid’s 10 seasons. Matt Nagy will have his second stint in the position after Eric Bieniemy left for the Commanders. The impact of the change, however, will be minimal because of Reid’s presence. “There are a few [new] things, but honestly that’s every year regardless of who the coordinator is,” Nagy said. “His mind every season is always going to new things.” Reid and Nagy have a lot to work with in quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who won his second MVP award last season, and an offense that led the NFL in scoring. — Adam Teicher
Key stat: Kansas City led the NFL with 12 TDs on passes at or behind the line of scrimmage; no other team had more than five. The Chiefs also led the NFL with 562 pass yards off screen passes.
Playcaller: Josh McDaniels, head coach
Experience: McDaniels, in his second year as Raiders head coach, has been an offensive coordinator or head coach since 2006, mostly with the Patriots (offensive coordinator 2006 to 2008 and 2012 to 2021). He was also the Broncos head coach in 2009 and 2010 and the St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator in 2011.
What to know: The Raiders will have a new look at quarterback as McDaniels moved on from nine-year starter Derek Carr and signed a familiar face — to McDaniels, anyway — in Jimmy Garoppolo, who started his career in New England with McDaniels. And with Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller traded to the Giants, second-round pick Michael Mayer will have a chance to start because as McDaniels said, “We have a big enough bucket of things we can do, it’s all dependent on our personnel and what they do well.” — Paul Gutierrez
Key stat: The Raiders had QBs under center on 48% of offensive plays last season, the third-highest mark in the NFL. In Garoppolo’s career, 30% of his offensive snaps have come under center.
Playcaller: Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator
Experience: A former standout quarterback at Boise State who spent five seasons in the NFL as a backup, Moore moved into coaching following his playing career. He called plays in Dallas for four seasons, helping the Cowboys to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022, before Moore and the team made a “mutual decision to part ways” last January. The Chargers hired Moore to succeed the fired Joe Lombardi less than 24 hours after Moore exited Dallas.
What to know: Moore, 34, gets a fresh start in L.A. with a group that includes quarterback Justin Herbert, receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler. He is expected to install an explosive offense that is quickly able to score points, something he’s proven after producing a unit in Dallas that ranked in the top four in points (27.7), yards (391)and third-down conversion percentage (44%) per game over his four-year tenure. — Lindsey Thiry
Key stat: In four seasons as Cowboys OC, Moore used 11 personnel [1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs] on 78% of offensive plays, the sixth-highest mark in the NFL. The Cowboys averaged 6.8 yards per play out of 11 personnel, the second-best in the NFL since 2019, behind only the Chiefs (7.2)
NFC EAST
Playcaller: Mike McCarthy, head coach
Experience: He made his bones as a playcaller with the Saints and 49ers before taking over as head coach of the Packers from 2006 to 2018. He covered the end of Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre’s career and the bulk of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ career, making it to four NFC championships and winning a Super Bowl. Through his tenure, the Packers averaged 26 points and 364.4 yards per game.
What to know: It was a surprise McCarthy didn’t take over playcalling when he became Cowboys coach in 2020. After a spell in 2015 with the Packers of not calling the plays, he vowed he would never relinquish the role again. But he believed Moore and the offense in place was best for Dak Prescott’s development. After three seasons, he opted to take the job over and has added some tweaks to the offense centered around his West Coast philosophies while maintaining what has worked well for Prescott. The front office, players and coaches say he is energized. He is the first Cowboys head coach to call plays since Jason Garrett in 2012, but he inherits an offense that averaged 27.7 points per game under Moore. If he does not maintain or improve the efficiency in 2023, then he will face some heat. — Todd Archer
Key stat: McCarthy’s Packers called a run on 31% of their plays in his final three seasons, the lowest in the NFL from 2016 to 2018. The Cowboys ran by design 45% of the time last season, sixth in the NFL.
Playcaller: Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator
Experience: He came to the Giants last year as Brian Daboll’s offensive coordinator to get playcalling experience. He apprenticed under Chiefs coach Andy Reid from 2017 to 2021, and he eventually ascended to passing game coordinator.
What to know: Kafka received praise for what he did with the talent at his disposal in Year 1 with the Giants, who finished tied for 15th in scoring at 21.1 points per game. It even earned him interviews with four teams this past offseason for a head-coaching position, and he was a finalist for the Cardinals. Kafka and the Giants offense have big plans for new tight end Darren Waller. It may even look completely differently come the regular season. They’re using him all over the field at training camp, trying new things. “Different routes,” Daboll said. — Jordan Raanan
Key stat: The Giants used play-action at the fifth-highest rate (31% of time) in the league in 2022. New York was 20th in percentage during quarterback Daniel Jones‘ first three seasons.
Playcaller: Brian Johnson, offensive coordinator
Experience: This will be Johnson’s first year calling plays in the NFL. He was elevated to the role of offensive coordinator after Shane Steichen was hired as head coach of the Colts. Johnson did call plays at the collegiate level, including at the University of Florida.
What to know: Johnson has known quarterback Jalen Hurts since Hurts was 4 years old, dating back to when Johnson played high school ball for Hurts’ father, Averion. Johnson was the Eagles quarterbacks coach the past two seasons and Hurts took massive strides as a passer under his tutelage. There is a deep level of trust between the two that should prove beneficial in-game. While there will be some new wrinkles this year, the offense, which was created largely in coach Nick Sirianni’s vision, will look familiar. “Being here the last two years and understanding exactly how things are operated, understanding exactly how Coach Sirianni wants things done, I think has been vital for me for sure,” Johnson said. — Tim McManus
Key stat: The Eagles gave Jalen Hurts plenty of targets in the past two seasons, using five players in pass routes 69% of the time, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL.
Playcaller: Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator
Experience: Bieniemy served as offensive coordinator for five seasons with the Chiefs, though head coach Andy Reid remained the primary playcaller. However, Bieniemy coordinated the offense during the week and did call some plays for the Chiefs during their two Super Bowl winning seasons.
What to know: Washington fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner after three seasons in which the offense never finished better than 20th in either yards or points a game. Coach Ron Rivera opted for Bieniemy and also gave him the title of assistant head coach. The situation in Washington will be a challenge for Bieniemy — the offensive line has new starters at four positions and second-year quarterback Sam Howell will likely be under center. Bieniemy must help Howell mature behind this front. So far, Bieniemy has provided structure, detail and discipline to the offense. However, what players and other coaches say he’s also done is to create better opportunities in space for the skill players and find more ways to get the backs and tight ends involved in the passing game. — John Keim
Key stat: Bieniemy coached a Chiefs offense that used pre-snap motion at the second-highest rate in the NFL during his five seasons as OC (2018-22), and it gained 51% of its receiving yards after the catch, third-most in the league.
NFC NORTH
Playcaller: Luke Getsy, offensive coordinator
Experience: Getsy is in his second season with the Bears after two separate stints with Green Bay (2014 to 2017, 2019 to 2021), where he last served as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
What to know: Despite a 3-14 finish last season, the Bears produced the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense (177.3 yards per game), led by Justin Fields, who was 64 yards away from setting the single-season quarterback rushing record. By contrast, the Bears had the league’s worst passing offense at 130.5 yards per game, which is why Chicago emphasized its time and resources in the form of a new-look wide receiver room and reworked offense line to help elevate Fields and the pass game in 2023. — Courtney Cronin
Key stat: The Bears offense called plays to the boundary last season, leading the NFL in percent of pass attempts outside the pocket (21%) and percent of rush attempts outside the tackles (33%).
Playcaller: Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator
Experience: Johnson took over playcalling duties after being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022. He started off as the tight ends coach during coach Dan Campbell’s first year in 2021, but he eventually expanded his role into assisting with the passing game, which blossomed with his help.
What to know: Though he was interviewed for head-coaching positions this offseason, Johnson surprised many when he chose to return to Detroit for his second year as the offensive coordinator. Johnson has deflected any questions on any future head-coaching opportunities, saying he feels the Lions organization is on the cusp of something special. Despite last year’s success with a 9-8 record, he says his goal this season is to streamline his preparation for game days. “I’m hoping to be a lot more efficient, and our coaches, I mean they do a heck of a job getting me the information, but … it took me last year a lot of time to sift through it, so hopefully that’ll accelerate,” Johnson said. — Eric Woodyard
Key stat: The Lions ran 49% of their plays from under center last season, the highest in the NFL. Jared Goff had 15 passing touchdowns on plays that started under center last season, four more than the next closest quarterback (Kirk Cousins).
Playcaller: Matt LaFleur, head coach
Experience: LaFleur has called plays during his entire four-year tenure as the Packers head coach. He previously had only one season of NFL playcalling experience.
What to know: Throughout his tenure with the Packers, it’s never been crystal clear just how often quarterback Aaron Rodgers changed LaFleur’s playcalls at the line of scrimmage. That’s perhaps why team president Mark Murphy said this summer at the Packers annual shareholders meeting: “Offensively, you’re going to see probably a little bit more of Matt’s true offense. Obviously, when you have a great quarterback like Aaron and somebody who’s been in the league as long as he has, we gave him the flexibility to change plays and get in and out of things that really helped, but I would anticipate a strong running game and off of that.”
It’s not that Jordan Love won’t have the OK to adjust things at the line of scrimmage. LaFleur calls it a “can” play, meaning that quarterback can change the play, but Love said “most plays in our offense, they’re pretty straightforward.” — Rob Demovsky
Key stat: The Packers have gotten the ball to their playmakers under LaFleur, ranking second in the NFL in percent of receiving yards coming after the catch (52%) in the past four seasons.
Playcaller: Kevin O’Connell, head coach
Experience: O’Connell called plays for the first time in 2022, his first season as Vikings coach.
What to know: O’Connell has said calling plays as the head coach allows him to streamline offensive strategy with game management and his big-picture philosophy of running the offense through receiver Justin Jefferson. The process worked well in 2022, with Jefferson leading the NFL in receiving and winning the Offensive Player of the Year award. O’Connell was aggressive there, directing the Vikings to throw the NFL’s third-most passes (672). He also pushed hard in the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters, running the league’s ninth-most plays over that span. But he was not particularly aggressive on fourth downs, and ranked No. 21 in the NFL with 19 offensive plays on fourth down. — Kevin Seifert
Key stat: According to NFL Next Gen, the Vikings used a designed rollout 70 times last season, the third-most in the NFL. Kirk Cousins had the second-most completions in the league on plays with a designed rollout.
NFC SOUTH
Playcaller: Arthur Smith, head coach
Experience: Smith has called plays for the Falcons for the past two seasons. Before that, he was the offensive coordinator for two seasons with the Titans, where his ability to help resurrect quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s career and run a creative offensive season made him an attractive head-coaching candidate.
What to know: Smith’s playcalling thrives on two things: Versatility of personnel and leveraging opposing defenses to keep them guessing. It’s why the Falcons — through a combination of the draft and free agency — gathered a collection of offensive players who can line up at multiple positions, including rookie running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts. Consider this: Smith showed in 2021 he can run an offense with Matt Ryan that attempted 573 passes to 393 runs and then in 2022, had 559 rushes to 415 passes. In 2023, don’t be surprised if the Falcons end up balanced between run and pass, meaning even more leverage opportunities. — Michael Rothstein
Key stat: The Falcons had the lowest designed pass percentage in the NFL last season (49%). They were the only team that threw the ball less than half the time.
Playcaller: Frank Reich, head coach
Experience: Reich has called plays as the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers (2014-15) and Eagles (2016-17), including 2017 when Philadelphia won Super Bowl LII with backup quarterback Nick Foles. He’s also called plays as the head coach of the Colts (2018 to 2022).
What to know: Reich is a former NFL quarterback known mostly for leading the Bills to the league’s largest postseason comeback at the end of the 1992 season. He was the first starting quarterback for the expansion Panthers in 1995, although that lasted three games. He returned 29 years later as the head coach with the plan to call plays this season with quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick of the draft, before one day giving those duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. Reich likes a spread offense that relies on tight ends and running backs making plays as receivers. It’s not a complicated system — just one focused on getting the ball into the hands of playmakers. — David Newton
Key stat: The Colts utilized pre-snap motion fewer than any other team in Weeks 1 through 9 last season (Reich’s nine games before being fired). Carolina utilized it 10% more than Indianapolis in 2022.
Playcaller: Pete Carmichael, offensive coordinator
Experience: Carmichael was Sean Payton’s right-hand man and the Saints offensive coordinator from 2009 until Payton left after the 2021 season. While Payton was the primary playcaller, Carmichael called plays when Payton broke his leg in 2011, when Payton was suspended for the 2012 season, at the beginning of the 2016 season and when Payton was sidelined with COVID-19 against the Buccaneers in 2021.
What to know: Carmichael, who first joined the Saints in 2006 as a quarterbacks coach, stayed on as the Saints offensive coordinator and moved to full-time playcaller when Dennis Allen took over last season. It wasn’t an easy season for the Saints offense, which finished 19th in total yards and 22nd in scoring, but the Saints hope they’ve solved the biggest problem by signing quarterback Derek Carr. One of the main issues last year was injuries, which caused the Saints to pivot from Jameis Winston to Andy Dalton. The Saints have had successes in the past with Carmichael calling plays, as they averaged 474 yards for the 11 games that he took over as a playcaller when Payton was hurt in 2011. — Katherine Terrell
Key stat: New Orleans used play-action at the second-lowest rate in the NFL last year (15.3%, tied with the Bengals). It was their lowest rate in 14 seasons under Carmichael.
Playcaller: Dave Canales, offensive coordinator
Experience: Canales spent 14 seasons under Pete Carroll, first at USC and then with the Seahawks. Having served as Seahawks wide receivers coach (2010 to 2017), quarterbacks coach (2018-2019), passing game coordinator (2020-2021) and quarterbacks coach again (2022), he will call plays for the first time in his career in Tampa.
What to know: They’re running much of what Shane Waldron — a disciple of Sean McVay — brought to the Seahawks the past two years. There is a lot more movement from the quarterback, not so many curls and hitch routes but more slant and corner routes, a lot more balance between run and pass. They’re using a lot more two tight-end sets, and on the ground, it’s a wide-zone scheme to stretch defenses more horizontally. You also won’t see the quarterback take as many risks here through the air — look for him to be more of a “distributor,” or a “point guard,” as Canales put it. — Jenna Laine
Key stat: During the 10 seasons Canales worked with Russell Wilson (2012 to 2021), the Seahawks used the highest rate of play-action in the NFL. Tampa Bay utilized play-action 15.1% of the time last year with Tom Brady, the lowest mark in the NFL.
NFC WEST
Playcaller: Drew Petzing, offensive coordinator
Experience: Petzing came to Arizona after spending a year as Browns quarterbacks coach. He’s been an NFL assistant on the offensive side of the ball since 2014.
What to know: Petzing is young (36), but he’s been an NFL assistant for 10 years, learning from some great offensive minds like Norv Turner and John DeFilippo. Petzing has kept his offense fairly secret but has said it’s designed to focus on the run and play off the strengths of his best players. He has a long résumé of offensive experience. This is the first time he’s called plays and has openly embraced the opportunity to be the man in the chair — or in this case the man with the headset. — Josh Weinfuss
Key stat: In his three seasons assisting in Cleveland, the Browns ranked top 10 in the NFL in pre-snap motion (53.4%). The Cardinals ranked last in that span (32.2%).
Playcaller: Sean McVay, head coach
Experience: The NFL’s current obsession with finding the next innovative offensive whiz kid can be traced back to McVay’s hiring in 2017. After three years calling the shots as offensive coordinator in Washington, he has a Super Bowl win in 2021 and another appearance in 2018 to his credit during six seasons at the helm in Los Angeles.
What to know: The injury-depleted Rams scored 307 points last season, finishing last in the NFC and by far the lowest total under McVay’s leadership. Figuring out the best starting five on the offensive line to keep quarterback Matthew Stafford upright will determine if McVay can get back to his freewheeling ways. With Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp healthy, the Rams should be able to throw the ball around provided the protection is there. Mike LaFleur takes over as offensive coordinator and McVay’s chief deputy after two unsuccessful years with the Jets. — Daniel Greenspan
Key stat: No team puts QBs under center at a higher rate than the Rams have during McVay’s tenure (since 2017).
Playcaller: Kyle Shanahan, head coach
Experience: Shanahan spent a combined nine seasons as offensive coordinator of the Texans, Commanders, Browns and Falcons. Has continued to call the offensive plays for the 49ers since becoming head coach in 2017, helping them to three NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl.
What to know: Shanahan has never wavered from his commitment to calling plays, though he has employed an offensive coordinator (Mike McDaniel) and has passing and run game coordinators who help put together weekly game plans. The 49ers offense took off after acquiring running back Christian McCaffrey last October, finishing sixth in scoring and fifth in yards and offensive expected points added. Shanahan again has one of the best groups of skill position players in the league but will need stability at quarterback — the 49ers went through four of them because of injury in 2022 — for this offense to maximize its potential. — Nicholas Wagoner
Key stat: The 49ers had three TDs off screen plays, tied with the Chiefs for the most in the NFL last season. Their 6.6 yards after catch per reception also led the NFL.
Playcaller: Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator
Experience: Waldron is entering his third season as Seahawks offensive coordinator, which is his first job as an NFL playcaller. He spent the previous five working in various offensive assistant roles under Sean McVay with the Commanders (2016) and Rams (2017 to 2020).
What to know: Waldron came to Seattle with an endorsement from quarterback Russell Wilson, who liked his upbringing under McVay and his willingness to go up-tempo. He also came at an interesting time: just as the friction between Wilson and the organization was nearing its breaking point. There was no such drama last year as Geno Smith quarterbacked Waldron’s offense to a No. 9 ranking in scoring, up seven spots and about a half a point per game from the year before. Seattle’s offense has shown it can run the ball and be explosive in the passing game under Waldron. The area where it needs to improve is on third down after finishing 23rd and 20th in his two seasons. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the chain-moving slot receiver Seattle drafted 20th overall, should help in that regard. –– Brady Henderson
Key stat: Without Russell Wilson, Seattle utilized multiple tight-end formations at the second-highest rate in the NFL last year (behind the Ravens), after having the 13th-highest rate on those plays in Waldron’s first year in 2021 (Wilson’s last).
