The #Redskins may lose their QB coach. Sources say Kevin O’Connell is the top target for #UCLA’s offensive coordinator job under Chip Kelly. It won’t happen until the season ends, but a difficult position to turn down.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 24, 2017
The Redskins had some major coaching turnover last offseason when Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry was fired, and Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay was hired to be the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Rams. Barry was replaced by Greg Manusky and Jim Tomsula was hired to replaced fired DL coach Robb Akey. QB coach Matt Cavanaugh took over the OC job after spending two seasons as the QB coach.
Washington also made another move that was much more under the radar, hiring QB coach Kevin O’Connell to replace Cavanaugh. O’Connell was in the NFL from 2008-2012, and was a former 3rd round pick of the New England Patriots. His coaching career began as the QB coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2015. He then joined Chip Kelly’s staff with the San Francisco 49ers the following year as an offensive assistant before joining the Redskins this year.
Now Chip Kelly is reportedly targeting O’Connell to be his Offensive Coordinator at UCLA. Kelly failed spectacularly as an NFL Head Coach in his stints with the Eagles and 49ers and has returned to the college coaching ranks to take over the program at UCLA. This is a big opportunity for O’Connell, and it’s hard to see him turning down the job if it is offered.
If the Redskins need to replace their QB coach, they will only have one QB under contract next season(Colt McCoy), and hopefully another on that will be re-signed in the offseason(Kirk Cousins). If Cousins leaves, the Redskins will have to draft a QB to develop behind McCoy.