Since the Los Angeles Chargers fired Greg Roman, there have been a large number of fans begging Jim Harbaugh to let go of his usual habits and bring in a younger, more innovative mind to lead the offense.
The Chargers have already interviewed a number of candidates, but none of them fit this bill better than former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
Although the Dolphins found limited success in his final two seasons, his first two seasons in Miami gave ample reason to believe in his play-calling acumen. While it remains unclear what kind of chance Los Angeles had at actually bringing in McDaniel, he was the ideal hire in this cycle to revive their stagnant offensive structure.
Now, however, the Buffalo Bills' firing of Sean McDermott could take the Chargers out of the race before it's even truly begun.
Mike McDaniel would almost certainly go to Buffalo if he had the chance
Following their disastrous defeat to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, it was announced this morning that McDermott's time in Buffalo was coming to an end.
McDermott spent eight years with the Bills, and the team finished outside of the top-five in offense only once in the past six years. His limited success in the playoffs is what ultimately led the team to move in a new direction.
McDaniel, meanwhile, made it clear that he would rather accept an offensive coordinator job this offseason in a good situation rather than a head coaching job in a bad situation. The Buffalo job perhaps represents the best situation available this offseason.
What offensive-minded coach could resist the opportunity to work with Josh Allen and James Cook? With some re-tooling of the defense and different injury luck, this Bills team could quickly become the most dangerous in the NFL.
Although Los Angeles can claim Justin Herbert and a wide array of offensive weapons, Buffalo almost certainly presents a more desirable starting point than whatever Harbaugh can offer.
It's not as though the Chargers were a lock to get McDaniel in the first place. There are still a number of desirable head coaching opportunities across the NFL, although the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons have already made their decisions.
Yet, if Buffalo chooses to go with an innovative offensive mind to maximize Allen's talent, Los Angeles may have already lost their shot at the premier coordinator available in this cycle.
To an AFC foe, no less.