Ranking Seattle Seahawks potential OCs after reported interest in Chip Kelly

The Seattle Seahawks have hired a new head coach this offseason, of course. Mike Macdonald will replace long-term former HC Pete Carroll on the sidelines for Seattle. Seattle has also brought in Leslie Frazier to be the assistant head coach. The team also retained Senior defensive assistant Karl Scott. But the team still needs offensive and defensive coordinators.

Seattle knows it will not have a chance to have the services of current New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. The Giants denied the Seahawks' request to interview Kafka for the open OC position. The move would be a lateral one for Kafka so the Giants have every right to deny the request.

Various media reports said that Seattle interviewed Kelly on Tuesday about the OC job. Kelly is currently the head coach at UCLA but only has a 35-34 record at the school with slim hopes of getting better now that the school is joining the Big 10. But how do the offensive coordinators rank that Seattle is reportedly interested in?

Ranking the offensive coordinators Seattle Seahawks are reportedly interested in

No. 3 - UCLA head coach (and former NFL head coach) Chip Kelly

It has been a long time since Kelly was anything but a head coach. He also is not well-liked after his time leading the University of Oregon. But that does not mean he can't do the job. What might imply that is that he has never truly succeeded in the NFL.

His offenses when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013 through 2015 only got worse. In his one year with the San Francisco 49ers (2016), the team finished 31st in points and 32nd in yards. That he has not done very well at UCLA might further show he was always an overrated coach.

No. 2 - Detroit Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand

The most positive aspect about Engstrand is that had Ben Johnson been hired as a head coach elsewhere, Engstrand would have reportedly replaced Johnson as OC in Detroit. If the Lions allegedly had that much faith in Engstrand, why should the Seahawks not? Detroit's offense, especially its passing game, was very good.

The drawback is that Engstrand would be a first-time offensive coordinator in the NFL at the same time Mike Macdonald is becoming a first-time head coach. That might be too much newness to succeed. Still, Engstrand would likely bring a more creative scheme to Seattle than former OC Shane Waldron had.

No. 1 - Former Washington Huskies (current Alabama?) offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb

Hiring Grubb might mean Seattle is also interested in drafting Michael Penix, Jr. At least the two would have experience playing in Seattle since both were at Washington. Sure, the NFL is different than college, but the weather remains the same. Penix would know how to play in the weather and Grubb would know how to coach in it.

But Grubb also seems to have the ability to take the pieces given to him offensively and make them better. He did so at Fresno State and then at Washington. He also does not appear to be afraid to be aggressively creative. Still, maybe none of the OCs that Seattle is reportedly interested in would be home-run hires as they all have flaws. Grubb's main one is no NFL experience.

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