5 Mike Kafka replacements the Giants should already be thinking about

There's no doubt that the NY Giants offense has been abysmal this season. The offensive line has been the team's weakest link, as they are not doing what is needed to protect the Blue Blue's weapons. Two different quarterbacks and three different running backs have suffered injuries this year, which has led to head coach Brian Daboll relying on rookies and inexperienced players who weren't even topics of discussion during training camp.

Additionally, the Giants offense is ranked last in the NFL in total yards (2,592), points (118), and total points per game (11.8). New York needs help driving down the field against all defensive opponents. Giants' punter Jamie Gillan leads the league in punts with 57 this season. Through the last 10 weeks, there are so many players and personnel that frustrated Big Blue fans can point the finger for their lack of success as they sit last in the NFC East, but at the end of the day, the struggles fall on offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

The Giants need to make changes this offseason and rethink their offensive scheme, especially if they plan on taking a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The G-Men are projected to have the No. 2 overall pick, which they will have to make a big decision that could change how their offense looks at the moment. With that said, if Daboll and Joe Schoen look to replace Kafka, here are five options for them to consider:

5. Byron Leftwich

One of the options the Giants could look into is former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. The 43-year-old assistant was a quarterback who played for several teams throughout his professional career, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he served as Ben Roethlisberger's backup in a run to a Super Bowl XLIII victory.

Leftwich also starred at the collegiate level with Marshall, where he was a two-time Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Following his playing career, Leftwich pursued coaching, where he succeeded in the NFL.

From 2016 to 2018, Leftwich served on the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff as an intern, quarterbacks coach, and eventually the interim offensive coordinator following Mike McCoy's departure from the organization. The following year, the Cardinals fired Leftwich after the team finished 3-13, their worst record since 2000.

Leftwich would then join Bruce Arians' staff as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was crucial in leading the team to their second Super Bowl championship in 2020 with the help of Tom Brady at quarterback. After the SB run, Leftwich was considered a top candidate for several head coaching jobs, but never received any offers and was eventually let go by the Bucs in 2022.

4. Miami Dolphins QBs coach Darrell Bevell

One of this NFL season's most prominent storylines has been Tua Tagovailoa's resurgence. The Dolphins have finished over .500 every year after the 2019-20 season and have been a winning team since Tua arrived in Miami. Still, many football fans were worried about the quarterback's future after failing to get the Dolphins over the hump of becoming contenders and suffering from multiple concussions in one season.

A year later, Tua is leading the Miami Dolphins at the top of the AFC East standings and has managed to stay healthy throughout the season. Tagovailoa has thrown for 2,609 yards and nine touchdowns in nine games. A significant reason for his performance this year could be Miami's passing game coordinator and quarterback coach Darrell Bevell.

The 53-year-old coach has been a part of several coaching staffs around the league, including the Packers, Vikings, Seahawks, Lions, and most recently, the Jaguars. He has served as a quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator, and even interim head coach for the Lions and Jaguars after head coaches Matt Patricia and Urban Meyer were dismissed.

Suppose the Giants decide to part ways with Kafka this winter. In that case, the front office may look into hiring Bevell because of his impressive resume and recent performance working with Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. It appears a couple of G-Men fans wouldn't mind welcoming him to NY either:

3. Ohio State OC Brian Hartline

One of the top OC candidates from the collegiate ranks is Ohio State's Brian Hartline. The 36 year old is a Canton, Ohio native and OSU alumnus, where he played wideout from 2005 through 2008. Hartline went on to play for the Miami Dolphins for five years and spent a short period with the Cleveland Browns before going on to coaching.

Since 2017, Hartline has been a member of Ohio State's coaching staff, where he served as an offensive quality control assistant before taking over as wide receivers coach when the team dismissed Zach Smith. In 2020, 247Sports named Hartline "National Recruiter of the Year," - a year later, he was promoted to passing game coordinator on top of his responsibilities as wide receivers coach. Before this season, he was promoted to the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator.

Not only has Hartline emerged as one of the nation's top recruiters, but he is also an elite talent developer, especially regarding wideouts. Several of the league's best young wide receivers have come out of OSU during Hartline's tenure in Columbus, including Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and soon-to-be Marvin Harrison Jr.

2. Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is quickly rising the coaching ranks and won't only have several offers from multiple organizations after this NFL season, but even head coaching offers. Johnson is the Lions' offensive coordinator and has helped lead Detroit to a 7-2 overall record. They're in first in the NFC North.

The Lions had struggled to get back to the playoffs and create a consistent flow on the offensive side of the ball; however, in the last few years, that trend has flipped, and a significant reason could be Johnson. The 37-year-old OC joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach after spending time with Boston College and six years with the Miami Dolphins.

In 2020, Johnson was retained by the Lions when Dan Campbell was hired to become the franchise's 30th head coach and was promoted to tight ends coach, where he can work with TJ Hockenson. The Lions struggled, finishing Campbell's first season with a 3–13–1 record. Last season, Detroit opened the year at 1–6; however, they finished the season with a 9-8 record and completed their first winning season since 2017. The Lions are considered a top contender in the NFC and an absolute lock for playoff contention.

With the recent success of the Detroit Lions and the sudden emergence of this explosive offense displaying Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta, it's pretty clear plenty of teams will be calling Johnson this offseason. It will be interesting to see where he lands, but whichever team gets their hands on him will be lucky to have him.

1. Buffalo Bills interim OC Joe Brady

One of the top offensive coordinator candidates this offseason will be the Buffalo Bills' interim OC and quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, who recently took over for Ken Dorsey. The Bills let go of Dorsey following Buffalo's 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Brady had been serving as the quarterbacks coach and working closely with Josh Allen since last season and now will add offensive coordinator to his responsibilities.

Before joining Buffalo, Brady was an offensive assistant to Sean Payton on the New Orleans Saints in 2017; he worked with the National Champion Louisana State Tigers as a passing game coordinator & wide receivers coach in 2019 under head coach Ed Orgeron and helped develop wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, and was the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers under head coach Matt Rhule.

After Monday's loss, the Bills record through 10 weeks is 5-5, and they felt it was time to take a chance on the 34-year-old coach and to make the leadership change on offense. Brady has wasted no time pushing his offense to exceed expectations, as he was seen during practice running routes with the pass catchers. The Bills had been considered a contender for the last few seasons but have disappointed fans this year with losses to teams like the Jets, Patriots, and recently, the Broncos. 

If Brady can turn things around in Buffalo, Bills GM Brandon Beane could decide to retain the interim offensive coordinator long-term; however, if both parties move on, the Giants might make sense for the rising talent. Big Blue and the Bills have a strong connection, as Daboll and Schoen previously worked for the AFC East side. The Giants also have a number of former Bills on their roster, including Tyrod Taylor, Isaiah Hodgins, and Matt Breida.