The Seattle Seahawks are reshaping their coaching staff after the firing Tuesday of offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, and some league sources expected former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels to be among the top candidates before the St. Louis Rams hired him later in the day.
The Seahawks have been willing to spend a lot of money on coaches and players, and McDaniels was a hot candidate who interviewed with the Rams and Minnesota Vikings before settling on St. Louis.
Tom Cable, former head coach of the Oakland Raiders, was hired later Tuesday as the Seahawks' offensive line coach. The Hawks need an upgrade on the line, and Cable is a direct coaching descendant of Alex Gibbs, who retired as the Seahawks' line coach just before the season began.
Ray Brown, who will not return to the San Francisco 49ers as assistant offensive line coach, and Carl Smith, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, would fit schematically with the Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll, perhaps in assistant roles.
Some coaches who know Bates and Carroll believe the differences in their personalities -- Carroll has more of a laid-back persona, while Bates is fiery and super-intense at times -- could have led to the parting.
Ultimately, the Seahawks will have a series of staff changes for second offseason in a row.
