INDIANAPOLIS — Marcus Brady, the Indianapolis Colts' quarterbacks coach the last three seasons, was recently promoted to be the team's offensive coordinator, taking over for Nick Sirianni, who has been hired as the new head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. What did Brady tell reporters today about his new opportunity?
You can catch that entire session above, but here are some top takeaways:
» Brady is ready to take on the added responsibilities that come with being the offensive coordinator: As the Colts' quarterbacks coach the last three seasons, Brady was obviously already very involved in the team's entire offensive process. But with Sirianni now taking over the Eagles' franchise, Brady will be relied upon as head coach and offensive playcaller Frank Reich's right-hand-man both throughout the week to prepare for each game, and then on gameday itself.
"Yeah, (I'll) just be more involved in the offense in every aspect of it," Brady said. "Obviously, we have a great staff and our staff is going to do a great job, but I'm obviously going to have my hands in all of it and be ready to help with the game planning part.
"Just the entire process — working with Frank, because obviously I am replacing him, just the interactions that he has with Frank," Brady said when asked what he learned from Sirianni and his relationship with Reich. "Obviously, the three of us were always in the quarterback meetings there so I am used to what Frank expects to help us be ready come gameday."
And what, exactly, will Brady be expecting on those gamedays?
"Just be another voice and to help (Reich) out — in between series, give him ideas, what we are seeing, communicate with the other staff whether it is run plays, other pass plays," Brady said. "Again, it's a collective group effort there. Then relaying that back to Frank, because Frank has to pay attention to what is going on while the defense is going, so we kind of brainstorm together and then communicate with Frank there so he's ready to go the next series."
Brady said he believes serving as the quarterbacks coach in this system for multiple years will make the transition to offensive coordinator easier.
"As you are preparing a quarterback, you have to prepare him for every aspect of the offense, so you have to know the protections, the run game, the pass game," Brady said. "So you need to know even if you may not be involved in all the gameplanning of where it came from because other coaches are involved, you have to allocate time elsewhere, but at the same time the way we work, us coaches coach each other as well. So they coach us on the gameplan so that we are able to present to our individual positions and then get our guys prepared. So being a quarterback (coach) here you have to know it all so that has helped prepare me for this role."
» Brady knows there are a couple notable holes to fill on the offensive depth chart moving forward, but it's too early to even guess what might happen: The Colts this offseason have already seen the retirement of both their starting quarterback and left tackle, and they also have plenty of notable offensive players set to hit the open market as free agents come mid-March.
Brady, of course, is well aware of these facts. At the moment, however, all he can do — and all his offensive staff can do — is study plenty of tape, whether it's for self-scouting purposes to improve their own processes and schemes heading into 2021, or whether it's potential free agent, trade or NFL Draft targets.
"Watching film — watching a ton of film," Brady said of what his next few months are going to look like. "Obviously, we review the guys that are here, that have been here the past few years — Jacoby (Brissett), Jacob (Eason — and what they can bring to the team. Then Chris (Ballard) and his staff are putting together other options if that's the direction we want to go to, but it's still early in the process. We are going to evaluate how we can improve — like we do every year — at that (quarterback) position, how we can improve as a team and we are going to spend this time going through it."
At left tackle, the Colts have been faced with replacing Anthony Castonzo, their starter at that crucial spot the last 10 seasons; Castonzo announced his retirement from the NFL on Jan. 12.
At quarterback, the Colts will look for a new leader moving forward after veteran Philip Rivers announced his own retirement last week after spending the 17th and final season of his illustrious career in Indy last year.
Then there are the pending free agents — guys like wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight ends Mo Alie-Cox and Trey Burton, as well as running back Marlon Mack.
"Every year you are always going to try and get better," Brady said. "You look at areas where you've lost players. I mean every team goes through it so it is really nothing new. Obviously, quarterback is a very important position, left tackle is a very important position so we have to address those issues. That's a process that we are going to be working on. Chris (Ballard) and his staff do a great job. Frank (Reich) and I will put our heads together as an entire group and staff and put the best roster out there."
