Josh McDaniels, center, with quarterback Matt Cassel and coach Bill Belichick, is an offense mind taking over a Denver Broncos team that needs to be much more defense-minded.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

When you consider how Bill Belichick’s previous top assistants have fared in their first jobs as head coaches, you have to figure that 32-year-old offense wunderkind Josh McDaniels must really have wowed Broncos owner Patrick Bowlen in his interviews.

The problem in Denver is supposed to be defense. Yet Bowlen decided to replace Mike Shanahan — who, in 14 years as coach of the Broncos, won two Super Bowls, won 10 or more games seven times and had just two losing seasons while earning a reputation as one of the best offense minds in the game — with McDaniels, who has been offensive coordinator of the Patriots the last three seasons.

Certainly, given the development of Matt Cassel this season, and the record-setting performance of Tom Brady and the Patriots offense in 2007, McDaniels’ credentials are impressive. He may well be the game’s next great offensive mind.

But it would have been understandable if Bowlen had second thoughts about hiring McDaniels, given the records of Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini and Charlie Weis.

Crennel was just fired by the Browns, who promptly hired Mangini, who had been fired only a few days earlier by the Jets. Weis is on the ropes at Notre Dame, having struggled the last two years after getting off to a good start in his first two seasons.

McDaniels is his own man, and there’s no reason he should be judged based on the failures of previous Pats assistants as head coaches. On the other hand, since Crennel, Mangini and Weis haven’t exactly been wildly successful, there’s reason to wonder if the youthful McDaniels will succeed where Shanahan failed.

jdonalds@projo.com