With nine head coach openings in the NFL this offseason, you knew there was a chance a team would look at Todd Monken as an offensive coordinator and play-caller.

He’d just led Georgia to a National Championship by getting the most out of Stetson Bennett, while turning a freshman tight end into Georgia’s most dangerous pass-catcher. He had prior experience with the role and there was the report from Bruce Feldman of The Athletic that he could return to the NFL.

Yet as the NFL hiring cycle comes to a close, it seems like an NFL team won’t be hiring Monken. As of this writing, only the Minnesota Vikings, the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots have openings. Minnesota formally announced the hiring of Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as head coach. It would appear that former Georgia assistant Thomas Brown is interviewing for the offensive coordinator opening with the Vikings.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Los Angeles has targeted Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen for its opening. Coen has prior experience with Sean McVay, as Coen was the quarterbacks coach for Los Angeles in 2020.

That Monken hasn’t been snatched away should be seen as a win for Georgia. In his second season as offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs averaged 38.6 points per game. That is the new high-water mark for points per game since Kirby Smart became the head coach.

Monken recently received a pay-bump for his services, going from $1.1 million to $1.25 million. Monken was not the only assistant to receive a pay raise, as Glenn Schumann, Will Muschamp and Tray Scott did as well.

What’s curious though is that Schumann, Muschamp and Scott all received greater increases. Muschamp and Schumann will take on greater responsibilities next season in calling the defense. Scott’s raise comes after a banner 2021 season for the Georgia defensive line.

Related: Raise for defensive line coach Tray Scott shows why continuity matters for Georgia football

In comparison to some of Monken’s peers, the $1.25 million salary is modest. Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien made $1.1 million last season. New Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby will make $1.8 million to call plays at Oklahoma. Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson is making $1.4 million.

Tony Elliott had been the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the sport last season, making $2.125 million but he is now the head coach at Virginia.

Monken will be Georgia’s highest-paid assistant next season, as the man who previously held that title, Dan Lanning, is now the head coach at Oregon. Lanning made $1.7 million last year at Georgia after Texas made an aggressive run at hiring him. Muschamp and Schumann will share defensive coordinator responsibilities this coming season and make $800,000 each next season.

Georgia has hired two new assistant coaches this offseason in wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon and outside linebackers coach Chidrea Uzo-Diribie. McClendon will make $700,000 next season while Uzo-Diribe will make $450,000. Georgia is still looking to hire a cornerbacks coach to replace Jahmile Addae, who left to coach at Miami.

Mike Bobo was hired as an offensive analyst and will make $100,000. Offensive analyst Buster Faulkner also received a raise, going from a salary of $150,000 to $250,000.

Georgia could end up giving Monken a new deal that pays even more than his current raise. Given how the 2021 season went for Georgia and Monken’s role on the offense, it would be deserved. It’s also worth noting that Georgia has not yet announced new contract details for Kirby Smart as well, after Georgia won the National Championship this past season.

More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation