The New England Patriots are headed into another offseason where the NFL greedily yanks talent away from Bill Belichick’s coaching and front-office tree. So far: Belichick lost offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and executive Dave Ziegler.
There may be more, with linebackers coach Jerod Mayo drawing interest for head coach and defensive coordinator positions. Executive Eliot Wolf has also gotten interviews for GM gigs. Running backs coach Ivan Fears is likely to retire, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Those are likely the only other options to depart because the NFL has so often mined the Patriots’ staff for talent. That follows the recent departures of Nick Caserio (front-office), Ernie Adams (front-office), Dante Scarnecchia (coaching), Monti Osenfort (front-office), Brian Flores (coaching), Joe Judge (coaching), Jerry Schuplinski (coaching), Chad O’Shea (coaching) and Patrick Graham (coaching).
It has been a staggering exodus. It’s unclear how Belchick has held it all together with a staff that grows less and less experienced by the year — rather than the other way around.
But because those departures have only enjoyed mixed successes, New England actually has a unique set of hiring opportunities. It could get complicated emotionally, with egos and hurt pride at play. But Belichick could look at the roster of jobless or soon-to-be jobless coaches and put together one of his best staffs in recent memory.
Here’s who’s out there:
- Bill O’Brien, current Alabama OC and former Houston Texans coach and Patriots OC
- Brian Flores, former Dolphins coach and Patriots defensive play-caller
- Joe Judge, former Giants coach and Patriots special teams coordinator
- Chad O’Shea, former Dolphins OC and Patriots offensive assistant
- Jerry Schuplinski, former Giants QBs coach and Patriots assistant QBs coach
- Adam Gase, former Jets coach and close friend to McDaniels
- George Godsey, Dolphins current co-offensive coordinator, former Texans offensive coordinator and Patriots offensive assistant
- Brian Hoyer, Patriots QB (who projects well as an assistant coach)
It’s easy to see this talent on paper and say: HIRE THEM BILL! NOW! (Though I’m sure some of these names are more controversial to Patriots fans than others.)
It’s much harder for Belichick to determine the nuanced staffing dynamics that might shake up New England’s pecking order if he hired some of these candidates. Positional coaches work long and hard to climb up the totem pole and a massive influx of returning talent may frustrate those coordinators-in-training.
In the case of special teams coordinator Cam Achord and de-facto defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, Bill’s son, the Patriots would have to try to dredge out a potentially mucky situation, if they brought in Judge and Flores. Would the Patriots add Judge and Flores and name them co-coordinators with the current staffers in place? Or would one of the four coaches have to handle a demotion?
Flores, in particular, is still hunting for a head coaching job, a title which he deserves — and all the more reason to try to acquire him if that head-coaching hunt doesn’t work out. It’s hard to imagine him settling for “co-defensive coordinator” or “linebackers coach,” even if (and maybe especially if) his duties extend far beyond that. So the Patriots might have to make some sort of accommodations to appease his ambition to be a coach again. What about assistant head coach? (No, not assistant to the head coach.) Could Belichick stomach such a title if it meant bringing back Flores?
O’Brien has been a head coach. He might not view Patriots offensive coordinator as much of a promotion from Alabama. (Though, he should view any NFL opportunity as worthwhile after a very ugly ending in Houston.) He — and other offensive coaches — will need to be the Patriots’ focal-point as they attempt to rebuild their staff. McDaniels was not only the offensive coordinator but also the quarterbacks coach. In theory, the Patriots could and probably should hire two coaches to replace him. That’s where Schuplinksi or Gase might present an interesting opportunity.
O’Brien, Judge and Gase are among the many who struggled as head coaches, for one reason or another. Their reputation isn’t perfect. So Belichick and these coaches would have to swallow pride and accept the external criticism that will come with each hire.
And to be clear, I’m not saying Belichick should hire all of these coaches. But maybe he could pick two or three of them to bring depth back into his coaching ranks which have grown depleted. In some cases, it would be a hard sell for the coaches, who may not want to step down into a role with the organization. In other cases, it would be risky, given the criticism Belichick would get externally — and maybe even internally from coaches hoping for promotions. But it could be worthwhile for Belichick to consider all options for his players as the Patriots look to rebuild their franchise around quarterback Mac Jones.
