There’s an old scouting report typwritten in all capital letters that explains what New England is doing, why tight end Mike Gesicki might not be done and also why Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was still right.
The report was written by Bill Belichick before he was the Belichick we know. It involves the larger alchemy involved in free-agent decisions, more than just grabbing the biggest talent out there. As Cleveland Browns coach in 1991, Belichick handed scouts a few pages on what they should look for at each position to fit his system.
This is standard procedure of any regime. Nick Saban brought this report with him to the Miami Dolphins in 2005, breaking positions down by size and speed parameters for scouts. Adam Gase spent two hours with scouts in 2016 explaining what he wanted in a guard.
