During his first twenty years on the helm of the Patriots, Bill Belichick at all times had succession plans in place at positions of significance.
Specifically, from 2000-19, Belichick at all times had somebody apprenticing within the system to take over within the occasion any of his key coaches, gamers or personnel heads have been plucked away. When it got here to his offensive and defensive coordinators specifically, there was at all times a solution for who’s subsequent.
From Charlie Weis, to Josh McDaniels, to Bill O’Brien, again to McDaniels, there was at all times somebody in-house able to do the job and be the subsequent offensive coordinator. Same on the defensive aspect, going from Romeo Crennel, to Eric Mangini, Dean Pees, Matt Patricia after which Brian Flores earlier than having the Steve Belichick/Jerod Mayo combo coordinating the unit.
The “who’s next in line” query at all times had a solution – till lately.
Belichick didn’t have a ready-made substitute when McDaniels left final offseason to turn into the pinnacle coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. He additionally didn’t have a built-in successor when he selected to maneuver on from Tom Brady. Or when Rob Gronkowski initially retired, for that matter.
It’s been an element within the Patriots’ failure to win a playoff sport since Brady left.
There’s no query the Patriots have been hit exhausting in different areas, dropping director of participant personnel Nick Caserio, adopted by his substitute, Dave Ziegler, and offensive coordinator McDaniels, then additionally having Ernie Adams, Dante Scarnecchia and Ivan Fears retire. Talk about mind drain.
In the previous, these kinds of losses damage, however have been in the end absorbed quite seamlessly. Only the cabinet has been naked of late. That’s a part of the rationale why the not-so-dynamic duo of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge wound up in positions they didn’t belong final season.
Let’s simply say this: whereas it’s nice the Patriots have landed Bill O’Brien to run the offense, they will’t afford to depart themselves with out a solution if his keep in New England is short-lived. It’s no secret O’Brien desires to get again to being a head coach, so if he efficiently turns round Mac Jones and the Patriots offense, there’ll little question be some suitors.
That’s why the Patriots have to plan now and get their geese in a row, so to talk. They want the teaching model of subsequent man up. And, by the appears of it, they seem like on that very same wavelength.
Ross Douglas, who coached the huge receivers in 2022 and labored with the protection within the earlier season, served because the workforce’s offensive coordinator on the Shrine Bowl. Maybe there’s no correlation, however Douglas looks as if a risk for development. Players and coaches communicate extremely of him.
Richmond coach Russ Huesman, Douglas’ final boss earlier than arriving in New England, advised the Herald’s Andrew Callahan that he’s anticipating greater and higher issues from the Patriots huge receivers coach in a narrative finished final yr.
“You can just tell he’s an up-and-coming star in the business,” Huesman stated.
If not Douglas, Nick Caley may also be a risk. It’s unknown if Caley will return to his function as tight ends coach – his contract is up – however he could be one other in that class. Prior to O’Brien being named, Caley interviewed for the offensive coordinator job each in New England and in New York with the Jets. And Wednesday, he reportedly met with the Texans for his or her OC job.
Will Lowing was reportedly added to the employees. He coached with O’Brien in Houston. He was the Texans tight ends coach. So it’s not trying nice for a Caley return.
But if he stays with the Patriots, he and Douglas and even Lowing are candidates who might develop underneath O’Brien and assume the offensive coordinator function ought to he go away (although Belichick has now twice handed over Caley for the place).
Wide receivers/returners coach Troy Brown might be one other candidate.
He served as the pinnacle coach for the West workforce within the Shrine Bowl. If Brown has head-coaching aspirations, serving as an offensive coordinator would go a good distance towards attaining that aim. Out in Las Vegas, Brown stated he was blissful to achieve the expertise.
“All the planning has been left up to me — everything from practices, to travel, itinerary,” he stated. “So it puts me in a spot I’ve never been before and I couldn’t experience anywhere else. That is a valuable lesson I’m learning.”
Another lesson the Patriots have realized is continuity, particularly with holding the identical system in place. In the previous, Brady has spoken in regards to the benefit of by no means having to vary playbooks whereas he was in New England save for the brand new coordinator including on or offering tweaks. An tried change to a brand new system in 2022 underneath Patricia and Judge proved disastrous for Mac Jones.
Which brings us again to O’Brien.
Whatever system he employs, be it the outdated Patriots system he’s taught, some mixture of that and what he used at Alabama, it’s vital to maintain that system after he departs.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Belichick didn’t pursue O’Brien final yr because of the “fear” that the coach would depart in a yr if he did properly sufficient to land a head-coaching job elsewhere. Even with him right here, that narrative hasn’t modified. O’Brien won’t be right here for the lengthy haul. That’s what ESPN analyst Damien Woody suspects.
“If they make the right moves, and O’Brien turns that offense around, guess who’s going to be right back in the mix for a head coaching job? Bill O’Brien,” stated Woody. “If you look at the totality of his time in Houston, he did a pretty good job. So he’ll be sought after if that offense comes around.”
Whether O’Brien is right here for the lengthy haul, or not, it behooves the Patriots to plan forward. As Belichick found early on, it’s good enterprise to at all times have somebody in place.
Saluting Brady
The largest information of the week was Tom Brady asserting his retirement for a second time.
Former Patriots teammate Rodney Harrison believes it’s, as Brady stated, for good. In phrases of Brady’s legacy, and total influence, Harrison relayed a few tales and shared a few of his ideas.
The Patriots Hall of Fame security had advised this story final yr when Brady first referred to as it quits, but it surely bears repeating.
“When I first came to the Patriots, he was one of the guys who really welcomed me in and made me feel comfortable. He was extremely generous to me,” stated Harrison. “He took me to Pine Valley, one of the top two or three courses in the United States. Flew me in his private jet, and we hung out for a day. He just wanted to bond with me. That’s the type of guy he is. He made you believe in yourself.”
Brady did that, made the gamers round him higher, and impressed along with his competitiveness and need to win. Harrison stated he’s by no means come throughout one other participant who was as disciplined as Brady.
The GOAT’s lasting influence?
“I think Tom’s impact on this generation,” stated Harrison, “and the generation before that is he inspired guys like Matt Ryan, or Mac Jones and guys that aren’t necessarily that mobile, to know that, hey if I’m smart, if I’m patient, if I work hard, if I’m diligent in my reads, if I have my footwork right, I can still be a great quarterback in this era where it’s a lot of athletic quarterback, and everyone’s dependent on mobility.”
Brady signed a profitable cope with FOX to be a gam analyst. Harrison, who’s by no means been shy about telling it like it’s, stated he’d assist coach up Brady for his subsequent endeavor.
Said Harrison: “The biggest challenge for Tom is, being in that booth, and not telling the audience the obvious. If somebody’s doing bad, he can’t be afraid to criticize his peers.”
QB or bust
Woody says now that the Jets have their new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, there’s yet another shoe to drop in New York – a brand new quarterback.
Forget 2021 second total decide Zach Wilson, Mike White and/or Joe Flacco: the Jets need to improve.
“I am 100 percent sure there’s going to be a new quarterback,” Woody advised the Herald final week. “The owner (Woody Johnson) is all in. He’s going to do whatever it takes to upgrade the quarterback position. So when the owner says he’s going to do whatever it takes, you better know the Jets are going to move heaven and earth to try and get their quarterback position fixed. And that’s with a veteran quarterback.”
Aaron Rodgers is one veteran who has been linked to the Jets, due to his reference to Hackett, a former Packers coach.
Woody didn’t know if it could be Rodgers or another person, he simply is aware of the Jets are poised to make a transfer.
“The time to make a bold move is now. They have this championship defense, and they have weapons on offense. They just need the triggerman,” he stated. “That’s why they’re going to make a big move to bring a big-time quarterback in.”
The Dolphins may be in the identical boat, even when they’ve publicly backed Tua Tagovailoa, who missed the ultimate three video games, together with the playoff loss to the Bills. His concussion historical past leaves pause.
“I think it would be criminal for the Dolphins to not have some sort of contingency plan at the QB position,” stated Woody. “What occurs subsequent yr, when his head slams towards the turf, and he’s in concussion protocol once more?
“If I’m Steven Ross, and I’ve invested all of these resources, traded and paid for Tyreek Hill, traded in-season for Bradley Chubb, gave up a first-round pick for him … I’m not letting one guy derail that. If Tua goes down, then what?”
Even Bill Parcells questioned Tua’s long-term future, and the Dolphins want so as to add insurance coverage on the place.
“I’m not certain they have stability at the quarterback position,” Parcells lately advised The thirty third Team. “They seem to think they do. Tua Tagovailoa looks good from time to time, but he was hurt in college, and he’s been hurt a couple of times in the pros. I’m not sure they can rely on him.”
Mahomes/Brady
During the weekly episode of “Inside the NFL,” Julian Edelman praised Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for not solely taking part in via an ankle damage within the AFC Championship sport, however acting at an elite stage.
“It brings me back to times when I saw Tom Brady play really hurt. People didn’t know that Tom Brady had a broken foot in 2016 when we went out and won a Super Bowl,” stated Edelman. “That’s what great quarterbacks and great players do in this league. Everyone is banged up – the great ones figure a way out how to adjust their game to perform at a high level. And that’s what Patrick Mahomes did. That’s why to me, this is his best performance of his career.”
A damaged foot for Brady? When he introduced the Patriots again from 28-3 towards the Falcons in Super Bowl LI?
While Brady’s penchant for enjoying via accidents is well-known, that’s a brand new one for the newly retired quarterback.
Is it attainable Edelman meant 2010? That’s when Brady reportedly performed a lot or all of that season with a stress fracture in his foot. He had surgical procedure for that in January 2011.
In 2018, he performed with an enormous 11-stitch gash on his throwing hand. In 2021 with Tampa, he performed with a torn MCL. Guess it’s par for the course with the good ones.
It’ll be fascinating to see how Mahomes features on that ankle within the Super Bowl.
Source: www.bostonherald.com