Despite a very open Monday morning press conference from Bill Belichick stating he is willing to relinquish general manager duties for the betterment of the team and no current decision from owner Robert Kraft, a couple of NFL teams already have “reported” interest in Belichick.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Atlanta Falcons are a “team to watch” if Belichick and the Patriots were to part ways this off-season.
Atlanta recently fired their now-former head coach, Arthur Smith, who had spent the last three seasons with the organization. Atlanta would also be a very appealing position for Belichick if he were to be available. On top of a solid defense, Atlanta has some fun offensive tools in former first-round picks Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts, whom Belichick could utilize.
Another organization with interest that very recently fired its head coach is the Carolina Panthers. According to NFL Insider, Josina Anderson, Carolina, “at a high level,” has made informal inquiries regarding Bill Belichick.
Carolina may not have an intriguing roster compared to Atlanta, but Belichick would be able to work with former 2023 first-overall draft pick Bryce Young. Young, who attended the University of Alabama, would have a connection to Belichick, as the long-time Patriots’ head coach is very close to Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban.
If Robert Kraft decides that the organization should part ways with Belichick, he may look toward a trade to gain compensation while searching for other options. It is unclear what exactly Belichick could cost since he has yet to be put on the trade market, but a 2024 first-round pick could be a fair estimate for the time being.
Regarding the 2024 draft capital, Atlanta would have the current edge over Carolina in a bidding war with the eight overall draft selections. Carolina does not have their own first-rounder in 2024, as they sent that pick to Chicago last spring to trade up in the 2023 draft for Bryce Young.
Nonetheless, I suppose a parting of ways will be officially announced in the coming weeks. In that case, it is hard to imagine other organizations not showing any interest in one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. Robert Kraft should have a plethora of options.
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