Answering questions submitted by X (formerly Twitter) followers. #NestTalks
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“Should the Patriots hit the restart button and start from scratch (from players to coaches)?” ~ @b_raine_belcher
The Patriots have a very complex offensive scheme compared to other NFL teams. One that is difficult for players, especially quarterbacks, to learn. After Tom Brady’s departure in the 2020 off-season, no New England quarterback has seen much success at all in the system, excluding Mac Jones’ rookie campaign back in 2021, which ended in a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wildcard round.
Traveling back a season before, in 2020, the Cam Newton-led Patriots looked destined for a playoff push after beginning the season with a 2-1 record and Newton already being placed in MVP conversations. Shortly after, Cam Newton was diagnosed with COVID-19 and missed weeks of practice, resulting in a pitiful rest of the season for New England.
During the following off-season, Newton stated on the “I Am Athlete” podcast hosted by former NFL players Brandon Marshall, Adam Jones, and LeSean McCoy that when he returned, he felt left behind.
“I was lost… I was stopped for two weeks. Then, by the time I came back it was new terminology… I was like hold on, go back to level one.”
So much had changed within Josh McDaniel’s playbook during Newton’s absence that he began questioning himself pre-snap and was overwhelmed with all of the changes. He never fully recovered production-wise.
Strictly, from a coaching standpoint, Bill O’Brien is a knowledgeable offensive mind who has seen his fair share of success in the NFL as an offensive coordinator and a head coach, and Bill Belichick remains one of the best head coaches in the NFL.
Should Bill Belichick consider a change regarding a couple of positional coaches? Maybe, but the real issue lies within the team’s compound offensive scheme, which O’Brien and former coordinator Matt Patricia have struggled with. Many currently successful teams in the NFL continuously win games with a simple yet effective offensive scheme.
If Mac Jones can’t be effective with the scheme after two and a half years, then how will a 22-year-old rookie quarterback labeled as the team’s future “franchise QB” be much better?
Relating to player personnel, it is evident that Bill Belichick, as a general manager, struggles to build an effective offense. Given the minimal amount of recent success and a true lack of explosive athletes, it may be time to completely revamp some positional areas on the offense.
“If Josh McDaniels comes back would Bill O’Brien stick around or move positions? Maybe front office and have McDaniels be the OC?” ~ @honzilla231
Despite the Raiders firing Josh McDaniels just days ago, the former Patriots offensive coordinator still has a couple of years left of guaranteed money from the organization. Therefore, it may not be urgent for him to find another job this season, and he could take some extended time off if that is what he desires.
The likely outcome, assuming McDaniels is re-hired onto the Patriots’ coaching staff, is for him to return as New England’s offensive coordinator once Bill O’Brien’s contract expires at the end of the 2024 NFL offseason. If he were to return during Bill O’Brien’s remaining tenure with the team, he could possibly be hired as an offensive assistant under O’Brien and be promoted to offensive coordinator the year after.
As for the future plan for Bill O’Brien, a search for another head coaching opportunity at the collegiate level or in the NFL would likely interest him once his coaching contract expires in New England.
Currently, there is no news of Josh McDaniels returning to the Patriots, and I would not expect there to be any for a while, if at all. A return to the coaching staff this season is likely out of the picture.
“Where do you think all of this cap space goes when free agency starts in 2024?” ~ @ForcesCorrupted
As of today, the Patriots are set to have $92 million in cap space this off-season. However, that number will undeniably take a steep decline as we approach the start of the 2024 free agency period. New England will have many key players to make decisions on when it comes to re-signing. Some of those names include standout offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, hard-hitting safety Kyle Dugger, red-zone threat Hunter Henry, and fan-favorite wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.
No one can place an exact number on how much money the Patriots will have once free agency begins. Given that the team will also have to save extra money to sign their future draft selections and make roster moves during the 2024 regular season, they may not be able to make a splash move that fans will hope for.
With their remaining money after their desired re-signings, as well as setting some aside for future expenses, it may be another depth-filling free agency for the New England Patriots. Similar to what we saw from them during the 2023 free agency period.
However, I would not put it beyond Bill Belichick to make cap-clearing moves for a standout wide receiver, as the upcoming free-agent class could be loaded with talent. Calvin Ridley, veteran Mike Evans, and Tee Higgins are just a few that may be available.
