Since selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick of this year’s draft, the Patriots have made it clear that they will take their time before giving Maye the keys to the offense. Part of that decision is due to the acquisition of veteran backup Jacoby Brissett, who, in an eight-year roundtrip that has included stops in Indianapolis, Miami, Cleveland, and Washington, has 48 starts to his name. Another factor is simply that it’s difficult to start in the NFL as a rookie, especially with a new offensive system being installed. 
Along with two new frontrunners at quarterback, the Patriots have brought in former Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to call plays for the first time in his career. After about 12 years as a position coach (mostly mentoring quarterbacks), Van Pelt got his first coordinator job in 2020 under head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. With Stefanski calling plays, Van Pelt was unable to gain that play-calling experience, calling the offense only once in a Wild Card win over the Steelers, a game which Stefanski missed.
In his first season actually getting to run an NFL offense, Van Pelt has committed to bringing the West Coast offense to New England, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. As a coach in the NFL, Van Pelt has had a multitude of experience working for West Coast disciples like Mike McCarthy, Zac Taylor, and Stefanski. Joined by offensive assistant Ben McAdoo (another student of McCarthy) and quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney, who studied under Kyle Shanahan, New England is now the home of multiple offensive coaches with heaps of experience coaching West Coast offenses.
Implementing a new system is going to be a difficult undertaking for the entire offense, let alone Maye. Van Pelt claimed his goal was to make it through the entire offensive playbook in spring practices, per Volin, and to his credit, the new play caller claims that they were able to get through it twice.
Even with two run-throughs in the spring, though, Maye still has a long way to go. In addition to learning a completely new playbook, the rookie will need to make the regular adjustments required of a rookie making the jump to NFL starter. Maye will need to become accustomed to the operations of running an offense, including calling plays in the huddle and communicating audibles. He’ll also need to improve his footwork and work at reading NFL defenses, a much taller task than doing so at the collegiate level.
Because of all the work still required of Maye before he’s ready to lead an NFL offense, the return of Brissett to New England is significant. Two years ago, Brissett served as a stand-in starter while the Browns waited from Deshaun Watson to return from suspension. He also started two nearly full seasons for the Colts after an injury to and surprise retirement from Andrew Luck in two different seasons. His time with five different teams also gives him a litany of experience learning new offenses, as well. Not to mention that his 11 starts for Cleveland came under Van Pelt and Stefanski, making him already well-versed in a similar playbook.
Though the combination of the work to be done by Maye and the experience of Brissett seems to keep Maye out of the starting job for now, Maye has already impressed early. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Maye has seemingly surpassed Bailey Zappe on the depth chart and should come into training camp as QB2. There’s still work to be done as the Patriots wisely take their time ensuring Maye is ready for the NFL, but with the work to be done, the team seems satisfied with where they’re at for now.
NE could have done a complete reboot, but choose not to. Similar coaching staff, front office, & roster. Could have easily traded back for 3 and built up the team. Yet, they go into the season expecting to be well below .500 and not know what they have in a QB.
Bringing Belichick back for 2024 would’ve been a desperate attempt to remain relevant after that spectacular collapse to 4-13.
Bill is the most overrated HC in NFL history. Well below .500 w/o Tom as his QB over 9 seasons. But they kept a solid amount of his staff and roster is my comment, both are crap.
I’m sorry, but six super bowls? This doesn’t pass the smell test.
Most coaches who aren’t starting their number one quarterback have a losing record no matter what team it is. Bill had the gumption to go with Brady over Bledsoe in the first place, which was not fully embraced by anyone, fan or media. The Patriots with their success were subject to media scrutiny to the highest degree both locally and nationally. Interview after interview of current and former Patriots revealed that Bill was completely and solely responsible for the defense that consistently outperformed the rest of the NFL despite the multiple evolutions of offenses throughout his two decades at the helm.
Bill Belichick was not a people pleaser and truthfully didn’t draft that well, these are legitimate criticisms. But he knew NFL tape and turned multiple fringe players from other franchises, both offense and defense, into high quality productive contributors.
If you want to go the complete hater route, both Bill and Brady were caught cheating in the NFL. Personally, I think they both compromised the integrity of the game with their individual actions. Some may think one was worse than the other, but no determination of severity between the two can really be made. Treating each situation as a punished breach of the rules seems appropriate.
I’m not sure which aspect of his personality, or tactics on defense or personnel decisions you have decided are overrated, perhaps you are just a fan of Jets, Dolphins or Buffalo, but Bill Belichick is one of, if not the greatest coach to ever coach in the NFL.
0 SB’s w/o Tom & a record 83-101 w/o Tom as his starting QB. That’s fireable. I do agree both Bill and Tom were caught cheating as well. Please add to my list. Bill is overrated.
Now as a D-minded coordinator, he was awesome. But if Bledsoe didn’t get hurt, he never would have started a 6th round QB. Very few teams do; let alone to see that level of success, at any position. Tom’s promotion was pure luck, not great scouting or coaching.
One could argue there is no Brady without Bill. How many team would’ve taken a chance on him back then? It wasn’t the war of attrition with the QBs it is now where every team starts a backup ~3 times per year and sometimes multiple backups. Say what you want and I’m a huge Brady fan, but Brady is Brady b/c of Bill and vice versa.
Teams trade and draft 6th round picks every year. Please don’t try and tell me Bill was so sly he cleverly decided not to draft the GOAT at QB until the 6th round to save cap room(?).
Farty is delusional. Pay no attention to whatever he says.
BB is the GOAT Farty…go sit in the corner.
As always a guy that literally says the league is fixed (you’re name to help you out) supports a multiple time cheater in Bill, shocking. You’re hopeless.
Farty? What are you 10 years old?
You’re am idiot. I hate Belichick and the Pats but know there’s no truth to what you say.
To me? How is Bill’s record w/o Tom irrelevant, 9 seasons. Not like I go after him after 1 losing season.
Don’t mind arty, he’s a Jackson Mahomes fanboy.
Farty might be Jackson…
Please name a current great head coach that is showing success with an awful QB.
That means they aren’t good HC’s then. The game is still fundamentally the same. If you have an average QB, then you need a strong O line, build up the ground game and TE’s for a short passing game. Bill’s rosters were clearly at the bottom of the NFL in terms of talent which is why— both in their primes—HoF’ers Brady and Gronk walked. Tired of Bill’s attitude, poorly constructed teams, and sheer lack of enjoyment.
Bill’s mentor, B Parcells, won with that formula. Nobody argues that either Phil Simms or J Hostetler should be in Canton do they?
Did you know that Tom Brady didn’t play defense?
Phil Simms has received HOF votes, just not enough to get in. He was not an awful QB.
Bill’s D’s have never been in question. From his time w/ the Giants in the 80’s until last year in NE. I don’t understand your point.
Phil isn’t a HoF’er and everyone knows it. Excerpt from BR written in 2011: ‘Two Pro Bowl selections, two-time Super Bowl winner (one as a starting quarterback).’
2 time prowlers don’t make the Canton cut. Not even close.
In today’s NFL you don’t trade back at 3 unless you have your QB of the future set in absolute stone. No team “knows” what they have in a rookie qb even selected number one or two overall they flop all the time. But being by far the most important position you take your shot on who you see the most out of. You don’t get a chance to select a QB that high every year.
I think Mayo is just biding his time and then he’s going to sign Colon Caperstink to a 50 million a year contract and start him week one. No Maye, no Brissett just the “woke” Colon and his golden arm. 85 TD passes- 25,000 yards-and a 99.8 completion percentage. He rewrites the record books and then buys the Patriots from Kraft and resigns himself for 75 million.
Very dastardly, indeed. I hope that Mayo grows a thin, curly mustache in this scenario. Maybe he’ll tie Belichick’s new girlfriend to some train tracks. Some truly dastardly behavior.
Colon? Multiple times, guessing that’s intentional like the rest of your diatribe.
Can your brain not process sarcasm? And yes, Colon, as in part of your intestines that are full of S**T, much like Colon himself.
Well, they have time. New England doesn’t have a strong offense right now, and their line still needs to prove that it’s not terrible. Their receivers need to step up, the running game needs to recover, and their coordinator needs to learn what will work with the group. They have a very experienced and pretty reliable backup/bridge starter in Jacoby Brissett who can handle a few games or an entire year of duty under center. There’s no need to rush their third overall pick out while he does some homework on his own and the organization gives him a better set of tools with which to work.
Not to mention, there was just an article touching on the dire state of New England’s left tackle situation. It’s going to be difficult for Maye to develop and stay healthy if retreads like Lowe and Okorafor are protecting the blindside
Lowe has, in my opinion, one of the best names in football, and is one of the most painful players to watch. The right tackle situation in New England was so bad last year that it made watching the left tackle situation preferable by comparison. It was truly hard to watch. Maybe last year’s trial by fire has given him some lessons for the future, but I would encourage any who watch NE games to pay attention to him in particular. I agree completely.
As a side note, it’s always great to see a post from you, wagner!
If not Bill as GOAT then who? Any great coach would have had great quarterbacks who would have executed the plan. Lombardi had Bart Starr. Chuck Noll had Bradshaw. Shula had Unitas and Marino. Reid has Mahomes. Jimmy Johnson had Aikman.
We all love arty! but I’m worried there will be some comment about Belichick on his gravestone 🙂 Perhaps it’s time to find a new obsession.
nobody loves Arty, the tool.
Farty must be a Doofins fan.