With O’Brien set to replace Jeff Hafley as Boston College’s HC, he not do so after being booted from the Patriots. The veteran coach said he was given an opportunity to stay on under Jerod Mayo. A number of Bill Belichick assistants are still in place, including Brian Belichick, but O’Brien is now back in the college ranks.

[RELATED: Patriots Promote DeMarcus Covington To DC]

“I definitely had an opportunity to stay,” O’Brien said (via WEEI.com’s Mike Kadlick). “I thought it was really important for coach Mayo to hire his own staff. I came and worked for Bill Belichick, and I think it’s really important for Jerod to be able to hire his own staff. The Krafts were great about that, and I really appreciate that. And Ryan Day was awesome about offering me a job, so that’s why I made that decision.”

Robert Kraft played a key role in bringing O’Brien back to Foxborough. A rumor pegged Belichick as remaining interested in keeping Matt Patricia on as the Patriots’ de facto OC. But O’Brien — the Pats’ OC in 2011, closing out a multiyear play-calling stint with the team — brought extensive experience on the offensive side. This led Patricia to Philadelphia. O’Brien committed to Ohio State on Jan. 18. The Packers hired Hafley on Jan. 31. Days later, O’Brien agreed to come back to Boston.

A January report indicated the Pats were not planning to run it back with O’Brien as OC; he would have needed to vie for the job as part of a search. O’Brien took his name out of consideration early. After a thorough search, the Patriots ended up with ex-Browns OC Alex Van Pelt, who has one season of play-calling experience. But Van Pelt represents a new voice in a building still filled with Belichick assistants.

Mayo having only worked for the Patriots led to some concerns about his ability to fill out a staff, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes. This helps explain why Eliot Wolf, who is believed to be the team’s new front office boss, was involved in coaching searches and why a few ex-Packers assistants are part of Mayo’s first staff. Wolf was a regular presence in coaching interviews during this hiring period. He and Van Pelt overlapped as Packers staffers from 2012-17.

Ben McAdoo is another ex-Packers assistant who is now with the Patriots. The former Giants HC and Van Pelt worked together in Green Bay from 2012-13, a stay that ended with McAdoo as QBs coach and Van Pelt as running backs coach. After the Giants hired McAdoo as their OC in 2014, Van Pelt — a longtime NFL backup QB — shifted over to become Aaron Rodgers‘ position coach. While McAdoo will now work for Van Pelt, Volin adds he hold the title of senior offensive assistant in New England.

Additionally, the Patriots will split up their linebacking coach role. Dont’a Hightower will coach the team’s outside ‘backers, per Volin. Drew Wilkins is overseeing the ILBs. This will allow Hightower a smoother path into the coaching ranks. The standout Patriot has not held a full-time coaching job previously.

The Pats are also hiring Taylor Embree as their running backs coach, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. Embree, 35, spent the past three years coaching the Jets’ running backs. The team dismissed the former Mike LaFleur hire earlier this offseason. The son of Dolphins TEs coach/ex-Colorado HC Jon Embree, Taylor had been a lower-level staffer under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. The Jets gig marked the 35-year-old assistant’s first position coach role in the NFL.

Patriots tight ends coach Will Lawing is on track to follow O’Brien to Boston College, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel tweets. This is not exactly surprising, as Lawing has worked with O’Brien for more than 10 years. Lawing followed O’Brien to Penn State, the Texans, Alabama and then the Patriots.

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

• Cortez Hankton, co-offensive coordinator (LSU): Interview requested
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Hired

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

• Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
• Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

• Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
• Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

• Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
• Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed 1/17
• Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Kentucky): Interviewed
• Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/18
• Klint Kubiak, pass-game coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
• Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interview blocked
• Greg Olson, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Interviewed
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed
• Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
• Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Hired

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

• Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
• Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

• Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
• Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): Hired
• Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/25
• Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/23
• Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interview requested; hired as Eagles OC

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

• Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Spoke recently
• Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Hired
• Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): Interviewed twice
• Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interview requested
• Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Withdrew from consideration
• Klint Kubiak, pass-game coordinator (49ers): May interview; hired as Saints OC
• Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): To interview 1/24; hired as Bengals OC
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
• Mike Sullivan, quarterback coach (Steelers): Interviewed 1/25
• Alex Van Pelt, former offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/25; hired as Patriots OC
• Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Mentioned as candidate; hired as Bears OC

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

• Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Hired as pass-game coordinator
• Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Ravens): Hired

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

• Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed
• Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/29
• Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interviewed
• Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Interviewed
• Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Interviewed 1/30
• Klint Kubiak, passing game coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
• Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Interviewed 1/23; hired as Bengals OC
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
• Scott Turner, passing game coordinator (Raiders): Interview expected
• Alex Van Pelt, former offensive coordinator (Browns): Hired
• Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed; hired as Bears OC

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

• Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed
• Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Conducted second interview 1/31
• Brian Griese, quarterbacks coach (49ers): Interviewed
• Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/29
• Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Conducted second interview 1/27
• Klint Kubiak, pass-game coordinator (49ers): Hired
• Greg Lewis, receivers coach (Ravens): To interview
• Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Second interview on 1/24; hired as Bengals OC
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed; hired as Falcons OC
• Mike Sullivan, quarterbacks coach (Steelers): To interview
• Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed; hired as Bears OC

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

• Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
• Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
• Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

• Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed 1/24
• Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/26
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
• Arthur Smith, former head coach (Falcons): Hired

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

• Eric Bieniemy, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Rumored candidate
• Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
• Ryan Grubb, offensive coordinator (Alabama): Expected to be hired
• Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview blocked

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

• Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Kentucky): Hired
• Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): To interview
• Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): To interview
• Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/30
• Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/30
• Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/31
• Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/29; hired as Eagles OC
• Jake Peetz, pass-game specialist (Rams): Interviewed 2/1
• Antwaan Randle El, wide receivers coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/26
• Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
• John Van Dam, tight ends coach (Buccaneers): To interview
• Alex Van Pelt, former offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/29

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

• Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
• Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
• Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

• Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
• Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

• Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview
• Aden Durde, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested
• Jimmy Lake, former head coach (Washington): Hired

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

• Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

• Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
• Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
• Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

• Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
• Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
• Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
• Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview
  

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

• Aden Durde, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interviewed 2/6
• Al Harris, cornerbacks coach (Cowboys): Mentioned as candidate
• Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): To interview 2/8
• Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 2/5
• Rex Ryan, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed; team still interested
• Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Frontrunner?; hired as Commanders DC
• Mike Zimmer, former head coach (Vikings): Hired

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

• Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): To interview; hired as Bills DC
• Aden Durde, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested
• Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Rumored candidate
• Jeff Hafley, head coach (Boston College): Hired 
• Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): Rumored candidate
• Zach Orr, linebackers coach (Ravens): Interviewed 1/31
• Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/25
• Aubrey Pleasant, defensive backs coach (Rams): Rumored candidate
• Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
• Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Interview requested

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

• Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed
• Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
• Chris Harris, defensive backs coach (Titans): Interviewed
• Chris Hewitt, pass-game coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
• Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
• Don Martindale, former defensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/16-1/17
• Ryan Nielsen, defensive coordinator (Falcons): Hired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

• Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

• Aden Durde, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested
• Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Mentioned as candidate
• Aubrey Pleasant, defensive backs coach (Rams): Expected to interview
• Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed
• Chris Shula, inside linebackers coach (Rams): Promoted
• Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/30
• Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): To interview

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

• Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Interview requested
• Anthony Campanile, inside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
• Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
• Leslie Frazier, former defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/30
• Chris Kiffin, linebackers coach (Texans): To interview
• Chris Shula, linebackers coach/pass-rush coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/1
• Ryan Slowik, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interview expected
• Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed
• Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach (Ravens): Hired

New England Patriots

• DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
• Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
• Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
• Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

• Derrick Ansley, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed
• Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Interview requested; promoted to Bills DC
• Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Titans): To be hired
• Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interview requested
• Brendan Daly, linebackers coach (Chiefs): Interviewed
• Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
• Daronte Jones, defensive pass game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed
• Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): To conduct second interview; hired as Titans DC

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

• Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
• Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
• Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

• Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
• Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
• David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
• Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
• Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

• Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Mentioned as candidate
• Aden Durde, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Hire expected

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

• Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
• Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

• Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
• Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

The second-generation NFL coach is leaving the Patriots to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. Field Yates of ESPN.com indicates Belichick has since accepted the Huskies’ offer. This will mark a significant change for Steve Belichick, but given the developments with his father and the Patriots, it was not too difficult to predict he would also be leaving.

Steve Belichick, 36, worked as a defensive assistant under Bill Belichick for 12 seasons. While his tie to the all-time coaching great undoubtedly aided this rise, Bill entrusted Steve as his primary defensive play-caller over the past four seasons. The Patriots did not employ a traditional defensive coordinator following Matt Patricia‘s 2018 exit, but Mayo and Brian Flores were viewed as the top assistants on that side of the ball. Steve Belichick, however, played a major role during the 2020s.

Moving from the defensive assistant level to the safeties coach position in 2016, Steve coached the Pats’ outside linebackers from 2020-23. Matt Judon and Josh Uche delivered productive seasons during that span, though the Pats were not able to increase Steve Belichick’s ring count from three to four in the ’20s. Mayo offered Steve and Brian Belichick, who joined the staff in 2017 and has been the team’s safeties coach for the past four years, jobs on his 2024 staff. It is not yet known how Brian will proceed, but Steve will land his first coordinator job.

Bill Belichick never coached in the college ranks, but his father spent decades on the Navy staff. The Huskies hired Jedd Fisch as HC to replace new Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer; Fisch was the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach in 2020. The Huskies are also hiring Patriots running backs coach Vinnie Sunseri to help out in the secondary, Yates adds. Sunseri, 32, has been with the Pats since 2020; he spent the past three seasons as their RBs coach but initially joined Bill Belichick’s staff as a defensive assistant.

This all comes as the NFL coaching carousel came to a stop with Bill Belichick without a job. The six-time Super Bowl-winning HC was planning to be selective, though teams were also leery of Belichick and the power he would want; only two — the Falcons and Commanders — talked to him about their HC vacancies. and it should not be expected he will join a team as an assistant. While Belichick has been an NFL staffer in every season since 1975, he has not worked as a coordinator since 1999. Bill, 71, is not planning to retire; a 2025 re-emergence — in what could be his last shot to land a third NFL HC gig — will be on the radar.

Additionally, the Patriots are hiring Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery to work in the same capacity, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. A Packers assistant since 2015, Montgomery worked under Dom Capers, Mike Pettine and Joe Barry. The Packers brought Montgomery up from the college ranks; he worked as a college D-line assistant from 2006-14. Montgomery, 44, will replace DeMarcus Covington, whom the Patriots moved into the DC role.

Circling back to the college ranks, two-time Patriots OC Bill O’Brien will make a rather pivotal change. After leaving the Pats to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, O’Brien is moving close to a deal to become Boston College’s next head coach, Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald reports. Prior to the Patriots hiring a new OC (Alex Van Pelt), O’Brien bolted for the Ohio State gig. The Packers’ decision to hire ex-Boston College HC Jeff Hafley as DC looks set to produce a ripple effect.

Ghobrial has been with the Jets since 2021, working alongside Brant Boyer and Leon Washington. Prior to his stint in New York, the coach served as a special teams coordinator in the college ranks, spending time with Washington State, Hawai’i, and Tarleton State.

The Giants have been forced to pivot to assistant ST coordinator to replace Thomas McGaughey. The team was denied interviews with ST coordinators like Marquice Williams (Falcons), Chris Tabor (Panthers), and Ryan Ficken (Chargers), although Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes that the Giants could revisit their pursuit of Williams since Atlanta is no longer blocking interviews.

49ers assistant special teams coach Matt Harper and Bears assistant special teams coach Carlos Polk have reportedly interviewed for the job, while Seahawks special teams coordinator Larry Izzo has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

• Speaking of Thomas McGaughey, the former Giants ST coordinator is interviewing for the same job with the Patriots, according to Raanan. The veteran coach spent the past six seasons as the Giants special teams coordinator, serving on three different coaching staffs. McGaughey previously had stints as the ST coordinator with the Panthers, 49ers, and Jets.
• While the Patriots have and will continue to consider a number of in-house options for both coaching and front office roles, one of their coordinators won’t be sticking around. We heard yesterday that Bill O’Brien was heading to Ohio State as their offensive coordinator, a somewhat surprising development considering the organization’s reliance on continuity in a post-Bill Belichick era. However, as Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the Patriots always intended to conduct a “full search” for a new offensive coordinator. This meant O’Brien wasn’t necessarily eschewing the New England opportunity; rather, he opted for the definitive offer at Ohio State vs. the potential offer with the Patriots.
• As our 2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, four of the 12 candidates for the Panthers HC job have defensive backgrounds. While the organization is certainly considering these defensive-minded candidates, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the Panthers still prefer to hire an offensive-minded coach, per ESPN’s David Newton. The belief is that an offensive coach would be an ideal choice to help with the development of quarterback Bryce Young.

Ohio State will bring in O’Brien as its offensive coordinator, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel reports. Wrapping O’Brien’s second Patriots OC stint at one season, this will bring the 54-year-old assistant back to the college ranks and the Big Ten. O’Brien coached at Penn State before becoming the Texans’ HC and was Alabama’s OC between his Houston firing and most recent New England trip.

Robert Kraft helped bring O’Brien back to Foxborough last year, putting an end to Belichick’s bizarre Matt Patricia experiment. Patricia spent the 2022 season as the Pats’ primary play-caller, and while that effort puzzled most and led to Mac Jones‘ freefall beginning, Belichick wanted to keep Patricia for a second season in the role. Upon being rehired, O’Brien wanted to clean house along the offensive staff; Belichick overruled him. The Patriots could not bounce back on offense this past season, helping lead to Belichick’s exit.

The Pats plummeted from 17th in scoring in 2022 to 31st this season, eventually benching Jones and closing out the campaign with Bailey Zappe at the controls. Zappe is believed to have struggled in O’Brien’s offense in training camp, leading to the Pats waiving the 2022 fourth-round pick. Zappe returned and began the season backing up Jones. Not much ended up working for the team in O’Brien’s second tenure, providing a stark contrast from his first run — one that obviously featured better ingredients.

O’Brien’s initial Pats stint came from 2007-11; Tom Brady played quarterback in four of those seasons, going down with a torn ACL in 2008. O’Brien moved to the OC role in 2011, the Pats’ only Brady-era Super Bowl season that did not feature a top-10 scoring defense, and used the season as a platform to become Joe Paterno’s successor at Penn State. O’Brien returned to the NFL in 2014, landing the Texans’ HC job. That stay ended memorably, as the O’Brien HC/GM stint produced some criticized decisions, but it also included Houston venturing to four playoff brackets in the HC’s seven seasons.

Ohio State HC Ryan Day has been examining solutions on offense, Thamel adds, and is considering giving up play-calling duties. O’Brien, who called plays at Alabama from 2021-22, would step in should Day indeed step back. The Buckeyes have not beaten Michigan since 2019, but the team will have NFL prospects Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson back after the wide receiver and running back respectively opted not to enter the draft this year.

This will officially open the Patriots’ OC position to start Mayo’s tenure. Mayo will be in place to lead on defense, but the team will need a new offensive play-caller ahead of a season that may well feature another first-round pick being spent on a quarterback. New England holds the No. 3 overall pick, and its QB need points to strong consideration being given to addressing that top deficiency early.

The easy answer points to an external or internal candidate to replace Belichick in the role of general manager. Recent reports provided by Chris Mason of MassLive seem to point in a different direction, though, indicating that the team is in no rush to hire a replacement. Whether that means the team will wait months, until after the draft, to either promote or hire someone into the general manager role, or if that means that the Patriots are confident in the current structure without a de facto general manager, it sounds like New England could be relying on current personnel to draft this April.

That current brass is composed of director of player personnel Matt Groh, director of scouting Eliot Wolf, pro scouting director Steve Cargile, college scouting director Camren Williams, and senior personnel advisor Patrick Stewart. Jeff Howe of The Athletic explained that, in a fairly fluid situation, Groh and Wolf are running the operation for now, and there’s no guarantee that anyone will end up with the title of general manager. They, along with Cargile, Williams, and Stewart, though, are expected to remain in place at least through the draft.

If the team does decide to go internal, Wolf appears to be one of the most well-positioned candidates. Before his tenure in New England, Wolf spent two years as the Browns’ assistant general manager. ESPN’s Mike Reiss claims that the past four years for Wolf have effectively served as “an extended job interview.” That being said, the possibility of an external candidate has not been ruled out. New head coach Jerod Mayo has reportedly spoken with external candidates from opposing front offices in consideration for the job.

Speaking of Mayo, there are some who have questioned the Patriots’ quick trigger finger on hiring Belichick’s coaching replacement. Some executives and coaches are reportedly surprised that New England rushed into the hire and didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to interview other candidates, even if just to gather information that could be beneficial in the future.

Mayo’s hiring doesn’t answer the questions at offensive coordinator either. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, while Bill O’Brien currently remains in place as the team’s offensive playcaller, an O’Brien departure could lead to a reunion with Josh McDaniels, fresh off his most recent attempt at being a head coach.

There are many questions in New England from the front office to the coaching staff. Will the team go internal or external to replace Belichick as a general manager? Will the Patriots hire a general manager at all? Who will join Mayo on his first coaching staff? New England has lots of questions to answer, but ownership appears to be in no rush to answer them.

According to Josina Anderson, there are “teams within the NFC South” that have “potential” interest in Belichick. Considering the Panthers’ midseason coaching change, the organization has been loosely connected to Belichick. Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily confirms that Carolina “has always been an option.”

However, there haven’t been any previous rumblings of a pursuit by the Buccaneers, Saints, nor Falcons. Each of those teams’ head coaches could be at risk of losing their jobs, so it’s hard to definitively point to any one team based on Anderson’s report.

It sounds like it isn’t just rival teams that are anticipating a break up. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, some Patriots staff members are “bracing for change.” As a result, these individuals “have begun examining outside opportunities out of necessity,” a hint that Robert Kraft and co. could make sweeping changes to the organization.

Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald recently explored what led up to this point in New England. Following a dismal showing from the offense in 2022, there was hope in New England that replacing Matt Patricia with Bill O’Brien would solve some of the issues. However, Belichick was a proponent of sticking with Patricia, and while O’Brien tried to clean house on the offensive coaching staff, the head coach denied the request. This led to a divide on the offensive coaching staff, and the new OC had clear frustrations with the WR and OL coaches.

It sounds like those frustrations were shared by the assistant coaches, although they weren’t necessarily targeted at O’Brien. A source told Callahan and Kyed that newly-hired offensive line coach Adrian Klemm “confronted” director of player personnel Matt Groh “in a loud exchange” earlier this season. Klemm would later take a leave of absence, resulting in assistant coach Billy Yates and veteran OL James Ferentz leading the unit. Per the Boston Herald, Klemm isn’t expected to be back with the Patriots next season.

There were also issues among players. Cornerback Jack Jones “blew up” at position coach Mike Pellegrino after not starting the Germany game, leading to the player’s release, according to the Herald. Meanwhile, offensive lineman Trent Brown reportedly spoke openly about leaving for an NFC team this upcoming offseason.

Ultimately, sources believe Belichick’s “personnel control and inability to assemble a functional staff” led to his demise in New England. Still, these sources stressed that players continued to play hard for their head coach, and there’s a belief that he “hasn’t lost his fastball as a hands-on coach.” We’ll soon learn if Kraft feels the same way.

[RELATED: Patriots Undecided On Week 12 QB Starter]

While Mac Jones has started every game for the Patriots this season, the depth chart behind him has seen plenty of reshuffling. Projected backup (and potential QB1 fill-in) Bailey Zappe was bounced from the roster after the preseason, only to later rejoin the active roster via the practice squad. Former third-round pick Matt Corral was also briefly on the team before eventually earning his walking papers.

The Patriots then pivoted to Grier as a potential backup option. Grier most recently served as one of Dak Prescott‘s backups in Dallas, but following the Cowboys’ acquisition of Trey Lance, the 2019 third-round pick was cut loose. After a brief stint on the Bengals practice squad, Grier was added to New England’s 53-man roster back in late September.

Grier hasn’t seen the field at all this season, and even with the Patriots’ uncertain QB situation, it was unlikely he was going to earn a promotion from his QB3 role. Coach Bill Belichick admitted as much during a recent appearance on Patriots All-Access.

“When you’re new and haven’t been here in training camp and had the full background of OTAs and a chance to run our core plays, it’s a lot to catch up on,” Belichick said. “Will has done a good job of it. There’s no issues with him. It’s just there’s only so many snaps out there.”

With Grier no longer on the roster, Malik Cunningham could be in line for snaps if the Patriots pivot from both Jones and Zappe. The UDFA out of Louisville has spent much of the season working with the Patriots receivers, although the organization hasn’t completely shut the door on his QB abilities. For what it’s worth, the rookie did tell Kyed that he’s not part of the team’s plans at quarterback tomorrow against the Giants.

So, as expected, that leaves Jones and Zappe as the candidates to start Week 12. The Patriots still haven’t announced who will start the game, but with Jones having reportedly lost “at least 80 percent of the Patriots’ locker room,” there seems to be some real momentum towards Zappe earning his first start of the season. The 2022 fourth-round pick showed some flashes as a rookie, but the Patriots have been reluctant to turn to the second-year pro in 2023.

That lack of faith could be because of Zappe’s underwhelming performances at practice. As Kyed writes, the second-year pro has struggled under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, and Jones has been the superior QB every step of the way. While that’s obviously not saying a whole lot, the Patriots may be struggling to justify a Zappe promotion.

Even if the extension keeps Belichick for only one additional year, Volin isn’t convinced that he makes it that long, believing it would take “a miracle turnaround” for this not to be his last season in New England, even claiming there’s a chance Belichick doesn’t make it through the rest of the season. With a bye week coming up in two weeks, the team’s trip to Germany could be crucial. While Volin is only voicing an opinion, the writer for the Globe has been on the Patriots beat for ten years and should have a decent read on the team’s pulse.

He doesn’t believe, however, that recent reports of Washington desiring a trade for Belichick are believable. While the idea of reeling in Belichick and allowing him to recreate his former staff with Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and Joe Judge seems like an interesting idea on its surface, one the Patriots would rejoice over having a draft pick in return for, the Commanders don’t have the spare cash to bring on the NFL’s highest-paid coach. Also, with a franchise who seems intent on pumping out old blood in a mass transfusion, bringing in one of the NFL’s second-oldest head coaches doesn’t quite fit the bill. If current head coach Ron Rivera is on the way out, as many have prophesized, a younger replacement seems far more likely.

Now, if the Patriots do cut ties with the 71-year-old skipper, who takes over as the first new head coach of the Patriots in 24 years? Team owner Robert Kraft (and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft) have repeatedly stuck with names already popular in New England. According to Volin’s sources, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel would be a “home run” hire to replace Belichick.

Vrabel, a former player who spent eight years playing linebacker for the Patriots and helping them win three Super Bowls, moved quickly through the coaching ranks, moving on from a position coaching job at Ohio State to work his way up to defensive coordinator of the Texans. After one year at the helm of Houston’s defense, Vrabel was hired in Tennessee where he has amassed a 51-39 regular season record and gone 2-3 in the playoffs. He received a new contract after the 2021 season, but there’ve been rumors that Vrabel and new general manager Ran Carthon don’t quite see eye to eye. So, perhaps, New England could entice Vrabel towards a reunion.

Since Belichick also serves as de facto GM, a new GM would become a necessity, as well. The same sources that pointed to Vrabel labelled Texans GM Nick Caserio as another “home run” hire. A longtime member of the Patriots’ player personnel department, Caserio won his newest position after 13 years as director of player personnel in New England. After two rough years at the helm in Houston, Caserio may have looked expendable to start the year, but rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud have injected new blood and excitement into the Texans franchise. Caserio would likely be a tough get at this point, unless there’s some hidden discontent on behalf of Ryans, who may be looked to as the pilot of this season’s potential turnaround.

Volin didn’t stop there, even speculating on future potential coordinators for this “home run” staff. Many don’t view current offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as the team’s play caller of the future. In fact, not many believe that was the intent when he was brought in in the first place, assuming he would use the role as “a springboard to a head coaching opportunity.” With quarterback Mac Jones struggling and the offense scoring the second-least points in the NFL, he certainly doesn’t appear to be on the short-list to replace Belichick or even retain his play calling duties for much longer.

Instead, a reunion with McDaniels, the recently fired former head coach of the Raiders, seems within the realm of possibility. McDaniels probably isn’t in a hurry to take a new job, as he’s getting paid by Las Vegas for the next four years, but he may feel the need to return to the NFL by at least next season, in order to ensure his name stays fresh in NFL circles. A return to the familiar grounds of New England seems reasonable.

On defense, inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is thought to be a big up and coming coach in New England, after refusing a head coaching interview in order to take a big payday with the Patriots. Mayo may not be ready to take over as head coach in New England just yet, but he may be able to earn defensive coordinator duties in a hypothetical Vrabel staff. Regardless, the Kraft’s love him and were willing to pay a lot of money in order to keep him from leaving for greener pastures.

While all of this is purely hypothetical, the heat on Belichick seems very real. With the Patriots facing a possible 2-8 start if they can’t pull out a win in Frankfurt, the end of the Belichick-era may soon be at hand. There are lots of things to figure out between now and the prophesies above, but if things continue going from bad to worse, we may see it all play out in the months to come.

[RELATED: Patriots Claim QB Matt Corral]

Zappe was a surprise cut by the Patriots on deadline day, but he ended up landing back with the practice squad. The team has since added former third-round pick Matt Corral to the mix, muddying the QB picture behind Jones. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, Zappe’s preseason struggles and apparent misfit with Bill O’Brien‘s new offense ultimately led to the quarterback’s placement on the practice squad.

For all their warts, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge actually helped Zappe become acclimated to the NFL by having him play in an offense that resembled his collegiate system from Western Kentucky. The rookie won both of his two starts last season, completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Jones, meanwhile, played to a 6-8 record while completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions.

Zappe seemed prime to push Jones for the starting job in 2023. However, as Breer notes, O’Brien’s new offense better leverages the starter’s strengths, and that system doesn’t necessarily fit Zappe’s play style. The second-year QB proceeded to struggle during the preseason, and with a handful of roster-worthy players eligible for IR, the Patriots succeeded in sneaking him through waivers and signing him to the taxi squad (the team took a similar path with UDFA Malik Cunningham, who impressed during the preseason at both quarterback and wide receiver).

New England’s recent waiver wire claim of Corral doesn’t necessarily mean that Zappe has been demoted to QB3, however. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald believes Zappe will be the QB2 (via practice squad elevation) to begin the season. The incumbent backup already has a head start on understanding the offense (even if it doesn’t fit his strengths), and the organization would only had around two weeks to catch their newcomer up to speed. Both Zappe and Corral will likely battle it out in practice to determine who’d be the replacement in the event of a Jones injury.

The Bills began talking to Floyd just before the draft, per GM Brandon Beane, who adds (via the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald) Miller led the way in recruiting the former top-10 pick. Floyd turned down at least one more lucrative offer to join Miller and Gregory Rousseau in Buffalo. With Miller now aiming to return in Week 1 after rehabbing an ACL tear, the Floyd addition becomes more interesting given the pair’s production together in Los Angeles.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

• Although Bill O’Brien‘s Patriots past undoubtedly helped him take over as offensive coordinator, but the former Texans HC is using concepts from his most recent gig as he installs his offense. O’Brien is adding pieces from the Alabama offense he ran, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required). This stands to be good news for Mac Jones, who starred at Alabama in 2020. While Tua Tagovailoa‘s Crimson Tide successor did not play for O’Brien in college, he helped the incoming Alabama OC with the playbook on his way out in 2021. Considering Jones’ issues with the Patriots’ Matt Patricia– and Joe Judge-run offense in 2022, O’Brien’s arrival is shaping up as a significant step forward. Jones looks far more comfortable thus far in O’Brien’s offense, Howe adds.
• A period during the Patriots’ recent OTA sessions may shed some early light on Mike Gesicki‘s New England role. With other tight ends staying on one field to work an inside-run drill, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes Gesicki was working with the Pats’ wide receivers on another field. Gesicki is not known for his run-blocking ability, which became an issue in Mike McDaniel‘s Miami offense last season, but he has long been a proven pass catcher. Lining up as a receiver will not be foreign to Gesicki, though it is still a bit early to determine the five-year Dolphin’s true role with his new team.
• The Dolphins initially came into the offseason with a goal not to devote much money to their backup quarterback spot, but Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes they became “smitten” with Mike White. Miami added White early during the legal tampering period, giving the ex-Jets starter a two-year, $8MM deal ($4.5MM guaranteed). It is interesting the Dolphins would have considered skimping at QB2, considering how Tagovailoa’s injury trouble hijacked their promising 2022 season. But White (seven starts from 2021-22) is now in Teddy Bridgewater‘s former role. White, however, has also dealt with multiple injuries over the past two years. Skylar Thompson and rookie UDFA James Blackman are the other Miami QBs.
• James Robinson‘s Patriots release came after the team included three injury waivers in his contract, Breer tweets. This rare protection measure included waivers on both Robinson’s knees and his left Achilles. This since-scrapped contract — Robinson has cleared waivers — illustrates the ex-Jaguars starter’s lack of options. Robinson, who saw a torn Achilles halt his early-career surge in December 2021, is facing an uncertain NFL future. The 24-year-old back has yet to earn much, either. Robinson totaled a rookie UDFA-record 1,414 scrimmage yards in 2020 but spent his first three seasons attached to league-minimum salaries.

The issues started in the spring, when Jones irked Patriots brass by indicating that he would be teaching the offense to his new quarterbacks coach. While the players and coaches would ultimately work together “in good faith,” the team was unable to overcome the shortcomings of Judge and de facto offensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The duo tried a simplified approach to Sean McVay’s offense in Los Angeles, but this resulted in an incomplete and underwhelming catalogue of plays.

“A lot of guys were getting worried because when we were in the middle of camp, we were wondering what the plan was for our offense. Because we hadn’t put enough install in,” a source told the Boston Herald. “We had a couple protections, a couple core run plays, but our pass game didn’t have much in it.”

While Patricia seemed to garner most of the criticism, the Boston Herald points a finger at Judge. Bill Belichick would later phase Judge out of the offense, but not before frustrations boiled over. Per the report, both Jones and Belichick got into shouting matches with the former special teams coordinator, and there were even occasions where positional coaches would have to correct Judge’s mistakes.

Ultimately, the relationships that underpinned “the offense became so strained, they engendered internal doubt” about Belichick’s decision making. The head coach was quick to make changes following the season; shortly after announcing that they’d be conducting an offensive coordinator search, the Patriots hired Bill O’Brien to fill the role. Still, both Judge and Patricia are expected to be back in 2023.

More notes out of New England…

• Speaking of, Belichick had a much larger role on offense than he let on, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. The head coach was “active on the headsets” during games, providing the same “oversight over the offense that he’d traditionally had over the defense.” Belichick even had a stint “moonlighting” as the offensive play-caller, which resulted in the offense occasionally looking “messy from an operational standpoint.”
• For what it’s worth, Patricia’s contract has expired, according to Breer. This provides the coach with an open opportunity to pursue a different role elsewhere, something he may consider since he’s already facing a reduced role in New England. Tight ends coach Nick Caley also has an expiring contract, but Breer says the coach still has a chance to return to New England. Caley has received several OC interviews, including an interview for the Patriots job.
• Top receiver Jakobi Meyers played through a small tear in his knee this past year, per Callahan and Guregian. Despite the inconsistent Patriots offense, Meyers continued to produce in 2022, topping 800 receiving yards for the second-straight season while also establishing a new career-high in touchdown receptions (six). The former undrafted free agent is set to hit free agency this offseason and should be in line for a significant pay day as one of the top available players at his position.
• O’Brien is already starting to add to his new offensive staff. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), the Patriots are adding Will Lawing to their offensive staff. The 37-year-old coach has worked alongside O’Brien at multiple stops, including Penn State, Alabama, and the Texans. Lawing held multiple roles during his time in the NFL, including tight ends coach. He spent the past two seasons as an offensive analyst at Alabama.

Both during and after New England’s season came to an end with the team sitting outside the postseason (in large part due to their offensive struggles), it became clear that O’Brien was the Patriots’ preferred choice to help the unit rebound in 2023. The 53-year-old spent the past two seasons at the helm of Alabama’s offense, but his next NFL gig will be in a familiar place.

O’Brien began his pro coaching career in New England in 2007 as an offensive assistant. Over time, he took on a larger role on Bill Belichick‘s staff, working with the team’s wide receivers and quarterbacks before being promoted again to offensive coordinator in 2011. While he only held that title for one season, he operated as the team’s play-caller after Josh McDaniels departed in 2009.

Following that time, O’Brien took a two-year head coaching gig at Penn State, which led him to the same role with the Texans. He operated as the team’s bench boss – and, for part of that stretch, the general manager as well – from 2014 to the one-quarter mark of the 2020 campaign. Overall, the Texans sported winning records in five of his six full seasons at the helm, though his firing came as little surprise by the time it happened in the wake of an 0-4 start and several missteps in terms of managerial moves.

O’Brien returned to the college ranks after that, working under Nick Saban and with the help of current Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. The latter helped O’Brien, a Massachusetts native, get acquainted with the Crimson Tide’s scheme, one which allowed Bryce Young develop into a Heisman winner and a serious contender to be selected first overall in the upcoming draft. O’Brien and Jones working together on a full-time basis could be beneficial to unlocking the latter’s potential.

After a rookie campaign in which Jones earned a Pro Bowl nod, the former first-rounder took a step back statistically. Overall, the Patriots finished below-average in almost every offensive category in 2022, a season in which Belichick drew criticism for his arrangement with Matt Patricia calling plays and Joe Judge having a key role in the unit as well. Both ex-head coaches had plenty of experience in New England, but not on the offensive side of the ball.

O’Brien’s hire comes not long after he interviewed for what will be a much more traditional OC role. New England also spoke with their TEs coach Nick Caley, Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell, Cardinals assistant head coach Shawn Jefferson and Oregon associate head coach Adrian Klemm in a more expansive, outward-looking search process than many others Belichick has overseen. O’Brien and the Patriots will enter 2023 with expectations for a significant step forward in offensive production to compliment the team’s highly-regarded defense.

O’Brien emerged as a contender for this job before the Pats’ season ended, and a report earlier this week indicated he is the favorite. The former Texans HC coming back to New England would continue a trend, as Bill Belichick rehired the likes of Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge following their initial dismissals as HCs.

Like McDaniels at the time of his New England return, O’Brien has experience running the Pats’ offense. While McDaniels was in Denver and St. Louis, O’Brien took over as Belichick’s top offensive assistant. He finished his New England tenure with the official title of offensive coordinator, something Belichick did not give Patricia this year — despite the ex-Lions HC being the Pats’ primary play-caller. After Belichick placing a career-long defensive coach in this role predictably backfired, the Pats are operating intently with their OC search this time around.

This search is different from the most recent such pursuits. Belichick promoted McDaniels to OC in 2006 and elevated O’Brien from the position coach level to OC in 2011. Thus far, the Pats have reached out to a few outside staffers. The team conducting an official search mandates an interview with at least one external minority candidate. Thus far, the Patriots have three on their radar.

Keenan McCardell, the Vikings’ receivers coach for the past two seasons, is expected to interview for the job today, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. The team sent out an interview request to the former Belichick Browns wideout Thursday. The Pats are planning to meet with Cardinals receivers coach Shawn Jefferson on Friday and have interviewed Oregon assistant Adrian Klemm. All three also have a history with Belichick — either in New England or Cleveland. The other candidate here, Pats tight ends coach Nick Caley, has been with the team for eight years. Caley has also interviewed with the Jets this week.

With the O’Brien interview done, this process looks like it will wrap soon. He has a few factors working in his favor. Even though O’Brien, 53, was not in place as Alabama’s OC during Mac Jones‘ career, the current Pats quarterback helped the coach learn the Alabama offense following his hire. Patriots ownership is also fond of O’Brien, who is a Massachusetts native. The Texans employed O’Brien as HC from 2014-20, firing him early in the 2020 season after his short GM stint did not go well. As a coach, however, O’Brien is 52-48 with four playoff appearances on his resume.

[RELATED: Patriots Will Start OC Interviews Next Week]

Curran notes that there are “other candidates with merit,” but there’s “unanimity on all sides” that O’Brien is the best person for the position. The main thing going for O’Brien is his relationship with the Patriots organization, especially when you consider Bill Belichick‘s penchant for bringing back former assistants. O’Brien spent five years with the Patriots, culminating in him becoming the team’s offensive coordinator. Following head coaching stints with Penn State and the Texans, O’Brien spent the past two years as the offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban, a close confidant of Belichick.

Speaking of Alabama, O’Brien also has an advantage over the field thanks to his relationship with Mac Jones. While the QB prepared for the 2021 NFL Draft, he also helped O’Brien learn the Alabama offense following the coach’s hiring. O’Brien could look to add elements of Alabama’s quick-strike offense to the Patriots offense. While the familiar scheme would obviously benefit Jones, the offensive philosophy would also take better advantage of Jones’ game-management skills (vs. his average QB skills).

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Mike Reiss looks at a handful of additional potenital candidates for the offensive coordinator position. After O’Brien, Reiss lists former Jets head coach Adam Gase as a candidate considering his mutual respect with Belichick and his experience with Saban. Reiss also lists Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell, former Jets/Cardinals associate head coach/receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, Cowboys QBs coach Doug Nussmeier, and current Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley as potential targets for the job.

In a surprising press release last week, the Patriots revealed that they would begin interviewing offensive coordinator candidates. This follows a 2022 campaign where Belichick opted to go without an OC to replace Josh McDaniels and chose former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to lead the way. The results were ugly, as the inconsistent Patriots offense struggled for much of the year.