Tag Archives: Bill Belichick

Prime Candidates for the Patriots Defensive Coordinator Role Next Year

There hasn’t been a defensive coordinator since Matt Patricia left for the Lions roughly two years ago. This year Bill Belichick will once again take the role of defensive play-caller while he continues to search for the perfect person for the job. Here we will look at the most likely candidates to have the role of defensive coordinator.

These are ranked by likeliness, not by who would be the best in the role.

5. Brian Flores

Belichick is VERY picky when choosing a new defensive coordinator. To even be considered you must have some experience with the Patriots system. That moves a lot of candidates off the table. But say that Flores struggles with coaching a terrible Dolphins squad and gets fired by the offseason. Belichick would not be afraid to bring him back. Flores was solid with the Pats the year prior as the defensive assistant, so he knows what it takes to be the defensive coordinator. He also has been with them for 15 years in different capacities. He knows what it takes to be successful for the Patriots, and Belichick will not hold the fact that Flores left against him.

4. Greg Schiano

Yes, he resigned before he was even hired last year because he wanted to spend time with his family. But the way I see it, is this was just a break before he gets back into coaching. He wants to evaluate the Patriots defensive talent to see if he has enough to work with so he doesn’t get another Buccaneers situation. Plus any successful football coach won’t retire until they are very old. The game will pull them back in just like it did with Scarnecchia. Schiano is a long time friend of BB. He is also a successful coach when given talent. While his short experience in the NFL wasn’t pretty, it was with a horrid Buccaneers team. Schiano is a solid option for the role, and definitely one one Bill’s radar.

3. Bill Belichick

While it would be a first for him to have play calling duties for three straight years, it is not impossible. He needs a D-coordinator that he can trust, and who better than himself. We know he won’t rush into any decision, so he may take another year if he strikes out of options. In the years Bill has been the play-caller the Patriots defense has been top notch. He has had three stints as the Patriots defensive play-caller, and he has been able to diminish the damage of losing crucial D-Coordinators like Pees and Patricia. I mean, just last year he managed a defense which is arguably responsible for their Super Bowl win. Bill might be the most likely option for defensive coordinator next year. The Pats will be more than fine if he is.

2. Matt Patricia

Is this surprising to anyone that he is on the list? He was with the Patriots for six years, leading a top ten defense to a championship twice. In 2016 his defense was the best in the entire NFL. He is a man who, like Belichick, gets the most out of his guys. Unfortunately for him, his tenure with the Lions isn’t going to well. His defense was average at best, and his offense was horrible. In my opinion Patricia, like McDaniels, is not cut out to be a head coach. I don’t think many would be too surprised if, after a second bad campaign, he gets fired and runs back to the Patriots. He can take the defense almost exactly the same as he left it and continue right where he left off.

He has shown some joy and skill in developing young players into stars, so Winovich, Bentley, and J.C. Jackson would be a project that could lure him back to the Pats. It would be putting it nice to say that he has struggled in his short time with the Lions, so perhaps it is time to go back to what he knows best: leading the Patriots defense to another ring.

1. Bret Bielema

You may be a little confused here with my #1 choice. I was too at first. But I researched past Belichick hirings, and this would be the most Belichick-like choice possible. Dean Pees, former Patriots defensive coordinator from 2006-2009, starting in college before joining the Pats as a position coach. When Mangini left, Pees took over and was pretty successful. Pees had a defense ranked top five in three of his four years, and of course was the DC during the undefeated run of 2007. Oh yeah, and don’t forget he only was a coach for two years with the Pats before getting the job. Bielema has followed that path up to this point. I believe that the only reason Belichick didn’t give him the job this year is because Bielema is relatively new to the Pats organization. But this year would mark his second with the club, the same amount of time as Pees had before becoming coordinator.

But Belichick is already preparing for him to become the new DC. Just this year he moved to defensive line coach from his consulting position, now marking him as a defensive coach. He was widely successful in college, at one point he was even considered for coach of the year in 2010. He was fired in 2017 because he couldn’t turn a bad Arizona team into a contender, but in the Pats’ case they already are contenders. Bielema may be a surprising pick, but Belichick has already started grooming him to be the next Patricia.

Why The Patriots Linebacker Unit Will Be Successful This Year

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The Patriots linebackers will have a positive impact defensively, and will be crucial for the teams success. New, old, and returning Patriots have come together to form a truly scary unit.

Coaching

The two coaches with the most influence over this group is easily Jerod Mayo(Linebackers Coach) and Bill Belichick(Head Coach/Defensive Play-caller). Luckily for the unit, these two are the best men for the job.

Bill Belichick

No one can forget Belichick’s genius as a coach. His command for discipline, and the ability to get the most out of his players, is admired around the league. But what some may forget, is that he was a top defensive coordinator in the league during his Giants and Jets days. As a DC for nine years, he led FIVE top-five defenses, three top-10, and only one year of top-15. In that time span he also won TWO championships, both with the Giants. He was widely considered one of the best defensive coaches in the league, even with the help of talents such as Lawrence Taylor. With him as the defensive play-caller for the Pats next year, it means nothing will get lost in translation when talking to players or calling plays.

Jerod Mayo

Jerod Mayo wasn’t just a superb linebacker, but he is also a true leader. He was named captain FOUR times in a row during his playing career. His leadership and experience within the Pat’s system makes this the perfect situation for him to succeed as a coach. He also has connections with the current team, which give him a knowledge of what works best with the group and how to motivate them. His playing style, to me at least, is very similar to that of Collins. He also spent years playing beside Hightower. With all things considered, Mayo was literally the perfect option for the role.

Players

Photo by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Dont’a Hightower

Dont’a Hightower has a vast knowledge of the game, granting him success no matter where he plays or what role he is in. In high school he played linebacker and end on the defensive side. As a senior DE, he had 168 tackles, five forced fumbles, and five interceptions. That campaign was good enough to win him the title 3A Mr. Football Lineman of the Year and The Tennesseans Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2007. At Alabama he broke out in his junior year, where he captained the best defense in the nation. He was a consensus first team all American and a finalist for many awards like the Lombardi Award (best player regardless of position), Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), Butkus Award (best linebacker), and the Lott Trophy (an award on the person’s character).

This was enough to impress Belichick, who drafted him in the first round. Hightower has impressed in the regular season, and is even better in the playoffs. He is a great all around linebacker who can sneak into passing lanes, stop the run, or blitz. Last year was a comeback year for him after just recovering from a big injury. So this year I expect him back as a star linebacker.

Jamie Collins

The great Jamie Collins has returned, and for cheap too! Collins has a great IQ for the game. Since he was once a star high school QB, Collins knows how they think. He was amazing in college, collecting 314 tackles, 21 sacks, and three interceptions in his career. Collins also earned first team All Conference honors in his senior year. He is a greatly underrated pro, as in the three seasons he has started over 14 games he has had over 100 tackles, at least three sacks, and one to two interceptions. Just last year he posted the stat line of 104 tackles, four sacks, and one interception, which is a truly great year.

Like Hightower, Collins is also an all around solid linebacker. The only difference between the two is Collins is usually the center of blitzes thanks to his athleticism. Also remember, the Browns cut him because he was overpaid, not because he was bad. He was once spectacular in the Pats system, so why can’t he do it again?

Kyle Van Noy

Kyle Van Noy has been underrated for his entire career. In his junior year at BYU he was the leader of one of the best defenses in the nation, and was third-team All American because of it. As a senior he made second team, and also was named to the watch lists for almost all of the awards Hightower was a finalist for. His college career was good enough to be drafted by the Lions in the second round. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to succeed in the organization until his third year. That year he started all of the Lions games, before being traded to the Patriots with a seventh round pick for a sixth.

In his first full season for the Pats, he impressed with five and a half sacks and 73 tackles in 13 games. Last year he was even better, producing 92 tackles, three and a half sacks, and one interception while starting all 16 games. He was also crucial in last year’s playoffs run, averaging one sack and over five tackles a game on route to a championship.

Ja’Whaun Bentley

Ja’Whaun Bentley may not have showed us much, but what he has shown is extremely exciting. The young man had a good college career, starting all four years at Purdue. In his last year he had 97 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, and was an honorable mention for 2017 All Big Ten Conference Team. He was also named the defensive MVP of the Foster Farms bowl win over Arizona.

In the three games he played for the Patriots, he displayed the potential to be the best linebacker on the team. He had an interception and 14 tackles, and PFF even gave him a score of 80.7. That score isn’t only the best among linebackers on the team, but it puts him high on the list of the best linebackers in the whole league. I am excited to see how he plays this upcoming year, and I hope he gets the chance to develop and hone his skills.

Elandon Roberts

I’m not going to tell you that Elandon Roberts is a star, because he isn’t. But I will say that he is definitely important. He is the first man off the bench for the Patriots linebacking unit. While he isn’t flashy, he almost never makes mistakes, which is a trait that Belichick loves in his players. Roberts, like most of the Patriots linebackers, was a multi-sport athlete in high school due to his athleticism. At Morgan State college for his freshman year he had 107 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. The 107 tackles marks the second best single-season total in program history. This earned him a move to Houston, where in his senior year he racked up 142 tackles (fourth most in the nation). He fell to the sixth round, where the Patriots snagged him. His play rivals the starters, and will be an important piece this year if the Patriots go on a run in the playoffs or an injury occurs.

Experience, Connections, and Motivations

This group does not need the time to get to know each other and the system. Mayo, as previously stated, played for a Patriots defense which ran a near identical style. Four of the five main players in this unit have played for the Patriots in at least three seasons (counting the half of a season Van Noy played). They have also had at least a basic level of success. All of them also have a type of personality which meshes. Well, maybe besides Collins. The point is, this group doesn’t need time to settle in.

They also have a motivational tool which, has always fueled Patriots championship runs: the wish to prove people wrong. Hightower wants to get back to star form. Collins wants to prove he’s still got it. Van Noy wants to show that last year wasn’t a fluke. Bentley wants to prove that the flashes last season will lead to something, and that the injury hasn’t impacted his career. Roberts wants to show everyone he can compete at the same level as his teammates. This group is like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to burst out and take the league by surprise.

Verdict

Everything is there for the linebacking unit to be one of the top units in the league and lead the Patriots defense. Now we just need to hope that they recognize it themselves and play to their fullest potential. If preseason/training camp is any indication, they are well on their way.

Harrison agrees with Law about the NFL HOF and says the media are Haters

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Monday Rodney Harrison will be inducted into the Patriots HOF. But right now it seems like the color of the jacket is the main topic.

Recently Ty Law, who is about to go into the Pro Football HOF, talked about Patriot players from the early 2000’s being overlooked. He may be right. But when you take a hard look there may not be many to follow him.

Here’s Ty Laws take on The HOF

Ty Law was a great player and is well deserving of the gold jacket, and he thinks there is a reason for the lack of Patriot players: The media. Ty said “It’s like we are looked at as a team, that’s it…Like there’s no players worthy of the HOF, at least from the media perspective, when it comes to the Patriots. It’s Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and everybody else, you know what I mean?”

Law isn’t completely wrong about this. Nationally, when it comes to the Patriots dominance, it comes down to the HC and QB. The Patriots machine has kept rolling for two decades, and the two constants have been Tom and Bill. That doesn’t mean Law thinks any less of his old teammate and coach. He blames the media. “You pretty much know, Tom Brady is the Greatest of all time,” Law said. “There’s no doubt about that. There’s no question about Coach Belichick. When you hear about our team, it was like to me, we have a hell of a lot of players out there who can play. You can’t do it with just two guys.”

Rodney agrees with Law

Harrison expanded on Law’s thoughts about the Patriot prejudice in the media. He talked about Patriots fatigue, and anti Patriots bias in the HOF.

“People don’t think we have ballers.” Rodney says “Ty Law was the greatest defensive back I’ve ever played with. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, these were bad, bad dudes. They weren’t just system guys.”

He added to Law’s thoughts on Bill and Tom, and how the media gives them all of the credit. “People don’t want to elevate us, or recognize, or acknowledge how great we are, because they’re such haters. Everywhere I go, people hate on the Patriots. So we don’t get credit. All I hear is Tom and Bill. But that’s such a lazy analysis. They don’t see what a team really is, and that’s really frustrating because a lot of guys get cheated and don’t really get the recognition they deserve.”

Tomorrow I’m hoping to get more from Rodney as he receives his red jacket

Harrison came to New England as Bill Belichick sent Lawyer Milloy to the Bills. The team didn’t like the move one bit. But once they saw Rodney’s work ethic and leadership he was quickly embraced as a captain. Tomorrow afternoon Harrison will be inducted to the Patriots HOF, and he seems to be happier than anyone before him going in. We will have you covered with the ceremony and behind the scenes interviews you can only find here. I will do my best to see who Rodney thinks is next in line for a Gold jacket.

Monday in Gillette stadium at 4:30, it’s free to the public. Rodney Harrison will be recognized and celebrated for his amazing career as a Patriot. So come on out, or you can wait to see everything in tomorrow’s article. You’ll only get to see the behind the scenes action right here, so make sure to check it out. Let’s Go Patriots!

Sophomore Snapshot: The Good, the Bad, the Incomplete

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Training camp has opened and the season is fast approaching. The 2018 Patriot draft class has some good, some bad and some incompletes. This sophomore snapshot gets you caught up ready for your first preseason game.

The Good

Aug 9, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (51) tackles Washington Redskins running back Byron Marshall (34) during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

J.C. Jackson

The biggest surprise from the rookie draft picks came from an undrafted defensive back! A day two talent that fell due to off the field questions and some poor testing shined for the Patriots. As part of the top rotation in the backfield he has impressed with his speed and physicality, even against bigger wide receivers and tight ends. His aggressiveness caught up to him and he began acquiring penalties in the playoffs, and his usage began to dip. Has a real shot at taking the next step and being the number two option at cornerback, opposite Gilmore on game day.

Ja’Whaun Bentley

When training camp broke in 2018, the defense looked like it had a new wrecking force playing at linebacker. In the first three games he amassed more statistics than most rookie linebackers do all season. He collected a single interception, pass defensed, tackle for loss, and a QB hit. Bentley also had nine solo tackles and five assisted tackles. A torn biceps landed him on injured reserve prior to week 4, otherwise the Bentley legend could have grown. He goes into 2019 being the top option behind Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy. While he does have some competition from Elandon Roberts and reacquired Jamie Collins, he easily could never leave the field.

Trent Harris

What does a team do when a pro bowl defensive end leaves in free agency? You have his replacement ready to go the next year. Most expect Dietrich Wise to step in take the next step. I for one am jumping on the Trent Harris train for this. His impressive preseason in pressuring the quarterback, and season long stint on the practice squad, will prepare him for a bigger role on the defense for the 2019 campaign. Don’t be surprised when you hear his name called again and again this year. The time is ripe for the next great defender on the Patriots.

The Bad

Sep 30, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Sony Michel (26) and running back James White (28) warm up before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Duke Dawson

What does it mean when a team gives a prospect every opportunity to get on the field and make an impact and he can’t even be active for a game? I don’t know either, but it’s not good. Numerous reasons conspired against the highly-touted second round pick. A hamstring injury landed him on the injured reserve at the beginning of the season. But unlike most of his fellow rookies, the Patriots used one of its IR activation spots on him. He could never crack the game day roster the rest of the season due to a healthy secondary that was playing well. With that disappointment behind him he needs to be ready and compete for playing time. Cutting Dawson prior to opening day is unlikely, anything else can happen. Change of scenery trade, another IR stint, or being inactive all season will be extremely negative to his career path. No one wants to see another Ras-I Dowling or Cyrus Jones happen.

Sony Michel

I debated placing Michel in the incomplete. He ultimately lands in the bad due to the chronic nature of his health problems and the competitiveness of his position. Michel had a very good rookie year and a perfect postseason run on the way to a Super Bowl ring. How could six regular season touchdowns, six postseason touchdowns and over 1250 rushing yards land him in the bad? Two knee surgeries, two knee injuries and multiple missed games and practices will do it. The Patriots also drafted a potential backup/replacement in Damien Harris. This is in addition to returning running backs in Rex Burkhead and James White. All of this paints a clouded picture of the second year back’s future.

Danny Etling

Oh Danny boy! I wish things could be turning out differently. When the Patriots drafted Jarett Stidham in the fourth round, Etling’s path to a regular season spot became nearly impossible. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad. The plan is to compete with veteran Brian Hoyer for the backup spot. Winning that battle is becoming imperative post-draft. The Patriots will likely carry three quarterbacks on the active roster this year, as stashing Stidham on the practice squad is very risky. This would make Etling’s potential spot on there that much more unlikely. I hope he can make it. If not we’ll always have the fourth preseason game.

The Incomplete

Isaiah Wynn

The New England Patriots have had an uncharacteristic period of instability at the important left tackle position recently. In 2017 Nate Solder was the starter, in 2018 it was Trent Brown. There will be a different player protecting Tom Brady’s blind side in 2019. The favorite is the second year player from Georgia. This could be more of a rocky transition than with Brown. Wynn is coming off one of the worst injuries in football. The torn Achilles he suffered in the second preseason game is reportedly healed as he avoided the PUP list to open camp. Is he suitable for the left tackle position in the NFL? As long as Tom Brady is back there and Dante Scarnecchia is teaching the group they will be ready on game day.

The Injury Squad

When you have a team that finishes the season as the second seed and dominates the playoffs enroute to a third Super Bowl appearance in four years you could expect some contribution from its rookies. This is a team that saw five of its rookie picks hit the IR before the season began. Included were Braxton Berrios, Christian Sam and Ryan Izzo. All are expected to hit the ground running and make some noise if they want to secure their roster spots this season, and the years to come.

Thank you for reading this article written by Andrew Lykins. You can find the rest of my work over at https://bostonsportsextra.com/author/@alykins32

You can find many other fine articles on all Boston sports at Bostonsportsextra.com
My mind resides at twitter under @ALykins32

All statistics were found at https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ unless otherwise noted.

LFG for the 7th Ring in 2019!!

The Brady Difference

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The best way to succeed in life is through hard work and determination. The Brady difference as I like to call it, is what sets him apart from any other QB in the NFL. Brady’s quickly approaching his 42nd birthday in August, but if you didn’t know this you’d think he was in his 30’s.

Brady’s Training like A Mad Man

https://twitter.com/patsnationtm/status/1147250290028138497?s=21

This is from Tom v Time

The soon to be 42 year old will do anything it takes to improve his game. He’s looking faster and stronger in 2019 which shows his dedication and commitment. His critics will say he doesn’t have a strong arm, one even going as far to call it a wet noodle. Hi Max! Brady took to his Instagram account to fire back at the known troll.

Tom Brady hitting 61 mph on the radar gun would be the second fastest since the NFL started recording it at the Scouting Combine in 2008 (first place: Josh Allen at 62 mph in 2018). Brady still has a rifle when he needs it. pic.twitter.com/gzN8oasSRR
— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) June 27, 2019

The Caption Brady had on his post read, “He’s gonna fall off a Cliff” along with ? ? emojis.

It’s safe to say he’s still using everything negative he’s ever heard as fuel to his fire. The Brady difference at its finest.

Tom Brady’s Leadership is Incredible like usual

After winning a Super Bowl as a 41 year old, Tom is showing everyone what a true leader looks like. Josh Gordon is trying to get back on the field in time for training camp. Brady wanted to make sure he knew the team still has his back and got him to come out and throw the ball around.

“Brady to Gordon”
Hoping to hear that all season

Brady isn’t just having Gordon catching footballs. The two have been going out to dinner and spending time together like true friends.

Gordon isn’t the only player Brady’s been working out with, his pal Edelman has been catching passes with other teammates. Baron Davis was spotted with Brady too, and he’s got great hands according to Tom.

Tom’s not just doing all of these things for fun either. He wouldn’t admit it but he wants the Patriots to break the tie with Pittsburgh for SB wins. Great leaders don’t care about personal achievements. For Brady it doesn’t matter what his stats are as long as the Patriots get the win.

Brady doesn’t pad his stats and will gladly hand the ball off at the 5 yard line. After Brady’s incredible throw to Gronk in the Super Bowl to get to the 5 yard line he did the smart thing and handed it off. Most QBs would want that TD pass, that’s the difference. “The Brady Difference.”

Five things to watch at minicamp

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The Patriots will kick off their mandatory three-day minicamp on Tuesday, giving us our first extended look at the 2019 version of the team. It should provide an opportunity to see Tom Brady for the first time this spring, as well as newcomer Michael Bennett and perhaps some others who have yet to make an appearance.

While the only difference between minicamp and the OTA session the media was invited to watch two weeks ago is the mandatory element, the non-padded practices do provide an opportunity to start assessing the potential depth chart and to watch the younger players operate in the Patriots system.

With no contact it’s difficult to judge performance – and Bill Belichick often cautions against doing that anyway as he views these workouts as instructional and not for evaluations. But three days of work, plus an additional OTA practice open to the media next week, will provide a glimpse of what we’ll see come the opening of training camp in late July.

Until then, here are five things we’ll be focusing on this week.

Brady’s presence – Assuming Brady will be back in the fold, it’s always news when the quarterback is involved. For the second straight spring he’s chosen to do his prep work on his own, which is unfortunate because it would be great to watch Brady work with rookie first-round pick N’Keal Harry a bit more extensively. Still, there should be some chances for the two to connect this week and we’ll likely hear from Brady at some point as well.

Finding Wynn – So far we’ve had just one chance to watch practice (May 23) and Isaiah Wynn was not present. Instead we saw left guard Joe Thuney man the left tackle spot in place of the departed Trent Brown. Wynn continues to recover from a torn Achilles that wiped out his rookie season and offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia said several weeks ago that he hadn’t yet been cleared for full on-field work. Although it’s not with pads, it would be nice to see Wynn in uniform and working his way back into form. If not, it will be worth watching to see if Thuney remains at left tackle, a position he played at a high level while earning All-ACC honors at N.C. State.

Crowded secondary – Joejuan Williams was drafted in the second round, one year after Duke Dawson was taken in the same round. The two corners join J.C. Jackson, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones and Keion Crossen in a fight for playing time with No. 1 corner Stephon Gilmore. Williams’ size is intriguing as a potential matchup weapon for Belichick, who could use a rotation of corners depending on a specific opponent from week to week. Williams should get a lot of chances to lock horns with Harry in a battle of tall, physical performers. We’ll be watching those closely.

Tight quarters – The tight end position is arguably the one that has drawn the most concern among Patriots fans this offseason following Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. The former All-Pro added a measure of finality to that over the weekend when he told reporters that rumors of a possible return could be put to rest. Whether that ultimately is true or not, it’s time to figure out how the position might look without him. Benjamin Watson will miss the first four games while serving a suspension for PED use, and we’ve yet to see veteran free agent addition Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Matt LaCosse looked like a candidate to fill a pass-catching role a couple of weeks ago, albeit in shorts under far-less-than-competitive circumstances. LaCosse moves well and it will be interesting to see what if any work he gets to do with Brady.

Bennett Brothers 2.0 – Michael Bennett has yet to make an appearance during practice but is expected to be in Foxborough this week. He ostensibly replaces Trey Flowers, and while at 33 he may not be able to handle the full workload, he possesses more explosiveness as a pass rusher. Again, shorts and T-shirts work will only tell so much but Bennett is an interesting character very much in the mold of his brother Martellus, who had a couple of stints as a Patriot. Bennett will be worth a look as well as a listen.

Original content from Patriots.com

Bill Belichick Says Tom Brady Would Be A Goalie If He Played Lacrosse

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Patriots head coach Bill Belichick soaked in some lacrosse at Gillette Stadium over the weekend, as the Premier Lacrosse League kicked off its season in New England.

Belichick has always had a special place in his heart for lacrosse, playing in high school at Phillips Andover and collegiality at Wesleyan University. He spoke about his love of the game on the NBC Sports Network broadcast on Sunday, and also gave a scouting report on how some of his Patriots players would fit on the lacrosse field.

Though some of them would make solid players in Belichick’s mind, he didn’t sound so optimistic that quarterback Tom Brady’s success on the football field would translate to lacrosse. Asked what position Brady would play, Belichick said the quarterback’s mobility issues would limit him to just one position. “Goalie,” Belichick said without missing a beat. “You need to be able to run here. I think some of our players, like Devin McCourty and Pat Chung, guys like that who are fast and have good quickness could play at 200-205 pounds, 210 pounds, somewhere in there, that they would be pretty tough. I think [Tedy] Bruschi would have made a good defenseman. Rodney Harrison and [Mike] Vrabel, guys like that who are long and tough.”

The Patriots have their mandatory minicamp at Gillette Stadium this week, so don’t be shocked if Belichick has a few lacrosse drills added to the mix this year. If that’s the case, it’s clear that Brady will be in net for those drills.

Original Article can be found at CBS Boston

Bill Belichick will call defensive plays

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Bill Belichick will be the defensive coordinator

The Patriots are heading into the season without a Defensive Coordinator. Belichick called the defensive plays in 2010 before handing the play calling to Matt Patricia, who is now with the Lions. Belichick is used to calling plays on the defensive side of the ball, even before he became a head coach. Brian Flores called the defensive plays last year before taking the Miami Dolphins Head Coaching position after the Super Bowl.

Belichick has experience calling the plays on the defensive side

The Patriots will be fine having Belichick call the defensive plays. His football smarts are through the roof, and he will go down as the smartest coach of all time. He’s had so many different players in his career it’s crazy. He also knows the 3-4 defense and other defensive schemes more than any other coach in the game today. Belichick was the Defensive Coordinator for the New York Giants in 1985 under head coach Bill Parcells. The Patriots did hire Greg Schiano, but he left in March after one month on the job.

With Josh McDaniels handling the offensive side of things, they’ll be good. They’ve stacked up on Tight Ends and Wide Receivers. Belichick also has help with Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick on the defensive side of the ball. The Patriots are coming off their sixth Super Bowl title since 2001. Question is can they head back to the Super Bowl again? The answer is most likely yes. Belichick can pretty much do what he wants because they win so much. Belichick calling the plays on the defensive side will be good because he knows the system and does what’s best for the team.

How the Patriots’ Tackle Spots Could Look Very Different This Season

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It goes without saying that the Patriots currently have a large surplus at the tackle position on their offensive line. Funny enough, this strong group is the same group that had plenty of question marks on the first day of free agency when Trent Brown left for Oakland.

With all that being said, with all the Patriots’ additions to their tackle posistions, the loss of Trent Brown now seems somewhat insignificant. This is of course making two key assumptions; Jared Veldheer has the ability to start, and Isaiah Wynn has properly healed from his egregious Achilles injury last August.

Patriots Tackle Outlook

The Patriots currently have Isaiah Wynn, Marcus Cannon, Jared Veldheer, Dan Skipper, Cole Croston, Yondy Cajuste, Calvin Anderson, Cedrick Lang, and Tyree St. Louis all listed at the tackle spot. Their influx of tackles provides a lot of flexibility for coaches Dante Scarnecchia, Josh McDaniels, and de facto GM Bill Belichick.

Coach Scar Has Plenty of Options

Scarnecchia will obviously benefit the most from all these moves, as he will be the closest to these players. Coach Scar will now have to make the decision on where Isaiah Wynn plays this season and decide the roles of Jared Veldheer, Marcus Cannon, Yondy Cajuste.

Expect Cajuste to Be a Sponge This Year

In all likelihood, Yondy Cajuste, the fourth round selection out of West Virginia, will play a LaAdrian Waddle type role and mostly sit back in his first year. Although, he can potentially play the game a lot like Trent Brown did in his one season with the Patriots. Asking him to do what Trent did however, will take time.

…And Then There Were Three

Now, narrowing down the two starters on this line gets tricky. All three players (Wynn, Cannon, and Veldheer) could merit the distinction of being a starter on this team. However, it seems like Isaiah Wynn’s Achilles could answer the whole question.

Assuming Wynn is not completely ready to preform, the answer will be that Marcus Cannon starts at right tackle and Jared Veldheer at left.

Wynn with a healthy Achilles muddies the waters, and could potentially ship Marcus Cannon out of Foxboro.

Why Veldheer’s Job Seems Safe

Simply based off the money he received, it seems very plausible that he should be carved into one of the starting tackle spots. Although the exact details of his contract remain undisclosed, we know that he could earn a max value of 6.5 million dollars this season. Bill Belichick and Nick Casiero do not pay camp bodies, or even backup tackles, 6.5 million dollars. The Patriots must like this guy, therefore, his job seems pretty safe for now. Veldheer also primarily played right tackle for the Cardinals and Broncos. This puts him primarily in competition with Marcus Cannon.

A Healthy Wynn Could Place Cannon on the Trade Block

Remember when the Patriots traded Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers before the season started a few years back? Belichick could make another big trade of an offensive tackle before the season starts this year too.

Cannon just came off one of his better seasons in a while. A season where his health was better than normal, and he was a very solid right tackle last season.

If Coach Scarnecchia decides that Isaiah Wynn is ready to make a big impact in essentially his rookie season, Cannon might be in trouble and sold for his highest value.

Cannon could become obsolete with Wynn, Veldheer, and Cajuste in the picture. And his contract and age might be too hefty for Belichick and the Patriots.

An aging player with a decreasing role and a contract north of 7.4 million dollars each of the next two seasons normally gets floated in trade talks by teams. With Bill Belichick, a hit to Cannon’s role and value on this team will have the Patriots’ GM making phone calls off the hook.

Cannon better hope Wynn does not upstage him, otherwise Cannon may not be blocking for Tom Brady too much longer.

My Prediction

I believe in Wynn’s abilities and so do the Patriots. Thus, Wynn plays left tackle and Jared Veldheer plays right tackle.

Veldheer played right tackle in Arizona and in Denver. With his contract and Wynn impressing like I believe he will, it currently is very hard to see Cannon keeping his job here in New England.

Furthermore, Cannon gets traded for a defensive lineman, safety, or maybe even another target for Brady.

Injuries always happen in training camp and preseason. If a tackle goes down for an extended period of time, expect Belichick to welch off another team’s desperation and get his highest value for Cannon. Assuming he did not already trade him

Patriots going into 2019 with no tight end?

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The Patriots could enter 2019 with nobody at tight end

Bill Belichick is the smartest coach in the league. After Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement there was speculation that the Patriots would draft a tight end during the draft, but they didn’t. There’s also a strong rumor that former tight end Benjamin Watson was going to come out of retirement and join his former team. The Patriots could go into the season with no tight end, and they haven’t had that happen in awhile.

They’ve had much success at the position

The Patriots have had a tight end since the beginning of the Belichick era. From Jermaine Wiggins to Benjamin Watson and Rob Gronkowski. They really had been dominant at the position. Dwayne Allen didn’t turn out well, and the Patriots released Jacob Hollister. However, having no tight end could work. The Patriots could have five wide receivers lined up. The signing of Demaryius Thomas, and having Julian Edelman on the other side, will be good. Also when Josh Gordon returns from the suspension that adds another dominant force to the offense. Also, they have the new draft pick N’ Keal Harry, who people are already comparing to Dez Bryant and Phillip Dorsett.

They could go with five wide receivers

Tom Brady is used to having all kinds of different receivers to throw to. With him playing at an elite level still, Belichick knows Brady can handle anything thrown his way. Brady will just find the open receiver. Yes they’ll miss the blocking from Gronkowski, that just means other guys will have to step up.

That will probably be a full depth chart at receiver when Josh Gordon comes back from suspension. If he can remain on the field he would be a great factor to make plays on offense. With Brady still playing it’s safe to say they may not even need a tight end. They did win a Super Bowl without Rob Gronkowski. And who knows, he could comeback in November if he feels right. Belichick will always do what’s best for the football team regardless.