Patriots add to defensive staff with second linebackers coach
Drew Wilkins, New York Giants outside linebackers coach, talks to reporters before mandatory minicamp at the Giants training center in East Rutherford on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. (Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY Network)
The New England Patriots defensive staff continues to grow. On Sunday morning the team made its latest addition, adding a second linebackers coach.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was the first to report that the Patriots are hiring Drew Wilkins as an outside linebackers coach. Wilkins previously worked for the New York Giants, but was let go along with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale last month.
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According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, Wilkins “had key role on Wink Martindale staff, especially third-down and blitz design.” Wilson also shared last week that Wilson had “been requested for high level college football interviews.”
Prior to joining the Giants Wilkins worked for the Baltimore Ravens, starting as a defensive coaching assistant in 2011 under Chuck Pagano. Wilkins then became a defensive line coach before being promoted to outside linebackers coach in 2018. From 2018 to 2020 he worked with current Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon, coaching Judon to his first two Pro Bowl seasons in 2019 and 2020.
In New England Wilkins joins a defensive coaching staff that has come together quickly over the last week. He’s the second linebackers coach the team has added in just a few days, after former player Dont’a Hightower joined the staff on Friday. Hightower will be the inside linebackers coach while Wilkins coaches the outside linebackers. That setup isn’t new for the Patriots – Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick were inside and outside linebackers coaches early in their careers before becoming co-linebackers coaches in recent years.
Pending any assistant-level positional coaches, the Patriots have filled out their defensive coaching staff. There are still a few spots to be filled on offense as the coaching cycle winds down.
Patriots coaching staff tracker: Building out the staff
Offensive coaching staff
Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt directs the offense during training camp, Aug. 5, 2022 in Berea. (Syndication: Akron Beacon Journal)
Offensive coordinator: Alex Van Pelt
Quarterbacks coach: T.C. McCartney
Running backs coach: Taylor Embree
Wide receivers coach: Unknown (no official parting of ways with Troy Brown)
Assistant wide receivers coach: Tiquan Underwood
Tight ends coach: Vacant
Offensive line coach: Scott Peters
Assistant offensive line coach: Robert Kugler
Offensive assistant: Ben McAdoo
Offensive assistant: Michael McCarthy
The Patriots completed their coordinator search by hiring Van Pelt, a former NFL quarterback. Now, they begin the process of filling out his staff. Here’s a look at who they’ve been linked to for positional coaching roles…
— Robert Kugler (former Carolina Panthers assistant offensive line coach)
— Ben McAdoo (former New York Giants head coach)
— T.C. McCartney (former Cleveland Browns coach)
x — Andy Dickerson (hired by Cleveland Browns)
Patriots’ offensive coordinator interviews…
— Scott Turner (Las Vegas Raiders pass game coordinator)
— Klint Kubiak (San Francisco 49ers pass game coordinator)
— Luke Getsy (former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator)
— Brian Fleury (San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach)
— Tanner Engstrand (Detroit Lions pass game coordinator)
— Jerrod Johnson**** (Houston Texans quarterbacks coach)
— Thomas Brown***** (Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator)
— Nick Caley (Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach)
— Zac Robinson*** (Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach)
— Dan Pitcher** (Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach)
— Shane Waldron* (Seahawks offensive coordinator)
*Waldron was hired as the Chicago Bears OC after interviewing with the Patriots
**Pitcher was promoted to the Bengals’ OC job, replacing new Titans head coach Brian Callahan
***Robinson was hired as the Atlanta Falcons OC after interviewing with the Patriots
****Johnson is staying in Houston in his current role
*****Brown was hired as the Chicago Bears pass game coordinator after interviewing with the Patriots
Defensive coaching staff
Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive coordinator: DeMarcus Covington
Defensive line coach: Jerry Montgomery
Inside linebackers coach: Dont’a Hightower
Outside linebackers coach: Drew Wilkins
Cornerbacks coach: Mike Pellegrino
Safeties coach: Brian Belichick
The Patriots named Covington their defensive coordinator, promoting him from within (he was previously the defensive line coach). Mayo and Covington now will go through the process of building out the rest of the staff. Above are coaches they’ve interviewed for positional roles since officially promoting Covington, and below is a look at the other coaches the Patriots interviewed for the DC role, who could be candidates for positional coaching jobs.
— Jerry Montgomery (former Green Bay Packers defensive line coach & run game coordinator)
— Gerald Alexander (Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach)
— Michael Hodges (New Orleans Saints linebackers coach)
— Christian Parker (Denver Broncos defensive backs coach)
— Tem Lukabu (Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach)
Special teams staff
Jun 2, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams special teams assistant coach Jeremy Springer during organized team activities at California Lutheran University. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Special teams coordinator: Jeremy Springer
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported the Patriots are hiring Springer as their new special teams coordinator. The team has had multiple special teams coaches in the past, so look for him to add one or two assistants to his staff. The only other coach the Patriots interviewed for special teams who hasn’t taken another job yet is Thomas McGaughey.
