An already atypical Patriots offseason got a little more unusual on Thursday, with the news from Chad Graff of The Athletic that Bill Belichick will not be attending the NFL Combine this year. The Combine is taking place this week in Indianapolis.

It’s become a growing trend in recent years for head coaches around the league to skip the Combine. In recent years, entire coaching staffs of other teams have not made the trip to what is more of a front office-oriented event. Belichick’s absence though stands out as he is also the team’s general manager.

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• So why isn’t Belichick there? Graff passes along some reasons from an unnamed NFL defensive coordinator, whose team discussed whether or not to go.

  “The main reason [to not go] is that it’s hard to get much done at the combine, an event where the top allure may be catching up with friends around the league you don’t often see,” Graff shared. “If you’re a coach with a major project on your hands or who wants to get an early start in preparing for free agency, you can certainly get more done at home.”

  “For all the pomp of the combine, the aforementioned defensive coordinator said the event is most useful for getting medical information on the college prospects, something in which coaches play no role,” he continued. “The brief interviews teams get with players, which coaches do typically attend, aren’t terribly revealing. And besides, for a coach contemplating skipping the event, the interviews are all taped, the defensive coordinator said, and coaches will get another shot at chatting with prospects when team visits occur next month.”

  Even without Belichick here, the Patriots are still well represented. “Several front-office members” are in attendance according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, led by Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh. This could be a sign Groh will have more control of the Patriots’ draft board this year. There are also four members of the coaching staff in attendance – wide receivers coach Troy Brown, cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino, special teams coordinator Cam Achord, and special teams assistant Joe Houston.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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