Here’s what it would’ve taken for Robert Kraft to keep Bill Belichick
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 11: Owner Robert Kraft (L) hugs head coach Bill Belichick (R) of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Bill Belichick may be out as New England Patriots head coach, but there was a way that he possibly could’ve stayed.
That’s according to Jeff Howe in The Athletic, who reported in-depth on the lack of interest in Belichick around the league as a head coach. Belichick will have to wait until 2025 if he wants a new gig in the NFL, as all openings have been filled. His best chance at coaching in 2024 turned out to be New England, where he would’ve had to agree to some changes in order to stay.
From Howe:
League sources believed Kraft might have been swayed to keep Belichick for another season if the coach committed to changing certain strategies with the personnel department, roster construction and his offensive vision, but Belichick had been accustomed to a specific approach and wouldn’t bend that far.
Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (left) and Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick (right) and hold a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce Belichick’s exit from the team. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Clearly, Belichick thought he could maintain a higher level of control over the football operation if he went elsewhere. Otherwise, he would’ve just made his concessions and stayed with the Patriots. It appears that Belichick couldn’t actually find the “specific approach” that he was “accustomed to” at another organization.
The only way for ownership to regain any control in football ops was to move on from Belichick. So, Jerod Mayo is now in charge. And Eliot Wolf appears to be the team’s de facto GM, without the title. That’s certainly a more collaborative apporoach.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt’s content.
Resetting the Patriots' offensive depth charts for the 2024 offseason
The New England Patriots are turning toward building their roster for the 2024 season.
As we barrel toward Super Bowl Sunday and the start of the off-season for all 32 teams, it’s time to take stock of what the Patriots have at every position. They have plenty of familiar faces under contract, even at quarterback. But at other spots, they’re looking at a total reset. These depth charts should clue in to how the Patriots will look to augment their existing roster going forward.
Here’s a look at each position group on the offense, as it stands with players under contract with the team for 2024…
Quarterback
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Bailey Zappe of the New England Patriots warms up as Mac Jones looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 3, 2023. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Through all the turmoil, the losses, the turnovers, the Patriots are once again left with the same two quarterbacks heading into the 2024 league year: Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
Neither young quarterback did nearly enough to consistently play winning football in 2023. Quarterback play was the principal difference between mediocrity and the bottom of the league. Jones and Zappe over 17 games combined for a 73.8 percent passer rating, a mark that would have ranked 31st in the NFL.
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe of the New England Patriots warm up before their game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on Sept.10, 2023. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
For those obvious reasons, it’s widely expected that the Patriots go in a new direction at quarterback in 2024. They are armed with the third overall pick and well-positioned to draft a QB. UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are projected as possible picks for the 2-3 slots.
But of course, the Patriots will go into training camp with at least three quarterbacks on the roster. Could Jones and/or Zappe be among them? The pair costs about $3.77 in combined base salaries in 2024. So, if they’re happy to stay for the post-Bill Belichick era, they very well might. Otherwise, the Patriots will have to bring in a veteran or two to supplement their high draft pick.
Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.