Jerod Mayo has been named the newest head coach of the New England Patriots. Now, for both him and Robert Kraft, the real work begins.
There’s plenty on the to-do list for Mayo going forward, as he and the Patriots begin what could be a years-long rebuilding process. But the top task is to find the next quarterback, and simply nailing that move would jump-start things.
Much of the to-do list will also fall on the shoulders of the Patriots’ next general manager, which they are reportedly looking to add to the mix with Mayo. But it’s likely that Mayo has a lot of power written into his contract as the successor to Bill Belichick, and that he will have a lot of say in all these matters – if not the final say.
Here are seven big things on the to-do list for Mayo, as he looks to restore the Patriots to contention…
Fix The Quarterback Room
New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo needs to figure out what to do with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)
It’s as simple as that. Mayo and the Patriots’ next GM need to identify their quarterback of the future.
While it is that simple, that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. The Patriots are armed with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so they may gamble on the upside of one of the top QB prospects. Maybe that guy can pull a C.J. Stroud and turn the program around by himself, overnight.
But as much as the Patriots need to find their next starting quarterback, fixing the room goes beyond that. A recent story in the Boston Herald spotlighted the dysfunction within the current group, namely the awkward dynamic between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. So, determining the fate of those two will also be of paramount importance.
Whatever Mayo and the GM do, they are going to have to reshape a quarterback room that was a total disaster in 2023, and probably a lost cause the way it is right now. Speaking of the GM…
Get A GM That Works
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 09: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo talk on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Despite Mayo being “only” the head coach as far as his title is concerned, as the first major hire of the off-season and the successor to Belichick, it wouldn’t be surprising if Mayo also had final say on personnel – even over the general manager.
That’s why the new GM will be arguably the most important addition of the off-season other than Mayo. These two need to be in lockstep, as will everyone around them in the front office. They simply need to pick the right players, at the end of the day, but if everyone’s pulling in the same direction, that could go a long way toward improving their personnel moves.
Get A Real No. 1 Receiver
CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 17: Tee Higgins #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a touchdown while defended by Ar’Darius Washington #29 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The quickest and easiest way for the Patriots to inject some legitimate talent into the offense is free agency, and wide receiver will be the most plentiful position on the market. Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, Michael Pittman Jr., and Calvin Ridley are among the most notable names for the Patriots to buy. They may need to be the highest bidder, though, since they’re clearly in a rebuild with uncertainty at quarterback.
If they really want to go bold, they could swing a big trade for the receiver they really want. Notable wideouts entering the final year of their contracts in 2024 are Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Brandon Aiyuk. It’s a long shot, but it is an option, and something the Pats should absolutely consider as they look to finally land a legitimate No. 1 weapon.
Get Everyone On The Same Page
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 12: Coach Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 12, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Patriots defeated the Cardinals 27-13. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
This can work itself out by virtue of Mayo building the new coaching staff the way he wants. But no matter who they hire or how they go about doing it, there needs to be a reset from top to bottom as far as everyone being of one mind.
According to the aforementioned Boston Herald story, the Patriots’ staff became splintered after new hires like Bill O’Brien backfired and caused factions to form among the coaches. Everyone in the building needs to be a Mayo guy. That will be on the head coach himself.
Establish His Own Culture
Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
As important as it’ll be to fix the roster and rebuild the coaching staff, it’ll be huge for Mayo to be his own guy. He may be the successor to Belichick, and he may have learned most of what he knows about football from the Patriots. But Mayo absolutely cannot be a carbon copy of Belichick. That would defeat the purpose of this whole transition.
Mayo can certainly take some of the key tenets from Belichick’s tenure – do your job, ignore the noise, one week at a time,
no days off. But he’ll need to make his own stamp on the organization. And there’s reason to be confident that he will, because Mayo is a former player and not just one of Belichick’s stooges.De-emphasize Special Teams
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 07: Matthew Slater #18 of the New England Patriots waves to fans while walking off the field after a game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Here’s an easy way for Mayo to establish his own culture: enough with the over-emphasis on special teams.
It clearly didn’t work out the way they planned over the past few seasons, as the Patriots focused unnecessarily hard on special teams-only players. It’s fine to have one or two of those guys on your roster, but just about everyone on offense and defense should be able to cover kicks and punts. Not to mention, the league itself is de-emphasizing those plays. So, especially with Matthew Slater about to retire, it’s time to scale back the special teams operation in Foxboro.
Decide Who To Keep
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 03: Mike Onwenu #71 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on December 03, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Patriots have an interesting list of internal free agents this off-season, and at least a few of them are worth re-signing, especially right tackle Mike Onwenu (pictured above). Mayo will certainly need the GM for this, but the Patriots can’t just let all their good free agents walk, not with $70 million in cap space.
Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne, and Kyle Dugger are also among the most notable Patriots internal free agents to watch.
