Mark Daniels: If Patriots go backward next year … Belichick won’t be back

Bill Belichick has struggled since Tom Brady departed from the New England Patriots. In 2021, Belichick splurged in free agency, landing 11 new players. And, so far, Matthew Judon has been the only standout player in that bunch. And, since 2021, the Patriots have gone 18-17 without any playoff wins.

On Tuesday’s Toucher & Rich program, Mark Daniels joins the show to discuss expectations for Bill Belichick heading into the 2023-24 season.

Parts of conversation abbreviated for clarity.

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  FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Gillette Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

• Fred: There’s something to be said about stripping down and rebuilding. Don’t you think? 

  Mark Daniels: Oh, yeah. 

  Fred: If only two years ago, the Patriots were like, “Alright, we’ll bite the bullet.” They could’ve had a couple down years and built through the draft. There’s something to be said for doing that. 

  Mark Daniels: Yeah, absolutely. And I think sometimes it depends on if everything lines up. If there was a great free agent, like A.J. Brown, and they splurged on him, that’d be different. But at the time, in 2021, the best free agent wide receivers were Marvin Jones and Nelson Agholor. 

  But the “tear it down” approach is interesting. Some teams might have owners who are patient about that. I don’t think the Patriots have that in Robert Kraft. He wants to win. 

• Peter King calls the Patriots 'a cautionary tale for this time of year'. https://t.co/DBw8yA05eI pic.twitter.com/6uNncg6McF

  — Boston.com (@BostonDotCom) March 20, 2023

• Mark Daniels: I’d be shocked if they wanted to tear it down. Put it this way, if the Patriots go backward next year and get worse, I don’t think Bill Belichick will be back. 

  The Krafts want to win so badly that they would make a drastic move. There needs to be an improvement here, and I think that’s the sort of approach we’ve seen. I don’t see a “tear it down” approach. I see a “let’s get better or make many changes.” 

  Fred: Yeah, Mark Daniels! Coming out with “They’re firing Belichick.” I love it! 

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  FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 3, 2021: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (L) pats head coach Bill Belichick on the shoulder during warmups prior to the start of the game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 3, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

• Rich: So that raises a bunch of different questions. Do you think there’s something in Belichick’s mind that might not mind if this was his last year? 

  Mark Daniels: Yeah, that’s interesting. It hasn’t been easy since Tom [Brady] left. But, you know, he has the keys to the castle. I bet that he thinks bringing Bill O’Brien and Adrian Klemm aboard will get the team back to ten wins or a playoff appearance. 

  I’d be shocked if Bill wanted to leave, truthfully, because Robert doesn’t meddle in what Bill does. But I think maybe some of that changed this past offseason with the offensive play caller situation. 

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