We apparently aren’t the only ones who don’t understand what Bill Belichick is doing with his coaching staff.
NFL personnel people are mystified, too.
NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry reported this week NFL executives and talent evaluators don’t understand why the Patriots haven’t named an offensive coordinator in the wake of Josh McDaniels’ departure. Perry is situated at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
“I can just tell you, Tom, from talking to some people here and some folks around the league: People are flabbergasted at how this Patriots staff has come together,” Perry said on his Patriots podcast with Tom Curran. “It's focused on that offensive side specifically: What they're going to do in terms of coaching the quarterback and calling the plays?”
The Patriots hired Joe Judge last month to be an offensive assistant, but haven’t added to their coaching staff otherwise. The Giants fired Judge after a putrid 10-23 run over the last two seasons.
SI’s Albert Breer reported recently Judge is expected to work with the quarterbacks, despite his lack of experience on the offensive side of the ball. The former special teams coordinator infamously called for a QB sneak on 3rd-and-9 during the Giants’ regular season finale.
Matt Patricia, who served as the Patriots’ assistant offensive line coach in 2005 before moving to defense, is also projected to work on offense.
The Patriots reportedly haven’t inquired with Bill O’Brien or longtime offensive coach Adam Gase about their vacancies, despite some speculation to the contrary.
Perry also says the Patriots haven’t reached out to former receivers coach Chad O’Shea, who was the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator in 2019.
The skepticism is well-founded.
