Bill O’Brien’s presence was immediately felt during Patriots practice last Tuesday. He had the entire field to himself as he barked orders, put players in the right place, and orchestrated the offense with purpose. Apparently this was intentional.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has spent the majority of the offseason alongside New England newest offensive coordinator, and Bill Belichick is “mostly delegating all things offense to his new/old coordinator, in a siloed-off model that feels, to those there, much more like how things were when Josh McDaniels was around a couple of years ago.”
Did you hear that? It was the collective breath of fresh air across the entire New England region.
The Patriots looked completely lost for an entire eight-month span last season, and that looks to have completely changed since the hiring of O'Brien in late-January:
“It's been really good. It's been normal,” Jones told the media of his working relationship with his new offensive coordinator. “I think everything he's done so far has been really good. I think the communication is the most important part, and trust. I think it all starts with that when you're with a new coach.”
Gresh and Fauria: Takeaways from the first open day of Patriots OTAs
"Normal" being the key word.
It's early, but things continue to move in an upward trajectory for this New England team as we inch closer to training camp.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
Related
