Patriots Heading Into Training Camp

By: Steve Atkinson

It’s that time of year again, training camp is right around the corner. The Patriots open training camp next week and we will get a glimpse of how Mac Jones got in shape this offseason and also see who’s doing most of the play calling. Matt Patricia and Joe Judge seem to be leading the offense since Josh McDaniel took the Vegas Raiders job. Not only is it a big season for Mac Jones but also for Bill Belichick.

He’s going into the second year of Mac Jones with no offensive or defensive coordinator. Meanwhile, 45-year-old Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl with Tampa in 2020 and came back after demanding Bruce Arians step down from the head coaching job.  What Brady does outside of New England is related as long as Bill Belichick is coaching. Belichick seems to be taking more of a role in play calling on defense and might possibly on offense this year as well. Is that too much for him being at 70 years old to take that much responsibility? We will soon find out. Last year on defense Jerod Mayo would hold the defensive meetings while Steve Belichick called the plays. When things got rocky Bill Belichick started calling the play on defense.

Who Will Be Calling Plays On Offense For The Patriots

With Joe Judge and Matt Patricia back and working with the offense. The question is what if things get bad during the season with Patricia calling the plays? Will Belichick take the role of calling offensive plays too? Robert Kraft spoke this offseason at the owner’s meetings about Belichick’s way of doing things.

“Bill,” Kraft observed with a grin, “has a unique way of doing things. It’s worked out pretty well up to now. It doesn’t sometimes look straight-line to our fans or to myself, but I’m results-oriented. I expect [the Patriots to contend for another title] as soon as this year. We’ve made the commitment as an organization, we have a lot of talent … there’s a chance for them to grow and the team to come together.”

It worked out well because they had the greatest quarterback of all time for 20 years. Tom Brady filled up a lot of holes on the team and helped them win the majority of the games. Former Patriot Asante Samuel appeared on the I Am Athlete Podcast and clearly said Tom was the reason they won all those games.

Former Patriot Asante Samuel Choses Brady Over Belichick

Former #Patriots Super Bowl Champion and All-Pro CB @pick_six22 on the @IAMATHLETEpod

"The Patriots were a dynasty because of Tom Brady." pic.twitter.com/xOd0VkrpOb

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 18, 2022

“All of this (creative) stuff is working because of Tom!” Samuel said. “But that ain’t how we won … It’s one X-factor—it’s Tom. This is the truth … It’s because of Tom because guess what? Tom goes [somewhere else] and just wins a Super Bowl. That’s not a credit right there to him? With COVID, no practice—‘I go and win a Super Bowl!’”

Big Year for Mac Jones

Now Mac is no Tom Brady, nor will he ever be. But he has gotten in shape and fixed his diet this offseason. He’s watched all of Brady’s film as a Patriot and worked with his receivers this offseason. Mac has also gotten to training camp a week early along with Brian Hoyer. There is a part of me that Belichick won’t let Mac Jones fail regardless of who is coaching him. But there is also a part of me that wishes he had an actual offensive coordinator like Bill O’Brien. Not to failed head coaches that don’t have experience calling play on offense.

I’m looking forward to the start of training camp next week and to see how it all comes together. With Kendrick Bourne in his second season, I expect him to be the standout at the wide receiver position with Davante Parker coming in as a second option for Jones. Get ready for the season with the freshest gear here.