The Patriots need an Offensive Coordinator Again

By Steve Atkinson 

For the third year in a row the Patriots need an offensive coordinator after Bill O’Brien left for Ohio State. Robert Kraft brought O’Brien in last year to help Mac Jones after Belichick wanted his buddies Patricia and Judge to run the offense the year before. Belichick resented that Kraft did that and did nothing but make the offense worse for O’Brien and Mac. Mac Jones regressed because of it and was benched after an interception against the Giants. New head coach Jerod Mayo has been interviewing candidates for defensive coordinator and special teams coach. Question is who will he get for offensive coordinator?

The offensive coordinator hire could be a clue whether or not Mac Jones is back

Depending if Josh McDaniels goes with Belichick if Bill gets the Atlanta job for head coach will Mayo go after a coach under the Sean McVay coaching tree? The Patriots offense of 24 years only worked with one quarterback Tom Brady. The game has changed a lot since then and a new offense has taken over the game.

There’s thought that the Patriots will bring in Josh McDaniels back and keep Mac Jones because they know it worked in 2021. Like I said a few weeks ago the Kraft’s weren’t happy with how Belichick treated Mac these last few years can Josh McDaniels bring it back?

Depending on the offensive coordinator hire will they draft Marvin Harrison Jr. ?

Say the Patriots draft Marvin Harrison Jr. At number three and then go from there with building the offense so Mac has legit chance. Or they draft a quarterback which Mayo hinted to Steve Burton and then build the rest of the offense. Regardless your going to need to keep a quarterback here which will probably mean Mac because he’s so cheap.

The question remains at what the offense will be . Really Mayo should be interviewing candidates this week for offensive coordinator whether it’s McDaniel’s or Zach Robinson. Mayo was asked about how he would improve the offense.

“One thing we don’t want to do is have people who are complainers or finger pointing or things like that. The best teams I’ve really been a part of have been teams that – whether I’m talking about high school, college or the NFL, teams that are not led by the players, but things are enforced by the players. It’s almost like getting something – your mom or dad telling you something versus your brother. It just hits a little bit differently.

He was talking about Trent Brown who criticized Belichick for getting rid of talented offensive lineman and not replacing it with better talent. DeVante Parker who was a Patricia signing and also a friend of Bill complained last year too. A pass hit him in the hands during the Raiders game and he said it was uncatchable because it hit him in the fingertips.

It’s going to really be interesting these next few months putting together this offense. Does Mac stay? Does he get traded to have a legit chance? Or do they give him one more shot here? I keep going back and forth on this but I wouldn’t be surprised if they kept him and I wouldn’t be shocked if they traded him so he could get another chance somewhere else.

The Patriots will interview Rams TE coach Nick Caley on Monday who was passed by the Patriots for offensive coordinator during last off-season and in 2022. Though he hasn’t called plays, he may bring some of the McVay system with him and knows Mac’s potential if they were to keep him.

Caley was passed by Belichick for the offenseive coordinator job in 2022 because Belichick wanted Patricia and Judge his buddies to run the offense. Will Caley get a chance two years later to revamp Mac’s career? Patriots will also interview Zach Robinson this week.