Will the New England Patriots enter the 2022 NFL season without naming official offensive and defensive coordinators?
Bill Belichick has yet to name a new offensive coordinator to replace Josh McDaniels, who left New England to become the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. The defense already lacked an official "coordinator" title with Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo splitting duties in 2021.
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Former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, now the Alabama Crimson Tide OC, has been mentioned as a potential McDaniels replacement. Ex-Miami Dolphins and New York Jets head coach Adam Gase also has been named as a possible fit.
Those rumors have quieted down these last couple of weeks, however. And if you ask 98.5 The Sports Hub's Scott Zolak, neither O'Brien nor Gase will be the Patriots' OC in 2022. As a matter of fact, no one will be.
"I don't think they're going to name an offensive coordinator," Zolak said on Thursday's "Zolak & Bertrand". "I don't think Billy O'Brien's happening, or it would've happened by now. It is not happening. Billy O'Brien will not be the offensive coordinator."
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"I don't think Gase is a go. ... I would say Billy O'Brien off the table more so than Gase. I think Billy wants to be like a head guy somewhere else. "
So, what will Belichick's coaching staff look like without coordinators on either side of the ball?
"Troy Brown at receivers. Nick Caley, move him with Mac Jones. He's been around, he's the guy who gets elevated within. So, 'You go work with our quarterback. Quarterback's the most valuable position on the team. Nick, you're gonna take care of that kid. You understand what we want to do in the passing game.
"Joe (Judge), you're back, I want you to get Jonnu Smith's ass going.' So Joe Judge, he coached receivers, but I'd rather have Troy Brown coach receivers than Joe Judge, so put Joe Judge with the tight ends. Now you've got a big gap up front which I think Matt Patricia would get assigned to."
To recap, Zo sees the staff looking something like this:
Troy Brown: Wide receivers coach
Nick Caley: Quarterbacks coach
Joe Judge: Tight ends coach
Matt Patricia: Offensive line coach
Zolak also sees Patricia calling the offensive plays. As for the defense, there will be little to no changes from the 2021 campaign.
Of course, this is all just speculation. Zo adds that while he hasn't heard anything from the organization to inform his predictions, this seems to be the obvious direction Belichick is heading in.
"I haven't talked to anybody, I don't know that. I'm going with what I see and I'm just going process of elimination. This is what I've got to work with," Zolak said.
"I don't know what (Bill Belichick) wants to do, but I know what he has with him right now, and he already stated that Judge is going to be on offense and Matt will have influence on offense."