After 24 years under Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots are ready to begin rebuilding the Jerod Mayo era.
As the New England Patriots enter a new era with new head coach Jerod Maye replacing Bill Belichick after 24 years and currently assembling their coaching staff, I’m curious to see how it all plays out.But now, for the first time since 2000, the Patriots are without a single Pro Bowler, and with no NFL Honors nominations on February 2, 2000, the Patriots are without a Pro Bowler. 8, it can be a slow build.
There’s a saying in sports, especially in coaching, that you don’t want to be the man who replaces “the man.” For example, it was a big topic of conversation this offseason when Alabama was looking for a replacement for Nick Saban.
Many believed that Saban’s legacy of winning six national championships at Alabama set a standard too high that no coach would want to match. Ironically, this seems to have never been discussed when the Patriots traded Belichick. But why? Ultimately, Belichick was as successful in his 24 years with the Patriots as Saban was in his 17 years in Tuscaloosa. Unlike Saban, Belichick’s departure came at the lowest point of his tenure, as the Patriots went 3-14 in his final season after making the postseason once following the departure of legendary quarterback Tom Brady to Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This ties in closely with the possible idea that Belichick, the architect of a dynasty that has lasted nearly two decades, has left New England’s locker untouched. The Patriots’ 3-14 season received some favor due to the fact that they have over $60 million in cap space along with the No. 1 overall pick. 3 in the NFL draft, but it doesn’t feel the same as Mayo’s.
We look forward to a quick decision. Offensively, the Patriots did just that. There are many holes in the list. The biggest of those is quarterback, who appears to be moving on from former first-round pick Mack Jones. But that’s not the only thing that has hindered the Patriots in recent years. They couldn’t even replace guys like Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski when it came to finding decent players. Not to mention last season’s makeshift offensive line may need three rookie starters due to David Andrews’ decision to retire.
Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu are scheduled to become free agents this offseason. But one bright spot for Mayo is that they have inherited a defense that doesn’t need to be tweaked like the attack, just managed from the contract side.That doesn’t mean Mayo’s task of filling the Patriots locker room is too difficult, but it does mean his draft picks and spending money on the right players will be critical to his success.
