Now that the new coach coronation is official and the introductory press conferences are done, it’s time for Jerod Mayo to get to work.
There are a few things Mayo can’t accomplish immediately, as Robert Kraft has yet to name a head of the personnel department, but there’s plenty that the first-time head coach can accomplish with his own Patriots staff.
MassLive beat writers Mark Daniels and Chris Mason have authored a seven-step to-do list for Mayo to check off over the next few weeks. Here’s what the coach can get done before the NFL Combine rolls around in late February:
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1. Pick offensive system
Daniels: It’s our understanding that Mayo is open to changing the Patriots offensive system. Over the past 24 years, the team has run a similar-style offense under the likes of Charlie Weis, Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien. Mayo must decide if he wants to run a similar style or change to a west coast system that’s seen in San Francisco with Kyle Shanahan and in Los Angeles Sean McVay.
If Mayo wants to reset his offense, now is the perfect time to start fresh. This decision must come before he hires his next offensive coordinator. Chris, what direction do you think the Patriots should go in?
Mason: Absolutely agree that they need to change things up. The Weis-based offense has totally stagnated without Tom Brady at the controls. Results have been underwhelming with Cam Newton, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, and with plenty of turnover to come on the offensive side of the ball, there’s no time like the present to implement a significant change.
There’s a lot to like about the Shanahan system, and now that it’s blown up across the league, there are plenty of coaches that are well-versed in it. So what comes next, Mark?
2. Hire offensive coordinator
Daniels: After deciding what kind of offensive system he wants the Patriots to utilize, Mayo needs to turn his attention to the coaching staff. The Patriots’ biggest issues have been on offense, so Mayo needs to hit a home run when it comes to his first offensive coordinator. Chris, I don’t necessarily think this needs to be an experienced play caller. For example, Houston’s Bobby Slowik didn’t call plays in San Francisco, but the Texans saw him as a bright young coach. What’s your take on this situation?
Mason: I’m all in on an external hire here. O’Brien is gone and there’s no need for a retread like McDaniels.
I think Mayo should bring in a Shanahan-style coach — someone like Zac Robinson from the Rams, perhaps — and then actually make it a uniform system across the board. Bring in a new offensive line coach with experience with that style of zone blocking; don’t just tell Matt Patricia to figure it out this time around. We’ve seen how that goes. Everybody needs to get on the same page here, and Mayo has a golden opportunity to start from scratch.
3. Come up with quarterback plan
Mason: For the offense to get back on track, there needs to be an adequate triggerman under center. The Patriots have been lost at this position since Brady called their bluff and walked out in 2020. They thought they might’ve had the next guy in Mac Jones, but the Patricia/Joe Judge season stunted that growth and torpedoed any chance of it working. Though I don’t think Mayo holds any personal ill-will towards Jones, he’s seen the Patriots offense over the course of the past three seasons. It’d be stunning if he’s under center Week 1.
The Patriots own the No. 3 overall pick in next spring’s NFL Draft, and I think they’re going quarterback. That could very well be LSU’s Jayden Daniels. What’s your read here, Mark?
Daniels: The Patriots’ options are obvious. In free agency, the top two players available are Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see either re-sign with their current teams. Other veterans include Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Ryan Tannehill. The Patriots best option might be at No. 3 in the upcoming draft. It’s expected that Caleb Williams will go No. 1. That leaves the Patriots with either Drake Maye or Daniels. I also believe the Patriots will draft a quarterback in the first round.
4. Hire defensive coordinator
Daniels: The Patriots will interview Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu for their defensive coordinator position. I would expect Mayo to seriously consider internal options. Steve Belichick has been calling Patriots defensive plays since 2019 and that makes him a great candidate for the job. Another is DeMarcus Covington. The Patriots defensive line coach has already interviewed for eternal defensive coordinator jobs in Arizona and Houston. How do you think Mayo handles this coaching position?
Mason: I think a lot comes down to what Steve wants. He and Mayo genuinely get along really well and their working relationship has yielded four Top 10 defenses in the past five seasons. The proof is on the scoreboard there. If Steve wants to advance his career, then getting out from under his father’s shadow and sticking around in New England is the right move. But if he just likes coaching with his dad, that’s understandable too. It’s all about his long-term goals, which he’s played close to the vest.
And yes, Covington is another clear candidate that’s still in the building. I bet Mayo would like to fill this vacancy internally, but he needs to see if Belichick leads an exodus to his next location first.
5. Figure out who’s defensive calling plays
Mason: If Steve sticks around, this one is pretty straightforward, right?
Daniels: Agreed. Depends on what Mayo wants to do. He hasn’t called defensive plays in the NFL, but it can’t be ruled out. If Mayo opts to call plays for the Patriots, it would change the type of defensive coordinator candidate he’d bring in to his staff. It might make more sense for Mayo to hire someone to call plays and for this first-year head coach to delegate and have a heavy hand in defensive game planning – like he’s done since 2019.
6. Fill out coaching staff
Daniels: Things will change under Mayo and that includes the size of the Patriots coaching staff. In 2023, the Patriots had the smallest coaching staff in the NFL with 18 coaches. Last season, the average NFL coaching staff had 23 coaches. Only the Patriots and Steelers (19) had less than 20 coaches on their staff. It’s expected that Mayo will increase his staff size in 2024. It’s also expected that a handful of coaches will follow Bill Belichick to his next destination. Chris, what changes do you expect to see?
Mason: I think we’ll see a ton of new faces here for a number of reasons. Let’s go rapid fire:
1. Last year’s staff was too small, as you said
2. Mayo really does welcome new ideas and knows how stale things have gotten
3. Some assistants will follow Belichick wherever he goes
4. O’Brien has already departed on his own new journey
5. At least one assistant was slamming Mayo behind his back last season. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, and in keeping with the gardening metaphor from Mayo’s introductory press conference, I bet he’ll weed ‘em out.
7. “Break down silos”
Mason: This inclusion is admittedly kinda corny, but it’s also important. On Wednesday, Mayo said over the next few weeks his goal is “to rebuild some relationships, knock down silos, and collaborate.” Those are necessary given the disarray the Patriots have fallen into organizationally, and Mayo should start with Mac Jones. Meeting with the quarterback and giving him a clean slate would likely go a long way, even if he’s watching from the bench next season.
Mayo can’t win a championship in January, but he can begin unifying his locker room.
Daniels: It’s clear that the Patriots weren’t on the same page this past season. There were rumors of infighting with the coaching staff. Players on offensive were disjointed. Mayo has a lot of work to do. It’s now up to him to create his own culture and get this team back on track.
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