Is Bill Belichick’s fate already sealed, as NBC Sports’ Tom Curran recently reported? Or, will the situation play out over the next month, and possibly take longer than that, as NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport wrote over the weekend?
At this point, can’t say for certain who’s right or wrong. Or if the truth lies somewhere in between.
But for the sake of the Patriots, the answer needs to play out sooner, rather than later.
Waiting is counterproductive to righting this ship.
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Rapoport, who was a guest on MassLive’s “Eye on Foxborough” podcast, maintained that nothing has been decided, and “nobody knows how it’s going to end.”
Somebody behind the scenes better know. And preferably by season’s end if not before.
If Kraft has already decided to part ways with Belichick, but is holding his cards to try and work out a trade to get compensation for Belichick – which would lend some credence to both reports – that could drag on forever.
In that vein, the Patriots don’t need to get into a tug-of-war with the LA Chargers, or whoever, waiting to see who blinks first. Why would the Chargers or any team hand over a draft pick if they know Kraft wants to move on from Belichick?
For the Patriots, getting their ducks in a row is more important than digging in their heels, trying to land some kind of return no matter how long it takes. If they decide to move on from Belichick, which seems almost inevitable, they still have to go through the process of finding a replacement, whether it’s Jerod Mayo, or someone else. They have to interview candidates.
That takes time. So does putting together a coaching staff with a new coach.
Kraft also has to decide if he’s just going to simply replace his head coach, and keep everything else in place, or blow it up, meaning he’ll hire a new general manager and front office on top of the coach and coaching staff.
That’s also going to take time, whether he brings in someone familiar (Dave Ziegler, Thomas Dimitroff, Jon Robinson, Scott Pioli), or someone completely new.
Meanwhile, there’s never been a more important draft, and free agency period than what lies ahead. Free agency is in March, three months away. The NFL Draft is in April. With respect to the latter, there’s also the NFL’s Scouting Combine in late February, as well as interviewing and working out prospects.
The clock is already ticking.
The football team has so many needs. Quarterback, offensive tackle and receiver are just the top three. With what’s looking to be a top five pick in the 2024 draft, along with a ton of cash to spend, the braintrust, whether new or old, should be working on a plan of attack.
If Caleb Williams is the guy, do the Patriots move up to get him? Is drafting one of the generational tackles more important, then get the quarterback later?
Or, do they go for Marvin Harrison Jr., the can’t miss receiver from Ohio State? And how might free agency help fill some of the holes?
Then there’s players on the current roster to consider. Which free agents do they want back? Do they legitimately try to keep Michael Onwenu, Josh Uche, Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne, or do they set everyone free?
Being in a holding pattern over the coach and personnel department won’t help answer those questions.
As Rapoport suggested in the podcast, parting with a six-time Super Bowl-winning coach isn’t the easiest decision to make. It wasn’t easy letting go of Tom Brady, and that came back to bite them.
Kraft certainly doesn’t want to go down that road again. But it behooves him to do what’s best for the franchise, whatever that might be.
Coming to an amicable solution, if Kraft in fact moves on from Belichick, would be desirable. And doing so with speed is also preferred. The Patriots really can’t afford to have this drag out.
Whether Belichick remains, or there’s a new sheriff in town, the chief decision-maker is going to need as much time as possible to fix what’s broken.
The franchise needs to move forward and head into a new direction. Being stuck in neutral with no resolution in sight doesn’t accomplish that mission.
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