According to a Saturday morning report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Patriots could lose as many as three assistants this offseason. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are both still head coaching candidates, while linebackers coach Brian Flores remains “very much in play in Arizona,” said Schefter, quoting a league source.
While the loss of McDaniels and/or Patricia at the end of the year was pretty much assumed, the potential departure of Flores could create an issue. Even though there are a few clear candidates on staff (or elsewhere) who could ascend to the OC job, many believe Flores is the DC-in-waiting, and if he did ultimately depart for Arizona, it would create a void on the defensive side of the ball for the New England coaching staff. How would the Patriots fill the vacancy?
While they have occasionally gone outside the organization in years past — like the hiring of Dean Pees, who moved from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator after joining the staff from Kent State — traditionally, the Patriots promote from within the organization. Here’s a current list of assistants on the defensive side of the ball, some of whom could be in line for some sort of promotion if Flores does depart:
Brendan Daly, defensive line
Steve Belichick, safeties
Josh Boyer, cornerbacks
There are also two other possibilities: one, Bill Belichick could leave the job vacant for a spell while someone on the staff worked his way into the position. That happened before Patricia was named DC in 2012. In the year or two before his eventual promotion, Patricia was pretty much acknowledged as the future DC, only without the title. And two, Belichick could shuffle his staff for someone to eventually become DC sooner rather than later. He’s always been a big proponent of having coaches with experience on both sides of the ball — for example, Patricia was an assistant offensive line coach before joining the defensive side of the ball in 2006. (Maybe special teams coach Joe Judge is that guy this time around?) All possibilities as the franchise prepares to enter what could be a transitional phase for its coaching staff.
Torbert gets the call
Ronald Torbert will work as the lead official for Saturday’s Patriots playoff game. Torbert, who has been a referee since 2014, will be working his second New England game of the season. He was in charge of the Nov. 26 game in Foxborough between the Patriots and Dolphins. Since becoming a referee, New England is 3-0 the games he’s worked. For more on his background as a referee, check out his page at Pro Football Reference.
Bundle up
A dramatic change in temps on the way.. be aware of icy spots if traveling to & from the @Patriots game at @GilletteStadium Saturday. #Boston25 pic.twitter.com/VTrf4bMgHV
— Sarah Wroblewski (@sarahwroblewski) January 13, 2018