So what does former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema do for the Patriots?

FOXBOROUGH — He’s usually one of the first on the practice field, carrying a cup of something while chatting with other assistants. And he’s an active presence on the field, not afraid to bark out commands and get hands-on with players.

But Bret Bielema has no real title other than the vaguely defined “Consultant to the Head Coach,” and no bio in the Patriots’ media guide.

Bill Belichick has traditionally kept his coaching staff and front office on the smaller side, but he has often leaned on the counsel of trusted advisors — guys who have either left or been fired from previous gigs -- bringing them in as part of what might best be described as his kitchen cabinet. In many ways, Bielema — who fired by Arkansas after a season-ending loss to Missouri on Nov. 24 — has followed the same path as Floyd Reese, Mike Lombardi, and Greg Schiano. All were friends of the coach who were retained in some capacity by the Patriots over the last decade or so after being let go elsewhere.

The biggest difference? Those guys were pretty much out of sight, or front-office types. In contrast, Bielema has only been here a few months, but he’s been very visible. Over the course of the spring, we saw him working with the special teamers and the defense. He’s an active presence on the practice field. Basically, he looks an awful lot like a guy who has been around Foxborough for several seasons, not someone who was imported a few months ago.

So where does he fit on the staff, other than being a guy with a title that sounds like it was something lifted from Dwight Schrute's resume?



On Wednesday, Belichick was asked what Bielema brings to the table.

“Bret did some things for us in the spring,” Belichick said, likely alluding to Bielema’s presence during the pre-draft process. “Going forward, we’ll kind of see how it goes. I’m sure it will kind of work its way into some areas. I’m not even sure exactly what all those are at this point. But, we’ll see how it goes.”

In this rare interview with CBS Sports, it sounds like Bielema is pretty much locked in on the defensive side of the ball, but we were interested in going beyond the surface. With Belichick's quote in mind, over the first two days of training camp, we kept an especially close eye on Bielema and what he was doing. The answer? At least at this stage of his career with the Patriots, he’s working with the defensive linemen, with what looks to be a specific focus on the edge defenders and pass rushers.

While he’s spent time with all of the defensive linemen, Bielema was especially attuned to the likes of Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Jr. and others who might be asked to bring pressure on the quarterback.

“He’s a good coach — you obviously listen to what (Bielema) says. He has a lot of experience. To have him out here, a familiar face, it’s pretty cool,” said Flowers, who played for him at Arkansas before being drafted by New England.

So how does it all shake out? Bielema and current defensive line coach Brendan Daly appear to be working in tandem. It’s not exclusive, but Bielema is with the edge guys and pass rushers, while Daly is more with the interior types and run stuffers. From afar, it doesn’t look like there’s any clash of coaching styles between the two coaches, at least at this point. (For what it’s worth, I’d be surprised if the relatively laconic Daly and Bielema clashed at all.) They’re both “on the same page,” according to defensive lineman and sub-rusher Adam Butler, who added there’s no “criss-cross” when it comes to what they’re teaching.

“They keep (the same focus), which is what I love. Everyone is on the same page,” explained Butler. “That’s how it works.”

“They’re in there in staff meetings, they talk together. They’re distributing the same technique and fundamentals,” said Flowers. “It’s pretty cool to have two sets of ears, two guys to listen to, to watch your game and give you more insight.”

So while they didn’t necessarily bring Bielema in to work specifically with the pass rush, looking at the sack numbers from 2017, it was clear New England needed a boost this offseason. And it probably wasn’t completely coincidental the Patriots’ two best pass rushers last year — Flowers and Wise — played for Bielema at Arkansas. And then, there’s the fact Belichick has seemingly had an affinity for Arkansas pass rushers over the last few years. Fundamentally, if you keep guys like Flowers and Wise happy, the results should show on Sundays.

“It’s been great working with him again, with someone who is a familiar face and familiar voice,” said Wise. “It’s been awesome.”

In the end, the Patriots hope Bielema's background with Flowers and Wise can help tap into their potential and provide a pass-rush spark in 2018. And another presence on the coaching staff to try and remedy what was an issue for the defense probably doesn’t hurt either.

“Any time you have any added insight to help you out or tweak your game or as far as technique,” Flowers said, “I’m all ears.”