NFL Notebook: With so many defensive coaching changes, Patriots would be well-served to retain established players

In this week’s edition of the NFL Notebook, we wonder if Bill Belichick is following a template set down by one of his old pals, talk with Jermaine Wiggins about what priorities the Patriots have this offseason, and look at four under-the-radar players who could play a big role when it comes to team-building over the next month-plus. But first: will the departures of so many defensive coaches this offseason alter New England’s approach when it comes to decisions on the futures of Devin McCourty, Dont’a Hightower and Trey Flowers?

1. The changes on New England’s coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball aren’t happening in a vacuum, but it is worth speculating just how much impact the moves will have on the Patriots’ team-building approach this offseason.

Over the next month-plus, there will be a number of personnel decisions on the defensive side of the ball, many of which involve trusted veterans who have become foundational elements of their success over the last few years: Dont’a Highower and Devin McCourty will have sizable cap hits in 2019. And Trey Flowers is a free agent. With all of the coaching changes on the defensive side of the ball, the wisdom and continuity that the likes of Hightower, McCourty and Flowers can provide going forward will be important in allowing New England to continue finding defensive success.

Their background in the system — contrasted with the fact there will be some new faces at key coaching positions — shouldn’t necessarily guide the decisions the team makes when they approach the bargaining table. But the franchise needs to be especially mindful of the contributions this group has made over the years, and how they can be key touchstones for some of the younger players on the roster as they make the transition to a new coaching staff.

2. A few years ago, I wrote about the possibility of Bill Belichick taking a page from Mike Shanahan’s book when it came to planning for life after the retirement of a veteran franchise quarterback. While the Broncos weren’t necessarily a Super Bowl contender in the year’s immediately following John Elway’s retirement after Denver went back-to-back in 1997 and 1998, they remained a playoff team (four appearances in the postseason in the seven years after Elway’s retirement) largely because of their movement to a full-on power running game, a direction they were headed toward at the end of Elway’s career with the arrival of Georgia product Terrell Davis. In the end, the Broncos were in the top five in rushing in five of the seven years after Elway retired, and while they were helmed at the quarterback position by the likes of the steady Jake Plummer, they realized they simply weren’t going to find another Elway. As a result, they able to achieve success using another offensive approach. While we’re admittedly broad-brushing the details, in the end, the Broncos made the transition to the post-Elway era with a physical offensive line and a lightly regarded back out of Georgia who helped change the offensive focus. Sound familiar? Not saying the Patriots and Belichick are laying the same sort of groundwork here. But some of the similarities are striking.

3. File this one under: Oh, yeah. These guys are still on the roster. One of the most important parts of the team-building process is evaluating the players you already have in your own building. With that in mind, and given the fact the Patriots are going to be making some key personnel decisions in the next month-plus, it’s important to remember New England has a number of prospects in the system that saw little to no regular-season time this year. When it comes to pulling the trigger on some moves this offseason — either in the draft or free agency — the Patriots need to assess whether or not these four players could be capable of stepping in to contribute in 2019.

Tight end Stephen Anderson: The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder has 36 catches for 435 yards and a pair of touchdowns in two seasons as a backup tight end in Houston. More of a pass-catcher than blocker, he spent the bulk of the season on the practice squad before being added to the active roster in January. Likely to get a closer look if there are personnel changes at tight end, at the very least, he’ll challenge Jacob Hollister for snaps this spring.

Cornerback Duke Dawson: The winner of the Redshirt Award, given annually to the youngster the Patriots consider to be too talented to put on the practice squad (and risk losing) but not quite ready for prime time. (Previous winners include Shane Vereen and James White.) The 5-foot-11, 198-pounder did start the year on IR with a hamstring issue, so his situation was a bit more complicated. But after he was activated off IR in November, he took scratches the rest of the way through the Super Bowl. A defensive back who distinguished himself as a scrappy competitor at Florida, he could be in the mix for more opportunity in 2019, particularly if Jason McCourty and Eric Rowe don’t return.