Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Friday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
Now that we know Greg Schiano is out of the picture -- for whatever reason -- as New England's defensive coordinator, who is going to get the job? Here are a few possibilities:
a) Bret Bielema: Honestly, this probably makes the most sense, at least at this point. Bielema has the high-level background and knowledge of several of the players who were on the roster last year when he held the role of "consultant." Not sure he'd actually warrant the DC title, but he can give you some continuity on the defensive side of the ball, which is something not many others can say at this point in the process.
b) Bill Belichick: It's his defense anyway -- I mean, it's not like Schiano was going to radically overhaul things as the coordinator. And the fact that he's operated without a coordinator before doesn't hurt. In this scenario, I'd also expect Belichick to lean awfully hard on veterans like Dont'a Hightower and Devin McCourty. These guys are essentially like coaches on the field already, but I can see more on their plate in 2019.
c) Nick Caserio: Probably a long shot, but in the context of this conversation, it's important to note he was a positional coach earlier in his career, and is more involved on the practice field than most GMs.
d) Joe Judge: The wild card. The special teams coach has impressed Belichick over the years, and even though the coverage numbers dipped at times in 2018, he could be next man up when it comes to DC. (It's also possible Belichick could assume the DC duties for a season while positioning Judge to take the job in 2020.)
From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Patriots suddenly need a new defensive coordinator, as Greg Schiano puts into motion something he has been mulling for two weeks. pic.twitter.com/ARDEBtbbsr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 28, 2019