Like Bill Belichick himself, the run of the Erhardt-Perkins Patriots offense that won six Super Bowls and went to three more is now over.
Hello old-school West Coast offense.
The Patriots are hiring Alex Van Pelt as their next offensive coordinator, a position the 53-year-old held previously with the Bills (2009) and Browns (2020-23). Last month, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Van Pelt mutually parted ways.
The gregarious Van Pelt, who has a close relationship with his QBs, enjoyed his most success and acclaim as Aaron Rodgers' quarterbacks coach from 2014-18. It was with the Packers that Van Pelt and current Patriots personnel executive Eliot Wolf worked together from 2012-17. Van Pelt was in Foxborough today for an interview with Jerod Mayo and Wolf.
Van Pelt's by far the most experienced candidate the Patriots interviewed and it's definitely a plus that the former NFL quarterback (nine seasons with the Bills) has extensive experience developing NFL quarterbacks given the Patriots could be taking one what the third overall pick.
BSJ ANALYSIS
As with anything, there's plusses and minuses with any of these hires and it depends on your viewpoint. Bottom line, really, is we shall see.
What I like and what I think the Patriots liked:
- Extensive experience developing QBs and was one himself. That's a plus over someone like Nick Caley.
- He's known as a player-friendly coach. His QBs love him. A nurturer. He's known as a very good QB coach.
- He knows the job and what's required.
- Scheme is QB-friendly and time-tested.
- If you wanted a departure from the old scheme, this is one way to do it.
What I don't like:
- His scheme is pretty old school. Sure, he could have learned from new tricks from Kevin Stefanski, but that stuff is overrated. This is a pretty boring scheme.
- If you were hoping for Shanahan or McVay systems, this is not it.
- In a sense, the Patriots moved from the 1970s with the E-P system to the 1980s with the WC offense.
- That Rodgers loved it/him is not a feather in his cap — Rodgers loves Nathaniel Hackett too.
- Mike McCarthy thought Van Pelt got too close to Rodgers. Nobody's really sure why he got fired in Green Bay.
- Been fired/let go a lot.
- Stefanski called plays with Browns.
- Before this last season, Van Pelt never coordinated a top 14 offense (points).
- This could be viewed as Wolf trying to generate some power in the organization. "Wolf driving the bus on this one," a source told Mike Giardi.
Other notes:
- Seahawks' Andy Dickerson is the OL coach they have targeted. He's on the way out as the Seahawks change a lot of what they're doing.
- Seattle's offensive line was thought to be a strength this season, their rookie tackles did a nice job a year ago under Dickerson, but the unit was a major issue this year: Seattle and the Patriots were tied at 27th in the league in PFF's pass-blocking efficiency this season.