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How Will Belichick Rebuild Defensive Coaching Staff?

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Coming on the heels of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, the abrupt departure of Greg Schiano just six weeks into his tenure as defensive coordinator was a second significant blow to the 2019 Pats process.

With Schiano leaving, speculation is that Belichick will be forced to take a more active role in the defense, something he certainly did early in Matt Patricia’s career.

Brian Flores was DC for just one season, but clearly brought his own unique personality to the defense. Patricia did the same before him, as did Dean Pees and Romeo Crennel before them.

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20 Questions About 2018 Patriots

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We’re a mere 10 days away from the opening of Patriots training camp, one of the most exciting times of the football season, when hope springs eternal, no one has gotten severely injured yet and every team has a shot at the Super Bowl. For the Patriots it’s another bonus chance getting to watch Bill Belichick and Tom Brady add to their unprecedented run.

These seasons are fleeting, we’re already on borrowed time, so it’s best to savor every moment.

The 2018 Patriots should be a big switch from the 2017 team. Just as the 2015 team was decimated by injuries and the 2016 team bounced back, this will be another opportunity for the team to put a bunch of injuries and a disappointing ending behind them.

There will be new faces, returning faces and hopefully, unexpected faces emerging. As we continue to count down, here are 20 questions that are facing this edition of the Pats.

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Can Flores Fix First Down D?

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If there’s a wheelhouse that fans and detractors of the New England Patriots’ defense love, it’s the “be more aggressive” angle and Mike Reiss nails it today taking a closer look at new de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ presence at minicamp.

Quotes like this one from Dont’a Hightower are enough to give some fans a picture all-out Cover 0 blitzes coming on every down.

“Matty P and Flo are somewhat the same, but a little different at the same time. With the playcalling we’ve gotten so far, I definitely feel like we’re going to be more aggressive. Things are a little bit more simple, but it’s still a little bit different, and guys are learning bits and pieces of the defense. But so far, so good.”

The one thing I was never quite sure about with Matt Patricia was where Belichick ended and he began. The defense certainly evolved from the mid-2000’s, especially around 2012 where the switch to a mostly man-to-man defense took hold. Instead of off-the-line corners like Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs, who were quick and could pattern read, they actively pursued press man corners like Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

But for the last 17 years, the Patriots have primarily been a conservative defense, mostly content to play coverage, tackle well and wait for the other team to flame out. They’ll pick their spots with blitzes, sometimes, like 2014 with the Collins/Hightower Double A-Gap blitz, they’ll even make it a featured item.

Exploiting and winning one-on-one matchups up front is more what it’s about, rather than sending five or six rushers every single passing play. We have come to know, and hate, it as the Bend Don’t Break. That has always felt like Belichick more than the defensive coordinator.

Will Flores change this general philosophy? I’m not all that convinced, but what’s clear is that for a number of reasons, the 2017 Patriots defense was the one of the bendiest and break-iest under Belichick. Some adjustments must be made.

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Pats Posits: Let the Tampering Begin!

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It’s an exciting time to be a football fan with the start of free agency this week, the 2018 season will finally start to take shape. For the Patriots, they already grabbed Danny Shelton and another draft pick for what will likely be a 2019 3rd round pick, making a solid investment in this coming fall without sacrificing much more than a couple million in cap space this season.

There are still plenty of moves for them to make, starting with Nate Solder and the tackle position.

From there they can move on to running back, linebacker and cornerback, doing what they always do — targeting the cost-effective vets in the middle-to-lower tiers. 2017 was a shocker when they made a big splash on a cornerback. Since Adalius Thomas they really had avoided big time external free agent deals, with consideration to Darrelle Revis, who was expensive but really just a one-year rental.

They had the cap space last year, this year they don’t. So until Solder is resolved I don’t expect any big moves. After that there should be quite a bit of action.

More on that and everything else that might come at us this week in a very offseason Posits!

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