While being the successor to Bill Belichick will be a very difficult challenge, there are many reasons why the New England Patriots head coach job will be very desirable to potential candidates around the league.
A historic moment in Patriots franchise history occurred on Thursday when the organization pulled the trigger on a decision that has been rumored for some time. After 24 legendary seasons, Bill Belichick’s unforgettable run as head coach in New England has come to an end.
For many fans of the sport, the assumption would be that when it comes to the teams with head coach openings, the New England Patriots job might be one of the least appealing to candidates around the NFL. Since following Belichick would be a monumental task, the team has a messy quarterback situation, and the standard will be quite high for whoever lands the position.
New England Patriots will have a boatload of cap space and several high-value picks this offseason
However, fans and observers of the sport may be underestimating the job. On Thursday, following Belichick parting ways with the organization, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones made the case for why the next head coach of the Patriots is set up for short and long-term success.
“The next Patriots head coach has a healthy amount of cap space ($70M+), a No. 3 overall pick, and 3 picks in the top 75,” Jones wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Plenty of ammunition to find a QB. You gotta get it right, and you’re following a legend who did things one way there.”
While the Patriots offense was a mess at times, the team does have a defense with promise, and heading into the offseason the franchise has an owner motivated to end a streak of down seasons and is open-minded on new approaches to bringing New England back to prominence.