Report: Patriots expected to reassign offensive coaches, potentially add to staff

BOSTON -- When speaking to the media on Monday morning, Bill Belichick offered very little in terms of assessments on the season that had ended less than 24 hours earlier. And without a vote of confidence or no confidence in Matt Patricia, it wasn't exactly clear if sweeping changes would be made on the offensive coaching staff.

By midweek, though, some clarity has arrived.

Tom E. Curran reported Wednesday afternoon that Belichick has met with team owner Robert Kraft and is "amendable to changes." 

"My understanding is offensive coaching reassignments are going to happen and several offensive coaches are under consideration for the Patriots' 2023 staff," Curran reported.

Curran added: "My understanding is that no persuading on the part of Kraft was necessary."

Such changes seemed obviously necessary from afar, after the Patriots finished the season 26th in yards, 27th on third down and 32nd in the red zone. But Belichick's stance was hard to read on Monday. News of the Patriots' involvement coaching the East-West Shrine Bowl also added some intrigue about the staff potentially remaining in place for 2023.

But Wednesday afternoon's report seemed to confirm what most everybody expected: changes will be coming to the Patriots' coaching staff.

The "reassignment" portion of the report likely means that Patricia and Joe Judge won't be fired, but rather that a more experienced offensive coordinator type could come in to overhaul the offense, which clearly struggled under Patricia's and Judge's guidance.