5 intriguing New England Patriots storylines that will define 2022 offseason

No. 3: New England Patriots facing interesting staffing changes

As the case with almost every offseason, the New England Patriots will be impacted by coaching and front office changes around the league.

NFL rumors have already linked Patriots staff members and front office personnel to several NFL job openings around the league.  Two to keep an eye on are inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

While one would think both hurt their head coach job candidacy with the team’s lackluster performance in that 47-17 beatdown to the Bills, let’s remember the NFL has a short memory and other team’s will be looking to pick off that Bill Belichick coaching tree even despite the lack of success other former assistants have had around the NFL.

But what makes this an intriguing storyline to follow is not Mayo and McDaniels potentially finding head coaching gigs, it is more what Belichick does to replace them.

Will Steve Belichick get a bigger role as a defensive coach? Or will former assistants like former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores make their way back to New England?

In all, there will be rumors flying even when it comes to Belichick himself, but the focus is getting the right decision makers in these positions on the coaching staff which will be just as important as roster upgrades if the New England Patriots hope to compete on a higher level in 2022.

Both the Mayo and McDaniels situations will be hot topics the first month or so of the offseason.