2009 Patriots Off-Season Thread

[mtbykr]

Been a busy off-season fo far with all of the personel losses:

Head coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive coordinator: Open
Defensive coordinator: Dean Pees
Special teams: Open
Assistant head coach/offensive line: Dante Scarnecchia
Defensive line: Pepper Johnson
Linebackers: Matt Patricia
Quarterbacks: Open
Running backs: Ivan Fears
Secondary: Open
Tight ends: Pete Mangurian
Wide receivers: Bill O'Brien
Strength & conditioning: Mike Woicik
Assistant strength & conditioning: Harold Nash
Coaching assistants: Josh Boyer, Brian Flores, Shane Waldron



Edit: Looks like they filled the QB coach position

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...obrien_to.html

According to two sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking, the Patriots have named Bill O’Brien as quarterbacks coach, replacing Josh McDaniels, who left New England to become the Denver Broncos' head coach Jan. 11.

O'Brien, a 39-year-old Andover native, has been with the Patriots for two seasons, serving as a coaching assistant in 2007 and as wide receivers coach under offensive coordinator McDaniels in 2008.

[mtbykr]

So far the losses and reaction from the pats:

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has released the following statement regarding Josh McDaniels today:

"Josh McDaniels is one of the finest people and brightest, most talented coaches I have ever worked with. Since joining us eight years ago, Josh performed a variety of roles and excelled in every one of them. Between his work on defense, in scouting, player evaluation and coordinating the offense, Josh is a very well-rounded coach whose outstanding body of work speaks for itself. He is the product of a pure football environment which is evident in his approach to the game. On behalf of the entire Patriots organization, we thank Josh for tremendous success in New England and congratulate him and the McDaniels family for this most deserving opportunity for advancement."

STATEMENT FROM PATRIOTS CHAIRMAN AND CEO ROBERT KRAFT ON SCOTT PIOLI

“Scott Pioli was an integral part of the many championships the New England Patriots have celebrated this decade and I would like to thank him for his countless contributions throughout the past nine seasons. Scott is a great evaluator of talent. He is thorough in his evaluations, extremely organized and has done a tremendous job mining all possible resources to help Coach Belichick and his staff field the players needed to win consistently. He has played an important role in building a championship tradition with players that I am proud to call Patriots. On behalf of the entire Patriots organization, I wish Scott continued success in his new role and offer best wishes to his wonderful wife Dallas, and their beautiful daughter Mia. I think Clark Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs have made a very wise hire.”

STATEMENT FROM PATRIOTS HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK ON SCOTT PIOLI

"To sum up in words everything Scott Pioli has meant to this organization and to me personally would be difficult, if not impossible. From the day I met him, he has demonstrated a passion for football and respect for the game that is second to none. It has been extremely gratifying for me to follow Scott's career ascension from the bottom of the totem pole in Cleveland to his place as a pillar of championship teams in New England. Now with the opportunity to steer his own ship and a vision of building a winner, there is no more capable, hardworking, loyal, team-oriented person than Scott Pioli."

"On a personal level, the Belichick-Pioli bond runs far deeper than our workplace, as we and our families have shared countless memories away from football. Working side by side with one of my best friends for almost two decades is special enough in itself. But to help each other achieve success beyond our dreams is a blessing and something I will always remember and appreciate."

[mtbykr]

Brad Seely leaves for Cleveland....moves from ST coach to ST coach plus asst head coach

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal..._move_not.html

One question that has been asked in recent days is why former Patriots special teams coach Brad Seely left for the same position with the Cleveland Browns.

As it turns out, Seely's move does not appear to be a lateral one.

In announcing his hire yesterday, the Browns named Seely assistant head coach/special teams coordinator. In terms of title, that is a promotion for Seely because of the added title of assistant head coach.

The Patriots' assistant head coach is Dante Scarnecchia.

Although it is not certain, Seely's promotion in Cleveland likely put him in position to earn more in the form of a contract. It also puts him one step closer to potentially becoming a head coach. As John Harbaugh has proven in Baltimore, those with special teams backgrounds can excel as head coaches.

Dom Capers to Green Bay. Capers was way overqualified to be a secondary coach, so this was to be expected.

REPORT: DOM CAPERS LANDS IN GREEN BAY: Dom Capers, who served as special assistant/secondary coach for the Patriots in 2008 and was not expected to return to the team in 2009, has accepted a position to become the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

[mtbykr]

RAVENS LOSS CREATES FOUR-WAY ROTATION FOR PATRIOTS DRAFT POSITION:

With the Ravens losing to the Steelers in the AFC championship game, they will revert to their original draft position, 26th overall. The Ravens are part of a four-team cluster with 11-5 records which includes the Patriots (23rd), Falcons (24th) and Dolphins (25th). Those four teams will rotate in each round of the draft. From a Patriots perspective, the team will pick 23rd in the first round, then will be in the 26th spot in the second round, and in the 25th spot in the third round and so forth. Had the Ravens advanced to the Super Bowl, they would have picked 31st or 32nd in each round regardless of their 11-5 record.

[mtbykr]

Brady looks to be ready to come back in 2009:

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal..._on_rehab.html

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a guest on Fan 590, a Toronto sports radio station, to promote a toxin-free sports cream. From a football perspective, he was asked how his rehabilitation was going.

Brady did not provide a timetable for his return at any point during his 10-minute interview, but answered the question on his rehabilitation this way:

"It's going really well. Anyone who has come back injuries that require surgery, it's just a process. There are some good days, some bad days, and you just have to keep plugging through them. That's life. Like I said, things come up and you just have to focus your energy and attention on all the positive things that you can gain. It tests you in a lot of ways. Like I said, I'm excited about the process, I'm excited about the work -- there are so many wonderful people that have helped me. I said I'm the most well taken care of knee patient in history. I'm very, very fortunate."

Earlier in the interview, Brady was asked a question about what it was like to be on the sidelines for most of the season. His response:

"You play this game long enough and [expletive] happens, so to speak. The reality is that it happens to everybody. I'm at a new part of my career and a different process that I'm excited about -- rehabilitation and different challenges. The tough part is that you're not experiencing something you love to do. But you get over that and focus on what you have to focus on. You just say 'OK, it happened, we're moving on,' and that's what we've done."

At the end of the interview, Brady was asked about the Patriots' defections, such as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. His response:

“There is change every year and I think you have to get used to that in the NFL. You look at Tony Dungy, for the Colts, the head coach, he retired. … Every team deals with it. We dealt with it about three or four years ago with our two coordinators, Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. Eric Mangini left. This year, it’s different defections. They’re incredible coaches that have been a huge part of our success, they get opportunities. People who work hard deserve those opportunities. They take with them all the great memories and experiences they’ve had from our team. It’s the responsibility of the people who are still with the Patriots to worry about the Patriots. As long as we have Robert and Jonathan Kraft, and as long as we have Coach Belichick, I would think we’re going to be just fine.”

In terms of the interview itself, here were the questions that were asked to Brady, in order: 1) Were you glued to your television set yesterday during the inauguration?; 2) You went to Africa in 2007 with a group organized by Bono, what was that like?; 3) Would you assist if the president asked, post-career or offseason, to get an African initiative going to help the greater good?; 4) What was it like to spend an entire football season and not play?; 5) Did you still watch everything or did you tune it out over the course of the season?; 6) Does it surprise you that the Cardinals regrouped and got to the Super Bowl?; 7) How is the rehab going?; 8) What are your thoughts on this product?; 9) Did you always ice your arm?; 10) Does it make it difficult, as a quarterback, when you have coaches leaving the Patriots?

[mtbykr]

The coaching exodus continues:

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ch_pete_m.html

Pete Mangurian, who served as Patriots tight end coach the last four years, will not return to the team in 2009, a league source said today.

Mangurian has been in discussions with the Buccaneers about being part of new coach Raheem Morris’ staff in Tampa Bay.

Mangurian’s departure is the fourth among Patriots assistants this offseason, as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels (Broncos head coach), special assistant/secondary coach Dom Capers (Packers defensive coordinator) and special teams coach Brad Seely (Browns assistant head coach/special teams coordinator) have moved on.

[mtbykr]

Looks like TB is doing well....Michael Smith is a pretty good source.

http://videos.espn.com/m/video/21797...m?pageid=14030

"A very knowledgeable source told me quite confidently that Tom Brady will be ready to start the season" -- Michael Smith

[mtbykr]

It's 2005 all over again.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/01/26/expe...me-to-offense/

In 2005, after Charlie Weis left New England for the head-coaching job at Notre Dame, the Patriots didn’t hire another offensive coordinator to fill his position. Instead, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick devoted plenty of time to the job and worked in conjuction with his quarterbacks coach, Josh McDaniels.

A similar scenario is now playing out. McDaniels has accepted the Broncos’ head-coaching job, and Belichick is once again expected to devote plenty of time to the job. But he also will work in conjuction with Bill O’Brien, who was promoted this month from wide receivers coach to quarterbacks coach.

O’Brien is expected to be groomed as New England’s new McDaniels, a coach Belichick can entrust with his offense. It’s a tremendous responsibility for a 39-year-old assistant who joined the Patriots’ staff in 2007 after 14 seasons of coaching college football. O’Brien used to coach at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke, where Belichick and the Patriots found him.

Until now, O’Brien has been an unknown. But that, like the faces on the Patriots’ coaching staff, is about to change.

[mtbykr]

Interesting: John Lynch praising BB:

http://www.patriotsdaily.com/2009/01...k-is-the-best/

He went on to say he learned more about football and a winning organization in the 3 weeks or so that he was with the Patriots than anywhere else.

He added that the last exhibition game, he and BB spoke prior to the game and both agreed that it wasn’t going to work and Lynch informed BB that he would retire. BB offered to allow him to play with the starters, one or two series and then done, but Lynch asked to play the whole game, realizing this might cost BB the chance to look at some guys that might stick, but BB played him. Lynch said he had a blast playing with a bunch of young guys he barely knew.

[Dojji]

Originally Posted by mtbykr

It's 2005 all over again.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/01/26/expe...me-to-offense/

Some people think BB's genius is in-game tactics. It isn't. BB's genius is in developing people, not plays. Matt Cassel is the perfect exsample of this. If you have a guy who's humble enough and talented enough, and he stays healthy, BB can turn him into a superstar whether he's a player or a coach and regardless of position.

[mtbykr]

More good news:

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ck_for_opener/

TAMPA -- Tom Brady is progressing on pace in his rehabilitation from reconstructive left knee surgery and is now dropping back and throwing passes, according to a medical source familiar with the Patriots quarterback's case. No additional surgical procedures are planned, according to NFL and medical sources."]TAMPA -- Tom Brady is progressing on pace in his rehabilitation from reconstructive left knee surgery and is now dropping back and throwing passes, according to a medical source familiar with the Patriots quarterback's case. No additional surgical procedures are planned, according to NFL and medical sources.

[mtbykr]

Pats hire Floyd Reese for the front office:


http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ts_hire_r.html

The Patriots announced that they have hired veteran NFL personnel man Floyd Reese as a senior football advisor today.

Reese, who has been working as an analyst for ESPN, was formerly the general manager of the Tennessee Titans. According to the Patriots, Reese will be involved with various football-related assignments, including contracts.

In addition to the hiring of Reese, the Patriots announced that Nick Caserio, in his second season as director of player personnel, will manage the daily operations of the personnel department, continuing to work closely with coach Bill Belichick on all personnel matters.

These moves reshape the Patriots' personnel department after vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was hired as Kansas City Chiefs general manager.

ANALYSIS

When Scott Pioli was hired as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month, a void was left in three primary areas:


Player evaluation


Organization of the scouting department


Contract negotiations

Director of player personnel Nick Caserio was widely assumed to be Pioli’s successor in the first two areas, but a question remained how the Patriots would proceed with contract negotiations.

The hiring of veteran NFL personnel man Floyd Reese today fills out the Patriots’ picture, as Reese, according to the Patriots, “will be involved with various football-related assignments, including contracts.”

In announcing the hiring of Reese, the Patriots also solidified Caserio’s role, noting that he will remain director of player personnel and manage the daily operations of the personnel department.

The combination of Caserio and Reese reshapes the Patriots’ front office.

As Caserio transitions into taking on more responsibility in player evaluation and organization of the scouting department following Pioli’s departure, he’ll also have a veteran sounding board in Reese if necessary.

[mtbykr]

Coaching moves:

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...nnounce_c.html

The Patriots have announced new appointments on their coaching staff. Scott O’Brien has been hired as special teams coach, Bill O’Brien has been named quarterbacks coach, and Josh Boyer has been named defensive backs coach. The O'Briens are not related.

Here is a bit from the team's press release, with analysis of the moves to come:

Scott O’Brien will enter his 19th NFL season in 2009, and spent the last two seasons as the Denver Broncos’ special teams coordinator. He served as the special teams coach on Head Coach Bill Belichick’s staff with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95. O’Brien was named the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year by his peers in 1994. O’Brien has previously served as special teams coach for four NFL teams - Cleveland (1991-95), Baltimore (1996-98), Carolina (1999-2004) and Denver (2007-08). Additionally, he took on added responsibilities as Carolina’s assistant head coach for his six-year tenure with the Panthers and also spent two seasons (2005-06) with the Miami Dolphins as coordinator of football operations/assistant to the head coach on Nick Saban’s staff.

Bill O’Brien, who served as New England’s wide receivers coach last season, will enter his third season with the Patriots in 2009. In 2008, O’Brien coached a Patriots wide receivers unit that included Pro Bowler Wes Welker, whose 111 catches ranked second in the NFL and were the second highest single-season total in franchise history, and Randy Moss, who led the AFC with 11 touchdown catches. O’Brien began his NFL career as an offensive coaching assistant for the Patriots in 2007, working closely with Josh McDaniels, who served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. O’Brien joined the Patriots after coaching 12 seasons in the Atlantic Coast Conference, including tenures at Georgia Tech (1995-2002), Maryland (2003-04) and Duke (2005-06).

Josh Boyer will enter his fourth season with the Patriots in 2009. Boyer spent the last three seasons (2006-08) as a defensive coaching assistant for New England. He joined the Patriots in 2006 after spending six seasons in the college ranks. After graduating from Muskingum College (Ohio), where he played wide receiver and defensive back, Boyer began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach at King’s College (Pa.). He spent the 2001 season as a graduate assistant at the University of Dayton. In 2002, Boyer began a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at Kent State, working under current Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who was the Golden Flashes’ head coach at the time. Boyer went on to become the defensive backs coach for Bryant University in 2004 and served as the defensive coordinator for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 2005. He is a native of Heath, Ohio.

[Keeper]

So, what's going to happen with Matt Cassel?

[TheKilo]

Pats will probably franchise him and then trade him.