PFT: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

[Bertil]

PFT offers something that I suspected when I heard the news yesterday.

http://beta.profootballtalk.com/2008/02/22/is-capers-the-contingency-plan/

IS CAPERS THE CONTINGENCY PLAN?
Posted by Mike Florio on February 22, 2008, 9:31 a.m.

Several members of PFT Planet have raised an intriguing question about the addition of Dom Capers to the coaching staff in New England.

Is Capers, as one reader put it, the “break glass in case of emergency” option in the event that Spygate II goes to hell in a handbasket and Bill Belichick gets suspended by the league and/or fired by the team?

The answer might lie in Capers’ contract, which almost certainly will never be exposed to the light of day. If there’s a written provision making him the head coach in the event of any sudden “incapacity” of Belichick, then this means that the powers-that-be have planned for the possibility, however remote it might be, that something bad could happen if/when Matt Walsh ever shows what he has and says what he knows.

By having Capers’ elevation reduced to writing, the Pats wouldn’t be required to adhere to the Rooney Rule if/when a vacancy arises. Indeed, if the worst-case scenario (i.e., NFL suspends Belichick and the evidence is sufficiently compelling to force Bob Kraft to fire him) unfolds in, say, June, the franchise surely would want to make a quick transition. Starting a coaching search from scratch wouldn’t be the way to make that happen.

The other possibility is that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be elevated to head coach and Capers would take over the defense. But McDaniels is still on the “ridiculously freaking young” side, and Capers has nine years of experience as a head coach with two expansion teams.

Just a contingency plan? Do the Krafts know something we don't yet know? Interesting or as Matt Drudge might say "developing..."

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

This is ridiculous. Lets just go around making things up, and see who believes them.

 

[Bertil]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

He was rumored to be in line for the job in 2000, granted it was wRONg Borges who was, uh...on second thought, nevermind.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

I think the PFT story about the surprise Randy Moss cut was where I started worrying what they said.

There's a reason it's called a rumor mill.

PS - nice to have a spare around though, and I'm sure it didn't hurt him in the interview process to have HC experience. I hate to always be the one to point out that the world is gray, but there ya go.

I do not think, however, that that's the reason to have him on staff. It's just a nice benefit.

PFnV

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

The Cowboys offered Capers a very similiar role in Dallas. They offered him the opportunity to be a Special Assistant and LBer coach. Does that mean it is a contingency plan for if Wade Wilson gets fired eventhough Garrett is already the heir apparent in Dallas?

This is what Spygate has brought us. Everything the Pats do is overanalyzed to the point of lunacy. Capers is a terrific defensive coach. Any other year, the hire would be praised as a stroke of genius. This year it is a contingency plan.

 

[bigdgp]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

PFT proffers something that I suspected when I heard the news yesterday.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Just a contingency plan? Do the Krafts know something we don't yet know? Interesting or as Matt Drudge might say "developing..."

No, this is Capers and Belicheck helping one another out to position Capers for another HC job someplace else. Our very young OC was just offered interviews for several HC jobs and he's not anywhere near HC material (He's screwed up managing the clock late in the last two playoff game losses...), what better place to raise your profile than New England? In the meantime Belicheck gets another competent trusted hand on board to help out, you can never have enough good people working with you...

Belicheck isn't a grass is greener guy ala his father. The last two playoff losses shows he has a lot to play for still and he's got a great core in place. He isn't going anywhere...

 

[Bertil]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

Belicheck isn't a grass is greener guy ala his father. The last two playoff losses shows he has a lot to play for still and he's got a great core in place. He isn't going anywhere...

Man, I hope you're right. I want to see him in the HC position until 2013, at the very least.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

this rumor can take a long walk off a short wharf....

pathetic

 

[patriotfan32]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

Michael Holley is on weei right now completely debunking this theory. Stating that there is no RAMS walkthrough, NFL seems very confident, about it. Says Belichick will not be suspended.

 

[unoriginal]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

It could also be that Capers is sick of being bounced around the league and working under - and/or with - clowns, so he wants on a staff with some stability on it, like what he had back in Pittsburgh. He might also want a job that's less political and more about straight football.

Who knows, really? I think my guesses are just about as valid as anything from PFT.

 

[BigMike]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

Michael Holley is on weei right now completely debunking this theory. Stating that there is no RAMS walkthrough, NFL seems confident, almost ****y about it. Says Belichick will not be suspended.

this should be broken out as a sep thread

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: Is Capers HC of the NEP in waiting?

More speculation based on nothing.

Here's the deal. Capers was looking for a job. Belichick needed someone for a job. Belichick offered a job. Capers accepted the job.

End of story.

 

[Afterlifemobile-86]

This same exact thread topic has already been posted. Please get real, the notion that Kraft would take BB out is extremely ridiculous.

 

[Bella*chick]

Florio was the one who was saying BB could end up as the Redskins HC.

I mean, come on. His rumor mill is high entertainment, but not much beyond that.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

oh my freakin head!!!!
i log off for a couple hours, and come back to this??? b.b. hired a good coach to help the team. the offseason is about improving. thats it. pft is way off base:bricks:

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Florio was the one who was saying BB could end up as the Redskins HC.

I mean, come on. His rumor mill is high entertainment, but not much beyond that.

This despite the fact, of course, that Belichick is supposed to be under contract through 2013, and with no indication that Kraft will fire him, or that Belichick would want to retire.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Florio is now reduced to basing his rumor mongerings on what internet message board fans theorize...

If BB were to be replaced for any reason, particularly temporarily - and I don't think that is gonna happen - it would be from within by someone familiar with his system. Not by a former HC who failed twice at the position, took a DC position under Saban to reposition himself, stuck around for 3 years because there was no interest in him even though the 1 year tenure of Saban's incompetent college replacement, and still couldn't land another shot as a HC.

Aging veteran coaches are like aging veteran LB's in Bill's system. They are how you plug an immediate need until you can locate a draftee or RFA or young FA (someone he groomed or is grooming) to eventually take over that post. They brought Pees in because they had concerns about Eric's impatient nature and those proved well founded. Perhaps they sense as well that Pees may want to persue a HC position in the forseeable future either at the NFL or College level (or isn't doing quite the job they had hoped) and perhaps they do not see the next McDaniels/Mangini among the ranks of home grown assistants or if they do they think he is a few years away from being DC material. Dom is pretty much at best gonna get DC offers from here on out. And he didn't even get those this season. Maybe Bill thinks that is silly and he therefore represented VALUE. Maybe it worked for all concerned that he be here where he might get more outside attention or a shot at this DC position in the forseeable future.

Obviously Dom has recent references defensively that Bill would value. The only unit that worked remotely well in Miami over the last three seasons was the defense.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

PFT = National Enquirer of sports sites.

"Boy Eats Own Head!"​

typical headlines...

 

[drew4008]

I really wouldn't be disappointed. I'm still absolutely disgusted in the way BB handled this Super Bowl.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

This despite the fact, of course, that Belichick is supposed to be under contract through 2013, and with no indication that Kraft will fire him, or that Belichick would want to retire.

But they might shoot him.