Getting Into Kraft's Thought Process - Some Thoughts

[Ring 6]

Leverage?

Kraft can simply keep Belichick on staff and pay him through the end of the contract. This isn't cap money. $25M to Belichick as a consultant is chickenfeed. Why would he need to fire him?

Belichick would simply be promoted to VP of Player Operations reporting to Jonathan.

He can’t take away his duties without firing him. Duh.

 

[upstater1]

If BB goes somewhere else after being fired, then the Pats might not have to pay him, otherwise BB can take a year off and get paid.

As the Patriots discovered many times with McDaniels and Patricia and others, the team a coach joins after he's fired pays him a basic league minimum while his former team picks up the bulk of his salary.

This is all about money. I firmly believe that.

The Herald story came from management. The lack of any comment from the Krafts in these weeks of speculation is telling. The Krafts definitely want to fire him. Why haven't they?

Money.

 

[Ring 6]

What if Kraft (maybe Jonathan) leaves things as they are, but makes a few of the major player personnel decisions such as the first round pick and a big money/free agent decision. Perhaps, doing so with the advice of outside council.

What? You want Bob Kraft and his lawyer to pick football players? Jesus.

 

[upstater1]

Leverage?

Kraft can simply keep Belichick on staff and pay him through the end of the contract. This isn't cap money. $25M to Belichick as a consultant is chickenfeed. Why would he need to fire him?

Belichick would simply be promoted to VP of Player Operations reporting to Jonathan.

Why? Because the NFL has a ranking system for coaches in which HC is the highest job attainable.

Possibly, Belichick has some other official title we don't know about, and if that's true, it may mean Belichick can't take an official manager as GM elsewhere. But given all the shenanigans over the years with Belichick not naming coordinators until he had to, I suspect Belichick is well aware of the NFL's title-ranking system.

 

[Love The Drake]

Most interesting story to me is Mcdaniels, is he the HC in waiting if Bill stays?
Does he come with Mayo or Vrabel as HC?
What happens to Obrein?

 

[mgteich]

He can’t take away his duties without firing him. Duh.

Really?
I guess that you've read his contract.

Why haven't you mentioned this when about 100 folks have suggested doing exactly that: reducing his duties.

 

[mgteich]

Most interesting story to me is Mcdaniels, is he the HC in waiting if Bill stays?

Does he come with Mayo or Vrabel as HC?

What happens to Obrein?

Are you asking if Obrien will be fired by Belichick if he stays, after Kraft insisted that he be hired?

Obrien isn't gone unless he chooses to take a very lucrative college job, and Kraft agree to let him go. And then, Josh could become OC. BTW, this could happen with Belichick as coach, with Mayo as coach, or with Vrabel as coach.

 

[mgteich]

1) Obviously, the ONE task is to find and hire a GM. I can't see this taking more than a month.

2) Does anyone think that the Kraft's wouldn't be fine with Mayo or Vrabel as HC, after consultation with the HC.

3) Won't the Belichick situation be solved BEFORE any GM would sign a contract. I certainly hope so.
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I'm fine with understanding that the Kraft's won this $5B asset, and that they should make decisions that they are comfortable with. PERSONALLY, I would be very surprised if the Kraft's would be comfortable with Belichick as HC in 2024.

I don't think that we would trade his rights without consent.

On the other hand, I don't see how Belichick's interference wouldn't be a problem for the new team.

It might take time to resolve all the issues. Obviously, no further decisions should be made by Belichick.

I think that Kraft has enough connections to be able make a choice at GM that he will be very comfortable with. He call certainly afford to pay him enough. The big decision is NOT GM. The big decision is what to do with Belichick. Considering that he under contract, I would think that he and Belichick could agree to a severance agreement that includes no coaching during through the end of the contract, or include a clause saying that Belichick could coach only in NFC for this coming season. Or. they could simply agree to part company, with Kraft agreeing to pay Belichick through the end of his contract.

 

[upstater1]

Are you asking if Obrien will be fired by Belichick if he stays, after Kraft insisted that he be hired?

Obrien isn't gone unless he chooses to take a very lucrative college job, and Kraft agree to let him go. And then, Josh could become OC. BTW, this could happen with Belichick as coach, with Mayo as coach, or with Vrabel as coach.

What's going on in your quote? I didn't say McDaniels is a coach in waiting. Where did you get that?

 

[upstater1]

I think that Kraft has enough connections to be able make a choice at GM that he will be very comfortable with. He call certainly afford to pay him enough. The big decision is NOT GM. The big decision is what to do with Belichick. Considering that he under contract, I would think that he and Belichick could agree to a severance agreement that includes no coaching during through the end of the contract, or include a clause saying that Belichick could coach only in NFC for this coming season. Or. they could simply agree to part company, with Kraft agreeing to pay Belichick through the end of his contract.

Why would Belichick agree to the first two options?

 

[Boomer B]

I think that Kraft has enough connections to be able make a choice at GM that he will be very comfortable with. He call certainly afford to pay him enough. The big decision is NOT GM. The big decision is what to do with Belichick. Considering that he under contract, I would think that he and Belichick could agree to a severance agreement that includes no coaching during through the end of the contract, or include a clause saying that Belichick could coach only in NFC for this coming season. Or. they could simply agree to part company, with Kraft agreeing to pay Belichick through the end of his contract.

It doesn’t work that way. There’s no agreeing to a severance agreement or agreeing to coach in the NFC. Bill in his conference laid it at Krafts feet. Bills ready to show up to work until Kraft tells him not to. There’s no deal. If Kraft doesn’t want him here anymore he’ll have to fire him. If Kraft fires him he owes him the money left on the contract. That’s where we are at.

 

[goheels22002]

1) Obviously, the ONE task is to find and hire a GM. I can't see this taking more than a month.

2) Does anyone think that the Kraft's wouldn't be fine with Mayo or Vrabel as HC, after consultation with the HC.

3) Won't the Belichick situation be solved BEFORE any GM would sign a contract. I certainly hope so.
================
I'm fine with understanding that the Kraft's won this $5B asset, and that they should make decisions that they are comfortable with. PERSONALLY, I would be very surprised if the Kraft's would be comfortable with Belichick as HC in 2024.

I don't think that we would trade his rights without consent.

On the other hand, I don't see how Belichick's interference wouldn't be a problem for the new team.

It might take time to resolve all the issues. Obviously, no further decisions should be made by Belichick.

Bob Kraft's thought process: "It's tough to decide what to do about Bill Beli.... hey, I wonder if I have a shot with her,...what time does the Orchid close...uh-oh, the Viagra's kicking in...where are my keys?"

 

[RIpats88]

I think the "bill is definitely gone!" crowd need to be prepared for Bill back with Josh McDaniels back and perhaps a new GM

 

[Real fan 02]

Schefter doesn't think Bill will want a trade - so it's either he stays or he's fired.

I think Bill is going to schmooze Bob, tell him everything he wants to hear and he'll be back in 2024. A GM will added and some coaches are going to get shown the door. There really isn't any good enough jobs available for Bill. Schefter is hearing LA isn't that interested. The only Darkhorse I like for Bill is if Dallas collapses in the Wildcard. This is where I can see Jerry think about how he screwed it up with Parcells and brings in Bill for one last shot at a Super Bowl.

Bob shouldn't rush this and wait a few weeks.

I agree with you. However waiting further keeps the organization is at standstill. This team needs players bad! Potential FA are all watching, waiting. The sooner we get this settled the better. Bill is really going to have to have a concrete plan that doesn't consist of what was done that last 4 season. From Mac's press interview seems like he's ready to move on. So Mac will need to be traded. The league year starts when in March?

 

[NashuaPats]

What? You want Bob Kraft and his lawyer to pick football players? Jesus.

It’s not unusual for owners to be involved in major personnel decisions and the direction of their teams. Those types of decisions are what people seem to be upset with Belichick over.

 

[Water Boy]

And therein lies the

But why bother? Surely no one is worried about the $25M of Belichick's contract.

You sure about that? The Krafts have been at the bottom of the league when it comes to spending.

 

[Triumph]

This is sorting like suggesting that a main issue may be how the HC gets along with ownership.

No, how the HC gets along with the GM.

When there is friction the GM or HC wants to bring his own guy in to replace the other. Whoever has the owners ear at the time gets his way. IE: Eagles HC Chip Kelly got GM Howie Roseman fired in Philadelphia which was a mistake.

Funny how these folks prefer to work with people that they respect and trust.

I see the GM as being very close to the Kraft's. The GM is part of management. To question the HC is to question the owner.
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Fo example, if Pioli were to be the GM and the HC can't get along, the issue won't fester for long. The HC would be fired and an interim HC appointed.

The HC speaks to the owner as well. The GM is not the mediator for anyone to see the owner.

 

[BTTA]

You sure about that? The Krafts have been at the bottom of the league when it comes to spending.

I don't believe that we have the info to make that statement. Start with the HC salaries and build from there. Every team is at, or close, to the cap for player spending. Then there's all the other stuff that goes into running a football franchise and stadium complex. Do we have comparative info on that?

 

[Steve102]

Bill, upon seeing his door code still works this morning.

 

[Ring 6]

Really?
I guess that you've read his contract.

Why haven't you mentioned this when about 100 folks have suggested doing exactly that: reducing his duties.

He has to agree to it.