NEW ARTICLE: An Open Competition? Belichick’s Comments Extend Beyond QB

[PatsFans.com Article]

An Open Competition? Belichick’s Comments Extend Beyond QB
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Bill Belichick made a variety of comments during his annual press conference at the NFL Coaches Breakfast, which took place on Monday in Arizona. However, one comment in particular set off a variety of reactions among fans who remain unhappy with the New England Patriots situation at quarterback.

The post An Open Competition? Belichick’s Comments Extend Beyond QB appeared first on PatsFans.com.

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[Bill Lee]

I don't see this as anything new, nothing changed from before Monday to today.

It's not like he's going to say "it's Mac's job, the rest of the guys can sit back and watch him play".

It's classic coach-speak.

"I think we can all improve" -- well, of course, unless you walk around the Earth thinking you're perfect already...

 

[crawhammer]

Belichick was asked on Monday if “it’s fair to say” that both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe will be competing for the starting job over the summer or if it’s Jones’s job to lose. “Well, everybody will get a chance to play,” said Belichick. “We’ll play our best player.” He was then asked if it was a competition.

“Everybody will get a chance to play,” said Belichick.

However, the next question asked was whether or not his comment was specific to the quarterback, and Belichick shook his head and said that message extends from top to bottom.

“Every position,” said Belichick. “Everybody will get a chance to play. Everybody that’s on our roster, if they earn an opportunity to play based on what they do in practice and all that, then they’ll get an opportunity to play. Certainly, veteran players that have been on the team, if they’re still on the team, they’ll all get an opportunity to play.”

The message? Last season wasn’t good enough, and he clearly wants everyone putting in the work this offseason before they all come back to work in the coming months.

Who knows what the intended message was? Or if one was even intended? But regarding the QB position specifically, most head coaches in the NFL would have taken the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the team's starter. The assumption is that's Mac in New England, however Belichick gives this nebulous response instead. Intentional or not, I think that indicates something about the QB situation, being uncertain, being in flux, imminently changing, etc... I know it's definitely not a Mac Jones endorsement as the starter for the 2023 season.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Bill has mismanaged this horribly.
If Mac is your guy say he is if he wasn’t your guy should of traded him early in free agency you are ruining his career.

I’ve heard Bill holds grudges but this is wild.
Not retaining Meyers and Harris now looks less accidental to me.

 

[Wozzy]

It's an open competition at every position at the start of every new season.

 

[crawhammer]

It's an open competition at every position at the start of every new season.

That's not true at all.

Is Raleigh Webb battling JuJu for WR1?
Is anyone but Rhamondre going to be the RB1?
Is Sokol coming after Hunter?
Is Marcus possibly losing his returner job?
Open competition for long snapper?

 

[Wozzy]

That's not true at all.

Is Raleigh Webb battling JuJu for WR1?
Is anyone but Rhamondre going to be the RB1?
Is Sokol coming after Hunter?
Is Marcus possibly losing his returner job?
Open competition for long snapper?

Juju has a track record, so do all the guys getting paid more, that's why they will start and play. They've already proven themselves in the NFL. Raleigh Webb isn't magically going to become better than Juju just so you can win an argument on a Patsfans forum.

If some unknown player shows out in camp and makes a more expensive vet expendable that vet could get traded by the end of preseason, it happens fairly often.

 

[AQPE]

Lots of things can happen from now until the first (real) game. Of what benefit is it for BB to be definitive at this point about QB or any other position, including HC. The only people there with guaranteed jobs are those whose last name is Kraft.

So much **** stirring here this week

 

[Rob0729]

That's not true at all.

Is Raleigh Webb battling JuJu for WR1?
Is anyone but Rhamondre going to be the RB1?
Is Sokol coming after Hunter?
Is Marcus possibly losing his returner job?
Open competition for long snapper?

If any of the back ups you mentioned outplay the starters you mentioned, they could absolutely fight for the starting job. Odds are they won't, but anyone could steal the starting job in theory.

 

[crawhammer]

It's an open competition at every position at the start of every new season.

+

Juju has a track record, so do all the guys getting paid more, that's why they will start and play.

= blatant contradiction

 

[Wozzy]

+

= blatant contradiction

Sure... saying Juju is better than some less athletic practice squad player who came from division three is a bridge too far.

We can assume all the players who were substantially better in the past will also make the squad.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Notice how BB didn't say that Mac Jones was assured the starting QB job.

That's a ringing non-endorsement of Mac.

So it looks like BB wouldn't rule out acquiring a new QB to replace Mac Jones if he felt 'it was for the good of the team'.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Bill has mismanaged this horribly.
If Mac is your guy say he is if he wasn’t your guy should of traded him early in free agency you are ruining his career.

I’ve heard Bill holds grudges but this is wild.
Not retaining Meyers and Harris now looks less accidental to me.

I really find it hard to believe that BB believes Mac Jones is 'his guy'. Not the way he has continued to NOT affirm him as the starter for 2023.

Maybe there is some truth to the rumor that BB would like to acquire Lamar Jackson to replace Mac?

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

I really find it hard to believe that BB believes Mac Jones is 'his guy'. Not the way he has continued to NOT affirm him as the starter for 2023.

Maybe there is some truth to the rumor that BB would like to acquire Lamar Jackson to replace Mac?

Why not trade Mac earlier?

 

[Bill Lee]

Notice how BB didn't say that Mac Jones was assured the starting QB job.

That's a ringing non-endorsement of Mac.

So it looks like BB wouldn't rule out acquiring a new QB to replace Mac Jones if he felt 'it was for the good of the team'.

Holy ******** premise.

A ringing non-endorsement of Mac would be to trade him, but he didn't.

Saying that he isn't assured the starting QB job is a way to motivate MJ and all the other QBs on the team.

It's totally par for the course for a coach to say everyone on the team needs to earn their playing time, MJ certainly has heard it before.

Acquiring a new QB to replace MJ would happen if it was for the good of the team, but it's hard to top having a QB with starter level talent on a rookie contract.

Admit it, you're trying hard to be butt-hurt.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Why not trade Mac earlier?

I have the feeling that BB was still trying to figure out if Mac is what he wanted. Especially since Mac had such a promising rookie year.

But it feels like the flower may have now come off the bloom, and BB actually internally doesn't like very much what he has in Mac Jones.

The Lamar Jackson rumors via Kraft's connection is only adding fuel to the speculation that Mac Jones might be replaced soon.

And BB's open lack of commitment to Mac Jones in front of the media really tells me he's not married to the idea of Mac Jones as the Patriot's QB.

I don't have proof of this, and just call this speculation but it might be that BB even resented that Mac Jones went behind his back and talked to other coaches during the crapshow that was Patricia leading the offense last season. Yes, BB made a horrible mistake putting Patricia in charge of the offense, but maybe he wanted Mac to come to his office and talk to him instead of calling other coaches around the league/outside of New England. You never know but that resentment could be why he refuses to name Mac his starting QB for 2023 and could pave the way to usher Mac out the door.

Here is the article that talks about Mac Jones reaching out to other coaches outside New England. BB found out about it and was not very happy as you could well imagine.

 

[Bill Lee]

The Lamar Jackson rumors via Kraft's connection is only adding fuel to the speculation that Mac Jones might be replaced soon.

Kraft saying a rapper asked him to sign LJ is now a connection, and points to MJ being replaced?

Holy **** dude, stop huffing paint!

And BB's open lack of commitment to Mac Jones in front of the media really tells me he's not married to the idea of Mac Jones as the Patriot's QB.

BB telling a reporter that players need to earn their playing time while eating a bagel is now an open lack of commitment.

Got it.

I don't have proof of this, and just call this speculation but it might be that BB even resented that Mac Jones went behind his back and talked to other coaches during the crapshow that was Patricia leading the offense last season. Yes, BB made a horrible mistake putting Patricia in charge of the offense, but maybe he wanted Mac to come to his office and talk to him instead of calling other coaches around the league/outside of New England. You never know but that resentment could be why he refuses to name Mac his starting QB for 2023 and could pave the way to usher Mac out the door.

Right, BB can't handle resentment, will handle it by sending his rookie QB packing.

Got it.

Here is the article that talks about Mac Jones reaching out to other coaches outside New England. BB found out about it and was not very happy as you could well imagine.

RIght, imagination. In other words, it's all in your head.

 

[VJCPatriot]

RIght, imagination. In other words, it's all in your head.

The article about Mac Jones talking to coaches outside New england and BB finding out about it has already been written and published. It's called facts: Mac Jones reportedly asked for outside help and an angry Bill Belichick addressed him

BB is one of those old school coaches. You can't tell anyone with two brain cells to rub together that he was happy about Mac Jones going behind his back to talk to other coaches. Even if it was BB's own mistake that put Mac Jones in a bad spot, it was how Mac handled the situation that he didn't like. If you believe that BB loved that move by Mac Jones, there's an ice box in Alaska I could sell you.

 

[Bill Lee]

The article about Mac Jones talking to coaches outside New england and BB finding out about it has already been written and published. It's called facts: Mac Jones reportedly asked for outside help and an angry Bill Belichick addressed him

BB is one of those old school coaches. You can't tell anyone with two brain cells to rub togehter that he was happy about Mac Jones going behind his back to talk to other coaches. Even if it was BB's own mistake that put Mac Jones in a bad spot, it was how Mac handled the situation that he didn't like. If you believe that BB loved that move by Mac Jones, there's an ice box in Alaska I could sell you.

The only "fact" is that an article exists. The title says "reportedly", which means "not confirmed".

Then you spin it all as if the only thing an "angry" BB could figure out to do would be to send him packing.

You do realize he's an experienced coach, and not a teenager, right?

You see, adults learn how to process their emotions, especially adults who have spent decades of their lives coaching young athletes.

The ones that last that long in their job have probably been angry before, and don't just get rid of anyone who has ever made them angry.

Chances are if MJ made him angry, he'd just have a conversation with him, one on one.

That's what adults do, instead of cutting anyone who has ever made them angry out of their life.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

The only "fact" is that an article exists. The title says "reportedly", which means "not confirmed".

Then you spin it all as if the only thing an "angry" BB could figure out to do would be to send him packing.

You do realize he's an experienced coach, and not a teenager, right?

You see, adults learn how to process their emotions, especially adults who have spent decades of their lives coaching young athletes.

The ones that last that long in their job have probably been angry before, and don't just get rid of anyone who has ever made them angry.

Chances are if MJ made him angry, he'd just have a conversation with him, one on one.

That's what adults do, instead of cutting anyone who has ever made them angry out of their life.

To be fair this is the same Bill that refused to trade Hernandez when he said he had to get out the area his life was in danger.

The same Belichick who refused to talk to Wes when Wes walked in his office to introduce himself.

Bill like a lot of humans has his favorites, right or wrong and Mac doesn’t appear to be someone Bill likes.
He’s no Myles Bryant:
That being said nobody knows anything.

HOWEVER if BILL wanted to make this GO AWAY.
ALL HE WOUlD HAVE TO DO IS Say one nice thing about MAC!