Patriots new OC - Alex Van Pelt

[archstanton543]

Fields is not a QB you trade for to be just a bridge. In 2022 he ran for 1,143 yards, the second-highest total ever for a QB. That kind of upside isn’t going to come cheap, and that’s the problem:

- You’d be bringing in a QB to an offense that isn’t already tailor made to this skill set
- You’ll have to pay in terms of draft capital (anywhere from a 1st to a 3rd round pick would be my guess)
- You’ll have to exercise his 5th year option, for a guy who is questionable as a passer, so you’ve got him for two seasons at the least. And if you don’t then you’re paying for a one-year rental on a team that is not built to contend

A proper bridge QB is someone you don’t need to commit strong assets to acquire. Best course of action is to sign a veteran QB this offseason, or trade for one for cheaper than what Fields will cost. Aiming for an older veteran QB will bring the cost of acquisition down considerably.

Now that we know Van Pelt is the QB it’ll have to be a guy who can run the west coast offense. I actually think a decent guy to target would be Jimmy Garoppolo. He has prior experience in the west coast offense, having run Kyle Shanahan’s version of it in San Francisco over the course of six seasons. He’s a familiar face to this franchise and would give the team a seasoned vet with experience at winning games, granted that was with much better personnel around him. You don’t bring a guy like Jimmy in expecting him to lead this team to the promised land, but rather to keep the seat warm for whoever takes the reigns later. He’s not durable so they may want to make sure there are 3 QBs rostered heading into the season.

I think many of us are still conditioned to seeing this team win lots of games and may not have the patience to see another losing season play itself out, but I believe that’s the reality we need to embrace for now. Two decades of unprecedented success but now it’s time for this team to really rebuild. The Pats are not a QB away from contending. The offensive line needs rebuilding, the wide receiver room needs to be ramped up, there are no tight ends under contract, etc. The focus needs to be on acquiring young, talented players that can make up the foundation for this team for years to come. Fields needs to go to a team with a better support system than what the Patriots can offer in order to have a chance at success. He isn’t a fit for the current state of this team, and he’s not someone I’d trust the future of this team to.

Lol Jimmy Glass Jaw Garoppolo? I guess if you're a Zappe fan and want to see him play a bunch of games when Jimmy gets hurt for the millionth time.

 

[1960Pats]

Lol wait until that happens. Heads’ll explode.

I was hoping for a trade back for more picks but I think the chance of that is small now. I'll be surprised if they don't use that pick on a QB.

 

[sean10mm]

It's hard to take the reflexive doomerism seriously. Dafuq is it based on?

Who would have actually taken the job that the Pats could have taken instead but didn't?

The Pats have the worst offensive roster in the league maybe. No gold-plated OC is making the lateral move out of their current OC job to take this one. Certainly no OC with the juice to angle for a HC job is downgrading to Pats OC. You're either getting a total unproven nooblet who stood in line next to McVay at Taco Bell once, or an experienced guy who hasn't made the leap yet. Either choice is a gamble, and pro tip, not every jamoke who played Mario Kart with Kyle Shanahan in college is any good at anything.

 

[turkeyneck]

Supposedly Mayo's been in touch with KB and his reps. They were supposed to be working on an extension.. I saw this about 2 weeks ago on NBC sports Boston.. KB said he wants to stay here.

Scared me there for a bit; KB - Kayshon Boutte

 

[Lansdowne]

Lol Jimmy Glass Jaw Garoppolo? I guess if you're a Zappe fan and want to see him play a bunch of games when Jimmy gets hurt for the millionth time.

Acknowledged, as I did mention his lack of durability. He still has value as an experienced, relatively cheap veteran when he’s upright. But I don’t fault you for disagreeing, he is far from being a sure solution. Problem is there aren’t a lot of inspiring solutions out there when looking for a bridge QB. Perhaps a flyer on Sam Darnold (a Jets reject but at least has a year under Kyle Shanahan) or Jacoby Brissett (another former Patriot). I’m open to suggestions.

 

[Steve102]

We are going to see them run west coast. A couple things will then happen. Young WRs will figure **** out quicker, and those of you pining for a wideout on your fantasy team that plays for the Pats will get your wish. The line will get better immediately as well, because the OL coaches, QB coaches and OC will all be on the same page.

I agree this isn't a 'sexy' hire. Big eff'n deal. It's about getting better. I believe they will. Again, it's all about who is under center.

 

[TommyD4207]

We are going to see them run west coast. A couple things will then happen. Young WRs will figure **** out quicker, and those of you pining for a wideout on your fantasy team that plays for the Pats will get your wish. The line will get better immediately as well, because the OL coaches, QB coaches and OC will all be on the same page.

I agree this isn't a 'sexy' hire. Big eff'n deal. It's about getting better. I believe they will. Again, it's all about who is under center.

Assuming they're coached properly. The current WR coach has never run anything but E-P, and didn't do a particularly good job of passing that knowledge onto the receivers. Still moves to be made, hopefully.

 

[1960Pats]

Posters would be *****ing if they went with Caley, for that matter no matter who they picked they be some *****ing.

I think most fans overvalue coaching and that's why they *****. If they give Van Pelt some players on offense they'll be fine. If not they won't.

 

[Real fan 02]

You're getting rid of 2 garbage QBs for another garbage QB, using assets to get him, and slapping the 'bridge' tag on him, so it's ok.

A bridge QB is someone you don't spend real draft capital on. A bridge QB is someone who is at least demonstrably better than the dogshit that's here currently.

That does not describe Justin Fields. He sucks just as bad as the other two.

What real draft capital are you spending though? You have to look at it in totality.. Bears are likely taking a qb.. just like we are projected too.. teams know fields will then become tradable.. so what a 5th you'd have a problem with giving up?

 

[Steve102]

I was hoping for a trade back for more picks but I think the chance of that is small now. I'll be surprised if they don't use that pick on a QB.

I am not convinced they won't trade back. I think they will take Williams/Daniels/Maye at 3 if they determine that he's got what it takes. If they don't love the player at 3, there's too many holes to fill on offense to not trade back. I trust them to make the best football decision. Bill's gone. He's not here, reaching for a guy because of coachability or leadership qualities. They have a bunch of young guys eager to make their mark. They will draft athletes. I am sure of it.

 

[Steve102]

Assuming they're coached properly. The current WR coach has never run anything but E-P, and didn't do a particularly good job of passing that knowledge onto the receivers. Still moves to be made, hopefully.

Yup. It's along way to rookie mini camps in early May.

 

[TommyD4207]

What real draft capital are you spending though? You have to look at it in totality.. Bears are likely taking a qb.. just like we are projected too.. teams know fields will then become tradable.. so what a 5th you'd have a problem with giving up?

What do you think Mac Jones is worth in a trade?
That's what I think Justin Fields is worth in a trade.

 

[Ivan]

There is a positive, it's not the E-P offense, that we don't have a QB/WR/OL capable of running. It's a pretty common offense with variations of it run throughout the league.

Now, are there like 6 other guys I'd rather have here bringing in the WCO? Yes. And that's where my primary negativity stems from, when mixed with everything else that has happened. But if you want your positive, there's your positive.

All of the offenses he has been with were highly productive, and I’m really happy to see them change offensive systems, I think that we are going to see a significant trend in drafting on offense to play making skill layers, as that’s what WC and its spin offs have always seemed to me. Get the ball in the hands of the playmakers and let them do their thing. And I think any of the top 3 QB’s would do well in that system.

 

[Lansdowne]

What real draft capital are you spending though? You have to look at it in totality.. Bears are likely taking a qb.. just like we are projected too.. teams know fields will then become tradable.. so what a 5th you'd have a problem with giving up?

In fairness even though I’m not a fan of Fields’ game I’d take a flyer on him for a 5th. I just don’t think that’s going to be enough for the Bears. For that return they may as well keep him for the last year of his rookie contract as a backup. QB needy teams would have to give up more than that, and I’d rather see the Pats use their draft picks on fresh new rookie contracts rather than guys on expiring deals.

 

[Sicilian]

Assuming they're coached properly. The current WR coach has never run anything but E-P, and didn't do a particularly good job of passing that knowledge onto the receivers. Still moves to be made, hopefully.

I don't think we should assume Troy Brown is back. I feel like he was very much a Belichick hire, and Van Pelt should have say in who's under him (which is something they reportedly did not do for O'Brien). I'm sure Mayo respects Brown as a man and a player, but he doesn't owe him a job. They just hired the OC yesterday, the other dominos will start to fall now.

 

[upstater1]

Oh boy the very thing we were running from old and out dated concepts have returned. I am looking to see who's our TE and QB Coaches. Uninspiring players on Offense now OC with out dated concepts misery loves company nice start Mayo.

This is the Shanahan offense. The person speaking here about lack of motion etc. is talking about frills that dress it up. There's nothing new about it. It's 30 yrs old, as is the Kyle Shanahan offense. The idea that Demeco Ryans could guess at what what was coming has always been the problem with Shanahan's offense. This is why McDaniel's offense in Miami has been throttled. It's a timing offense.

 

[Ivan]

What do you think Mac Jones is worth in a trade?
That's what I think Justin Fields is worth in a trade.

Fields is worth a little more, but his contract demands are going to be much higher. He’s going to want at least what a Daniel Jones got, and Mac Jones will be lucky to get vet minimum. That will lower Fields trade value. I would give a 5th for Fields, Draft a top 3 QB, let Fields play next season, and then get the comp value for him by letting him go free agent, which would bring them a 3rd back.

 

[Ivan]

Go get Justin Fields.
I think Van Pelt could really take him to the next level.

Yeah, he could turn Fields into a top 40 QB.

 

[PatsFan2]

This is the Shanahan offense. The person speaking here about lack of motion etc. is talking about frills that dress it up. There's nothing new about it. It's 30 yrs old, as is the Kyle Shanahan offense. The idea that Demeco Ryans could guess at what what was coming has always been the problem with Shanahan's offense. This is why McDaniel's offense in Miami has been throttled. It's a timing offense.

Throttled?? are you saying Miami's Offense have been figured?? Not by your BB I can tell you.

 

[upstater1]

The paradigm shift of the BB crowd defending nearly every move he made to now being some of the most negative fans is hilarious. They defended letting an elite OL walk for no compensation and drafting a 3rd round guard in the 1st to replace him. Now any move the team makes without him is a mistake. Right.

Also Bill’s two coordinators he invested the most in McDaniels & Patricia are unemployed & their NFL careers are effectively over. But I’m suppose to criticize hiring the young DL coach who oversaw the most sacks in the BB era & the NFL’s best run defense since 2011 in back to back seasons as DC & an experienced coach in multiple systems as OC.

Most of us are defending the move to Van Pelt, a couple aren't. I note many voices who wanted BB out are veryu much against this move. I don't think there is nearly the flip you describe.

What elite guard are you talking about? Is it Mason? Mason filled in at LG badly. Onwenu was also bad at LG. Onwenu was Mason's replacement. Please don't tell me you consider Karras an elite guard. Lastly, if it's Thuney you're referring to, we're going all the way back to 2020?

Patricia hasn't coached the Patriots defense since 2016 when they were the #1 defense in the NFL so his stamp on the defense is irrelevant. The defense was obviously Belichick's expertise, and it played like it.

McDaniels, as big a failure as he was as a HC, was always a good OC -- certainly more accomplished than Van Pelt -- and that's why he got 3 different offers to become an HC.