The Patriots just completed their first losing campaign in the Bill Belichick era, and major changes may be coming for the team in the offseason.
It starts at the quarterback position, with Cam Newton’s one-year contract coming to an end in the spring. It sure looks like he’s played his final game with the Patriots, and the team could bring in a veteran to run the offense, or draft a young signal-caller to start over, which makes sense, given how many roster holes it has.
But there will be some changes in the Patriots front office, and possibly coaching staff as well, with director of player personnel Nick Caserio having been hired by the Texans to be their new general manager. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could be on the move as well, possibly even to join Caserio in Houston.
And that’s why we’re left wondering: What will Belichick do?
At 68, he’s the second-oldest head coach in the NFL, and it’s fair to question if he’ll want to stick around for what looks to be a full rebuild. It could take years to revamp this roster, and to be honest, Belichick, as a general manager, has made some poor personnel decisions over the past few seasons.
Belichick remains under contract with the Patriots, but it’s unclear how long that agreement lasts. Either way, it’s certainly possible that he could retire. Or, maybe he’ll ask for a trade, although that seems unlikely. It’s just hard to see him sticking around in New England for a multi-year rebuild.
