by Curran: Pats need to be “aggressively honest” with themselves. This Offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2025 NFL offseason will be crucial for the New England Patriots.
In addition to finding help for prized young quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriots also need to figure out how to run the organization from the top down. That means they need to reevaluate their front office situation, evaluate Jerod Mayo’s first season as head coach and consider an overhaul of the coaching staff, which has been tested in recent weeks.
The latest wake-up call for New England was Mayo’s apparent attack on offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt after Sunday’s 30-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. When asked whether Maye should be used as a runner in short-distance running, Mayo replied, “You said it, I didn’t say it.” That seemed to be another way of saying that Van Pelt was responsible for Maye doing so was not used in critical short-distance situations in the game on Sunday.
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Mayo’s bizarre reaction adds to the list of reasons why the Patriots need to do some soul searching this coming offseason. Our Pats insider Tom E. Curran talked more about what lies ahead in the latest episode of Fast lean angles.
“Last offseason, the Patriots failed to adequately review their entire organization,” Curran said. “It was about moving on from Bill, taking a step back, seeing what things look like after the season and then getting back in and changing things. And I think they may end up doing that, (and it certainly seems from the conversation) over the weekend that Alex Van Pelt suddenly finds himself in the ownership crosshairs with grease.
“But when you look at this team, I think they need to be really aggressive and brutally honest with themselves and then make urgent decisions. Maybe they need someone like that middle class where there’s a guy like (Scott) Pioli” or someone as a football overlord could help.
Pioli worked in the player personnel department of the Patriots front office from 2000 to 2008. Whether it’s him or another experienced front office leader, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a knowledgeable executive capable of mitigating some of the problems in Foxboro.
As for team owner Robert Kraft, he may need to rethink his decision to make Mayo the first Pats head coach of the post-Bill Belichick era. While New England wasn’t expected to be a playoff contender in year one, it’s fair to wonder if there are more qualified options to put Maye and the new Patriots in the best position for success.
The Patriots will try to overcome a four-game losing streak and stun the NFL world when they visit the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Kickoff for the matchup is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.
