Life for the New England Patriots will go on, with or without Tom Brady.
The organization has been built on foundational pieces and it starts with the man who governs every aspect of the team — Bill Belichick. Robert Kraft has given Belichick free rein to make any decision that’s best for the team. Ultimately, making Belichick the head coach, general manager and de facto defensive coordinator.
This isn’t sustainable for one person without reliable counterparts that run autonomously. This is where Nick Caserio and Josh McDaniels come in, both of which have been retained by the Patriots this offseason. McDaniels went out on a head-coaching interview tour for numerous teams, but came up empty. Caserio, who reportedly wanted out of New England last season, agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the team.
The foundational pieces are now set in stone for 2020 at minimum. Belichick will oversee the team and defense primarily. McDaniels will make sure the offense operates optimally and Caserio will find the right pieces to string together a contending team.
So, why are Caserio and McDaniels so important for the team’s future?
Caserio has played an instrumental role in all six of New England’s Super Bowl titles. He’s been with the team since 2001 and has been the director of player personnel since the 2008 season. Similar to the players that come into New England, Caserio has become a versatile piece who makes an impact outside of his job title. He’s been Belichick’s sidekick at the general manager position and he’ll be the key to a potential future without Brady.
Brady, 42, is set to hit free agency this offseason and it’s very possible that he ends up in a different uniform. If this is the case, Caserio will be the man in charge of replacing the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. It will be a daunting task if push comes to shove, but the combination of Belichick and Caserio will be best fit for the job.
NESN’s Doug Kyed summed up Caserio’s significance to the team perfectly.
He oversees the Patriots’ pro and college scouting departments. He sets up signings and trades. He’s in the coaches’ booth during games talking to offensive coordinator — and former college teammate — Josh McDaniels. He’s a coach on the practice field during the week. Oh, and he’s the Patriots’ in-house arm for any free agent wide receiver workouts.
Now for McDaniels, who spent 16 of his 19 years as an NFL coach with the Patriots. He’s the NFL’s highest-paid assistant coach for a reason and the potential departure of Brady could implode this offense without the revered offensive coordinator. Belichick was looking at a potential scenario where he’d have to abruptly get a new quarterback and offensive coordinator up to speed — while filling to role of two NFL greats.
It’s easy to say New England is better off with McDaniels around. Similar to both Belichick and Caserio, McDaniels has six Super Bowl titles with the team. He joined the Patriots in 2001 as a personnel assistant and climbed his way up the ladder to become the offensive coordinator in 2006. In 2009, he left for a few years to experiment as a coach outside of New England, but he made a return for the 2012 season.
McDaniels’ tasks go far beyond his position as well and his vast knowledge of the Patriots’ system has been imperative to the team’s success.
The Patriots lost their longest-tenured coach in Dante Scarnecchia this offseason, who did an incredible job of keeping the offensive line intact. In order for the dynasty to continue, they couldn’t afford to lose anymore foundational pieces. They’re off to a great start in terms of the key cogs in the coaching staff — now it’s on to the players.
If the Patriots can retain Brady this offseason, they’ll be right on track for another Super Bowl run in 2020. If not, they’ll have to prove they can keep the ship running without the face of the franchise. With these pieces in play, it’s very likely Belichick will conjure up a winning team going forward regardless of Brady’s decision.
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