Predicting Belichick’s moves, the Pats’ draft, and more combine intel
INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL Combine as it’s known on TV, a four-day event where draft prospects run, jump, throw and catch before team evaluators, is half over.
The combine as it’s known in league circles is all but finished.
NFL coaches and front-office members have concluded most of their business in Indianapolis, where private meetings were held around virtually every corner of downtown starting Sunday night. Like every other team, the Patriots worked to gather intel for the draft and free agency by conferring with other clubs, player agents and prospects.
Simultaneously, the Herald spoke with several league sources about where the Patriots stand at a critical juncture of the offseason and learned the following:
The Patriots don’t know yet what they’ll do with the 14th overall pick, but league sources expect them to make an obvious choice come late April: draft an offensive tackle or trade back.
The Pats currently roster one starting-caliber player at tackle and none are under contract past next season. Bill Belichick has spent his first pick on an offensive lineman five times, including twice in the last five years (Cole Strange in 2022 and Isaiah Wynn in 2018).
Belichick is also famous for trading down, and in a draft with few blue-chip prospects at the top, he may see value in sliding back 10-12 spots to select a player of similar caliber later in the first round, such as Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr., Tennessee’s Darnell Wright or North Dakota’s Cody Mauch.
Belichick did not attend the combine this year, but he did watch prospects interview via video conference, according to source. The Patriots’ coaching contingent in Indianapolis consisted of Joe Judge, cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino, special teams coordinator Cam Achord and special teams assistant Joe Houston. Wide receivers coach
Troy Brown was also expected to attend.
There is no internal clarity yet on what Judge’s role will be next season, per sources. Bill O’Brien replaced Judge as the team’s quarterbacks coach after one year, and Judge has assisted in a variety of areas during the draft process.
After Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh led the team’s primary front-office group into town on Monday, director of scouting Eliot Wolf shouldered some of the traditional GM duties during the week. Wolf, whose background in pro scouting and contract negotiations balances Groh’s college scouting experience, met with representatives for college and pro players at the combine, per sources. Patriots director of college scouting Camren Williams and director of pro scouting Steve Cargile were also in Indianapolis, among other scouts.
In a deep draft for cornerbacks and a light one for linebackers, the Patriots are rumored to have serious interest in several lateround prospects at both positions, including some that did not attend the combine. The Pats are also spending extensive time with special teams prospects.
The Patriots came close to hiring former Bills assistant Ryan Wendell to be their lead offensive line coach, as MassLive reported. Wendell, a former Patriots player, may have worked in concert with new Pats O-line coach Adrian Klemm had he accepted the job. Instead, the Rams hired Wendell to coach their offensive line.
Matt Patricia’s future with the Patriots remains uncertain, per source. After a trying year as their firstyear offensive line coach and de facto offensive coordinator, there is empathy for Patricia in certain league circles.
The belief is Belichick put him, a career defensive coach with great loyalty to Belichick, in a near impossible position. Broncos coach Sean Payton said Monday he intended to meet with Patricia about a possible role on his defensive staff.