Jerod

Mayo

Mayo also said the team is “open to taking the guy [with the No. 3 pick].” The Patriots desperately need a long-term quarterback answer, so it’s hard to imagine them moving off the No. 3 pick, but it sounds like they’re keeping all options on the table. A team like the Broncos or Vikings could be candidates to make a move up, especially with the Vikings holding two 2024 first-round picks, but teams still have more than a month to decide what they’d like to do.

Parker, 32, has been on the Denver coaching staff since 2021 and would become the league’s youngest coordinator if he lands the New England job. While the Patriots’ offense was a disaster in 2023, their defense was elite by most measures, including against the run. In Denver, Parker coached a Broncos secondary allowed the fifth highest drop back EPA and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s second worst coverage unit.

Lukabu served as Boston College’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022 and has also spent time with the Buccaneers, 49ers, and Bengals in various positions. Lukabu appears to be the first coach to receive an interview from the Patriots for the vacated defensive coordinator position, meaning there will likely be other candidates before the team makes a hire. Lukabu joined the Panthers earlier this offseason and is a name to remember as other head coaches begin to fill their staffs in the coming weeks.

A succession plan was firmly in place for Mayo, who had become one of the league’s most trusted defensive assistants in the final years of Bill Belichick’s run as head coach. Belichick on Thursday parted ways with the Pats and the team took little time to make the move to Mayo, 37, who played linebacker for New England from 2008 to 2015. The Patriots could hire Mayo without interviewing other candidates because of specific language in his contract detailing a succession plan post-Belichick. Mayo will take over a team with one of the NFL’s worst offensive personnel and a strong defense. The Patriots have the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

According to Rapoport and sources familiar with the situation, the Patriots “established a firm, contractual succession plan in a prior contract and communicated it to the NFL.” While we don’t know when this all took place, the Patriots’ actions are that of a team that is prepared to hire Mayo at any moment. NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran said earlier on Thursday that the “indications” he received suggested Mayo was also the favorite to land the now vacated head coaching position. Rapoport also noted that other teams have created succession plans for staff members in the past, the most recent being the Ravens with now GM Eric DeCosta. Mayo should be viewed as the favorite to be the next head coach until we have reason to believe otherwise.

It’s probably no coincidence that the last time we wrote about Mayo was in March 2023 when owner Robert Kraft said of Mayo, “He’ll be a head coach...I hope he’s with us.” Kraft also added that there is “no ceiling on his ability to be a head coach,” which is high praise for a guy who is now in a position to become the Patriots’ head coach. Mayo has been with the Pats as a coach since 2019, serving as the team’s linebackers coach. He’s all but certain to get an interview with the team in the coming days and should be considered an early favorite for the role.

Kraft was full of praise for Mayo, saying, “There’s no ceiling on his ability to be a head coach, and he’ll be a head coach.” While Belichick hasn’t put a timetable on his retirement, the Patriots head coach of the last 25 years will turn 71 next month and is clearly in the twilight of his career. Just 31 wins shy of breaking Don Shula’s all-time wins record, it’s likely Belichick tries to hang around long enough to break that record before hanging it up. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Kraft expedite the process of announcing Mayo as the team’s next head coach if there are concerns of him leaving for another opportunity.

It looks like the Patriots are going to retain Mayo, a much-desired name on the coaching market this winter. The Panthers wanted to interview Mayo for their head coach opening. It remains to be seen whether Mayo will interview with Carolina.

In a bizarre press release, the Pats announced their intention to “keep Mayo with the team long-term.” The Pats’ need to get this on the public record is an indication they are quite sensitive to the criticism of Bill Belichick’s slipshod 2022 approach to hiring assistants and delineating duties. Mayo is once again drawing head-coaching interesting, this time from the Panthers. He has also drawn defensive coordinator interest from the Browns. This would obviously strongly suggest he plans to remain in New England for at least one more year.

They join the Browns in seeking to talk to the latest Bill Belichick disciple du jour. Mayo has become an annual candidate, drawing strong interest last January. It was another good year for the Patriots’ defense despite the failures on offense. Mayo might impress someone enough in the interview room to get a head-coaching shot at age 36.