Jerod Mayo's defensive coaching staff for the New England Patriots is taking shape

The New England Patriots are gearing up for the 2024 NFL season with a renewed focus on fortifying their defense under the new coaching staff created by rookie head coach Jerod Mayo.

Mayo’s new staff includes 17 coaches, each bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to the table. Notably, the addition of quality control coaches and assistants deviate from the traditional approach seen during the tenure of Bill Belichick. One notable feature of the Patriots’ revamped staff is the inclusion of several former players, a strategic move aimed at fostering a fresh culture and establishing rapport with younger talents early on.

With Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf at the helm, the mission is clear: to reconstruct a winning mentality and cultivate an environment for prospective talent to thrive in New England. The Patriots’ coaching roster may undergo further adjustments, including the anticipated announcement of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program for 2024, along with the potential retention of coaches from previous seasons.

Here's a look at New England at New England's defensive coaching staff for 2024 and what it could mean for the Patriots this offseason:

Defensive coordinator: DeMarcus Covington

Continuity on the defensive side of the ball for Mayo is key, and no one is more deserving of the coordinator title than DeMarcus Covington. Covington has been pegged as a future head coach, and he gets a shot to prove to other NFL teams he can command a team now that he is running the show on defense.

Expect there to be a lot of similarities to the defensive scheme that has been run in New England for the last 25 years, since both Mayo and Covington are accustomed to it. But there have been hints from Matthew Judon, who thinks the defense will be a little more aggressive under the new staff.

Reading between the lines makes one think Mayo believes the offense will be better, and the Pats will need to play more aggressively on defense. They’ll naturally be getting away from the bend-but-don’t-break philosophy, while just hoping the offense can manage the game.

Ultimately, it could be a situation in which they simply believe in their vision and think the offense will be able to function and finally score points.

Safeties: Brian Belichick (not confirmed)

Brian Belichick, a rising coach in the NFL, is expected to retain his job on the Patriots defense.

Bill Belichick is no longer calling the shots in New England, but that doesn’t change the fact that Mayo has grown close with both Steve Belichick and Brian Belichick. Along with Brian, Steve was also offered a chance to stay in New England, but he left to pursue running his own defense at the University of Washington.

Although Covington will likely be calling the plays, Brian Belichick will have a heavy hand in assisting with game plans and coaching up the Patriots’ safety room.

Cornerbacks: Mike Pellegrino (not confirmed)

Pellegrino, who has been working with the Patriots’ cornerbacks since 2019, is also rumored to return and retain his role under Covington as the cornerbacks coach.

The Patriots have always done a good job at coaching their corners, and a lot of that is thanks to Pellegrino.

Having some continuity is important in a cornerback room that is headlined by second-year corner Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez is also backed by some more promising young players, like Marcus Jones, Alex Austin and Isaiah Bolden. Pellegrino will be tasked with developing the young cornerback room that works alongside veterans JC Jackson and Jonathan Jones.

Inside linebackers: Dont'a Hightower

Hightower is back and will be assuming Jerod Mayo’s previous role as the inside linebackers coach. Hightower doesn’t have coaching experience, but his time as the brain of the Patriots’ defense during the second-half of the dynasty should count.

His coaching potential has been praised since he was drafted, and Mayo even promised him a spot on his defense before he became a head coach. Mayo lived up to the promise, and now, Hightower will get his opportunity as a coach.

Outside linebackers: Drew Wilkins

Wilkins worked for the Baltimore Ravens from 2010-2022 before moving to the New York Giants in 2023 as their outside linebackers coach. He followed Wink Martindale to the Giants, but when Martindale was fired, he was also let go.

Wilkins turned down high-level coaching opportunities at the collegiate level to remain in the NFL and work under Mayo and Covington.

He will provide coaching experience to the outside linebackers in a potentially more aggressive defense relying on outside linebackers to make more plays. Wilkins will also be valuable to Hightower, who will be working hard to get up to speed in his first year as a coach.

Director of skill development/pass rush specialist: Joe Kim (not confirmed)

Kim was offered an opportunity to join the new coaching staff, and it looks like he’ll take the team up on that offer to remain in New England. Players have raved about him helping edge defenders and defensive linemen develop as pass-rushers.

In a league where there is a premium for playmakers that can generate pressure, Kim’s importance to the defensive unit is invaluable. In many ways, he serves as the Evan Rothstein of the defense, filling multiple roles and being viewed as a football genius.

Defensive line: Jerry Montgomery

Montgomery was a four-year starter for Iowa in his playing days from 1998-2002, before heading to the NFL and eventually pursuing other football avenues.

He coached for North Iowa Community College in 2005 and quickly rose the ranks from defensive coordinator to Wyoming’s defensive line coach from 2009-2010. He had multiple stops as a defensive line coach, including Indiana, Michigan and Oklahoma.

His next stop was with the Green Bay Packers in 2015, where he stayed until 2023. He was seemingly left out in the cold as the Packers went in a new direction with their defensive coordinator. So he quickly latched on to the vacant defensive line coaching position in New England.

Montgomery is well-respected throughout the league, including Green Bay, and he gives the Patriots another voice that should be able to connect well with players.

Defensive assistant/quality control: Jamael Lett

Lett was a defensive back for four years at Samford University before becoming a collegiate assistant coach for Samford, Ohio, Akron and Southern Alabama.

Lett will serve as a quality control specialist and assistant in his first NFL coaching gig. Like many of the other coaches on the roster, this will be an opportunity for Lett to prove himself at the next level with a rebuilding Patriots team.

Defensive assistant/quality control: Vinny DePalma

Vinny DePalma, who was a linebacker for the Boston College Eagles from 2018-2023, is joining the Patriots’ staff as a quality control coach.

It’s a huge step for a local football player who spent the last six years with the Eagles. The DePalma addition is an interesting one considering how small the Patriots’ coaching staffs have been in the past. If anything, it just shows a clear shift in philosophy with the new regime.

It is unclear what DePalma and Lett will do, but they will both likely have a lot of film to watch and help prepare the coaches for upcoming opponents.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Jerod Mayo's new staff includes 17 coaches