How can the Patriots be fixed? | Zero Blitz
Yahoo Sports' Jason FItz and Kevin Clark of The Ringer discuss what changes need to be made in New England to get the organization back on track. Hear the full conversation on the “Zero Blitz” podcast and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JASON FITZ: So let's start with the Patriots. How are we fixing New England?
KEVIN CLARK: So let's assume they get Drake Maye. I don't believe in Belichick's ability to build a skill group. I don't believe in his ability to hire and fire coaches at this point, given what he did to Mac Jones. Mac Jones has regressed and not just from the Matt Patricia and Joe Judge offense.
But, like, even with Bill O'Brien now, he continues to regress. That's not all on Mac Jones. That's the infrastructure too. There is no talent anywhere. So I would politely move on from the Bill Belichick era if I'm Robert Kraft. And I would get an offensive head coach.
I would go out if I'm Robert Kraft and say, we are one of the NFL's premier franchises. We're going to pay whatever it takes. You'll get autonomy just like Bill Belichick. Give me a Ben Johnson. Give me a-- someone who can take-- someone from the Shanahan tree, who can take a young quarterback and give him what he needs.
And let Bill Belichick go make a ton of money in Washington and Carolina or Los Angeles or wherever it is. But it's suck for a quarterback, and it's get an offensive head coach in there to nurture him. And then, by the way, it's get about 21 new players.
JASON FITZ: So best case scenario, you're rebuilding really-- like, if you have the best offseason I've ever seen, which I don't think Belichick can do, you're going to have 8 guys come in out of the 20 that you need. That's why, like, I think, honestly, the Patriots-- here's what fixes the Patriots.
Look in the damn mirror and acknowledge, hey, we're nowhere near where we need to be. And we just need to rip it all apart, take it down to the studs, and start a total re-- like, we need somebody to come in and flip this house. And at this point, that means the roster. That means the coaching staff. That means the front office. Flip it all, and that's at least a two-year process.
KEVIN CLARK: The Patriots-- it's the grimmest list I've ever seen. I mean, so you have Matthew Judon is hurt. And then you have Hunter Henry, Trent Brown, Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, David Andrews, Kendrick Bourne, Jonathan Jones, Riley Reiff, Ja'Whaun Bentley, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Adrian Phillips, Mike Gesicki.
Sorry to go through it, but I had to go through the entire list. Where are the good players outside of Matthew Judon on that list? That's how they spent their money. Get rid of them all.
JASON FITZ: So, OK, what about-- I know there's some ownership complications in this. What about just firing everybody and letting Brady take over? Just make Brady the tsar of the New England Patriots. Come on.
