Behind the Pay wall: Moving on from Alex Van Pelt
The report this week that the Patriots organization was asking for help on how to best move forward with their rookie quarterback has made waves across the Boston sports media spectrum. The initial read on this was that the Patriots would be moving on from Alex Van Pelt as Offensive Coordinator. This makes sense because the Patriots currently boast one of the bottom 3 offenses in the league scoring the very least amount of points among them. Even with Drake Maye behind center the team is only averaging 17 points per game. However, after a closer look into this it’s clear to me the Patriots have no plans to move on from AVP barring any drastic changes this season.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Breer said, "They have done some research over the last few weeks on how to handle a young quarterback. And obviously they failed with Mac Jones from 2021 through 2023. So the Krafts have asked people and done their homework on how the right way to handle a young quarterback is, and how they're going to do that going forward."
Presumably the Patriots have been reaching out to other teams or executives, past and present, for advice.
Per Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal, what Albert Breer was talking about when he exposed the Krafts here for searching outside the organization for offensive help happened weeks ago amidst the team’s six game losing streak. Funny this is a similar sin that Mac Jones once committed that could be argued was the catalyst that sent this whole organization into the downward spiral we they find themselves trying to dig out of. I digress. Maybe there were thoughts about dismissing Alex Van Pelt at the time and maybe it’s still a possibility if the team drastically struggles in the back half of the season. Lets not forget Van Pelt was not exactly their first choice for the job.
ATHLETIC Jerod Mayo’s first few days as the New England Patriots’ head coach were a bit rocky. His biggest task was filling out his coaching staff, and the most important piece was identifying the right offensive coordinator.
But many of Mayo’s top options weren’t interested. Zac Robinson, a former teammate of Mayo’s with the Patriots, took the OC job with the Atlanta Falcons. Nick Caley, a former Patriots assistant, turned down the job to remain in a lesser role with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams.
It took a dozen interviews before New England landed an offensive coordinator, and even then, it didn’t lead to the young hotshot hiring many expected. Enter Alex Van Pelt, 54, a full-time play caller for zero NFL seasons.
Make no mistake, this isn’t to say the Patriots offense has been great, even good. The unit enters Week 11 ranked 30th in the NFL in yards per play, 25th in success rate and 30th in points per game.
Make no mistake, this isn’t to say the Patriots offense has been great, even good. The unit enters Week 11 ranked 30th in the NFL in yards per play, 25th in success rate and 30th in points per game.
“He’s been tremendous,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “I love his scheme, I love his game planning, I love his football mind and how he sees things. It’s been a lot of fun growing in this scheme, growing in this system, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Most OC’s who lead their unit to worst in the NFL do not keep their job. This is a fairly unique situation though because of the rookie quarterback. Turmoil in the coaching department is one of the worst things you can do for a young QB. But, you can’t completely dismiss the idea. I’ve personally been calling for the firing of AVP in season for that very reason. If its a decision that is inevitable get it over with and more forward.
BOSTON SPORTS JOURNAL Longtime NFL reporter/insider Albert Breer appeared on Boston Sports Tonight with Michael Felger and Michael Holley and revealed that ownership has been making calls to gauge how to proceed with a young quarterback, especially after having watched the Mac Jones era implode.
When pushed if those calls meant Van Pelt was in trouble, Breer said, "I think that's all under evaluation."
"I think Buffalo is a good example," said Breer. "When Sean McDermott first got there, he went and hired Rick Dennison, who is one of Mike Shanahan's OGs, like one of the guys who was there on the ground floor with Mike Shanahan to put in that offense. It did not work (in Buffalo), and they went and got Brian Daboll in year two to work with Josh Allen. These things happen sometimes after year one or year two. I don't think Alex Van Pelt has done as terrible a job as a lot of people think.
"Because I look at it and I see Drake Maye making fundamental progress, I think that he is a much better quarterback than he was in April and May, more prepared to play in the NFL. But there's a lot of different elements to developing a young quarterback, and I think that they (ownership) want to see around their blind spots."
The biggest question is who are they talking to? Let the speculation run rampant! We will never know the true answer to this question. It’s also a different question than, who could be the next OC of the Patriots. Those are names like Brian Dabol, Chip Lindsey, Shannon Dawson, Nick Caley. For more on potential OC fits click HERE. But, who could they be reaching out to mid season? Imagine a world where it was Belichick? No. I won’t allow that possibility, because it’s impossible. Josh McDaniels? Totally could see that. But, coaches in the middle of the season are not taking time to chit chat about how Johnny Kraft fucked up, here. I’d guess it’s at the ownership level or potentially Management. Guys like Nick Caserio or Scott Pioli. Dave Ziegler even. The Kraft’s have a history of dealing with people they know because they believe they can trust them. Please see Jerod Mayo: Head Coach as reference. It’s just another reason why I don’t see them moving on from Van Pelt. They are not interviewing potential new OC’s on the down low. They are talking to other billionaires or guys on the street.
More likely the Kraft’s may look to bring in additional help at the coaching level with younger offensive minds that can help take Alex Van Pelt’s offensive scheme to a more competitive level in the modern day NFL. Immediatly, Mayo and Maye came out in support of Van Pelt. Even team captain Hunter Henry had glowing remarks. Again, with a young team growing, building chemistry and character you risk alientating them against the organization by blowing out a well liked coach. Even if long term terminating the coach is the best decision for all of them.
BOSTON HERALD — Drake Maye and Jerod Mayo were asked Wednesday morning about how offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been instrumental in the rookie’s success, and both the quarterback and head coach began their answers the exact same way.
“Yeah, he’s been huge,” Maye and Mayo said roughly 13 minutes apart.
Mayo said no one in the Patriots’ organization deserves more credit for Maye’s development than Van Pelt.
Maye has seen Van Pelt as a “confidence booster.”
“You love playing for an offensive coordinator like AVP,” Maye said. “He’s positive, and also at the same time, he’ll coach you hard. He’s done it; he’s played quarterback in this league and at a high level, so he knows what needs to be done and the tasks. He knows it’s a tall task as well, which is pretty – him and T.C. (McCartney) both kind of have the quarterback minds, and Coach (Ben) McAdoo. So, those three all know what it’s like, how hard it is to play quarterback in this league and give a lot of leeway, but at the same time, know what needs to be done.”
Maye was asked Wednesday if he feels like he’s “a lot better” than he was when he was drafted in late April. The quarterback seemed to think it would be boastful to acknowledge that yes, he is.
“So, I think I wouldn’t say better, I’d just say more comfortable. I think a lot of stuff is coming to tie together. I think I’m still a lot of the same player. The same plays that I’ve made in college I’m making today. So, I think just building on, getting more comfortable in this offense and just growing as a young adult.”
At this point you are relying on hope. You hope Van Pelt needs to be a good enough teacher to instill the fundamentals of an NFL system in his young signal caller with the hope that Drake Maye has enough talent to lift an offensive scheme not advanced enough for the modern NFL. The Kraft’s have already made the mistake of hiring the wrong guys to develop their franchise QB. Even if it is considered meddling or undermining their current staff to a degree the best thing they could do is add the correct kind of offensive mind to the coaching ranks. It’s a tight needle to thread, but they’ve done it to themselves. The worst thing they could do it stick with the status quo. As currently constituted as fans we will constantly be left wondering what the true potential of Maye and his cohorts could be. If blowing out AVP is too drastic a measure at this stage, at least be bold and humble enough as a whole to ask for help.