New England Patriots: A changing of the guard in the coaching staff

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /
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The New England Patriots are experiencing a changing of the guard on their coaching staff.

The inevitable aftermath of New England Patriots coaching changes is starting to ripple through the ranks. While the initial thought, as illustrated by ESPN’s Mike Reiss, was that Bret Bielema’s presence in the Patriots War-Room before the draft related to his SEC expertise, it now seems inevitable that the former Arkansas head-coach will be filling a more permanent role within the organization

During OTAs, Reiss also noted that Bielema stuck around, working primarily with the defensive linemen. While Arkansas’ defense hasn’t exactly been elite, ranking` 98th and 93rd on rushing and passing respectively, it should be noted that they’ve produced two pillars of the Patriots’ line: Deatrich Wise Jr. and Trey Flowers.

For now, Bielema’s role is likely no more than that of an “advisor”, but when the thread is followed up the chain of command, his presence seems much more calculated.

Brian Flores, still listed as the current linebackers coach, has reportedly been transitioned to a defensive coordinator-in-waiting role within the organization. His name may ring a bell from earlier this year, when he interviewed for the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals.

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Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report reported that Flores will be taking over the reins for play-calling, and while it isn’t an immediate transition, it seems to be the logical next step towards him filling Matt Patricia’s shoes.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is notoriously cautious with rewarding or trusting anyone with power on the field, so it speaks volumes of Flores that he’s taking over play-calling. It also potentially absolves him of too much of the blame for last year’s pass-rush, which ranked well outside the top-10 and possibly cost the team a Super Bowl ring this past February.

With the linebackers position soon to be vacated, this seems like an apt time to be grooming Flores’ replacement.

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Given Bielema’s presence during OTA’s and his record with producing prospects that thrive in the Patriots’ system (Frank Ragnow might be where Isaiah Wynn is if he had fallen a little further), it’s not a stretch to peg him as the heir apparent to the linebackers room in Foxboro.