3 way too early head coach candidates for the Patriots in 2024

I think we can almost safely say that Bill Belichick will not be the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2024. Let's look at three way too early-candidates to replace him. The Patriots need to move on from Bill Belichick and bring in someone who can adapt to the modern-day NFL.

Belichick had a nice run, but enough is enough. His roster building has been pretty poor, and his recent coaching decisions have been puzzling to say the least. The Patriots should follow the blueprint that many successful teams have and bring in a young, vibrant, adaptive mind to lead the team. Young coaches like Mike McDaniel, DeMeco Ryans, Zac Taylor, Kyle Shanahan, and Matt LaFleur among others have enjoyed early-tenure success with their teams.

The old, defensive coaches are becoming less and less common. Sure, the Pats should simply hire the person they feel is the most qualified for the job, but bringing some youth in is perhaps the best decision. Let's take a look at three way to early candidates to replace Bill Belichick as head coach.

3 way to early head coach candidates for the Patriots in 2024
1. Ben Johnson, Offensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions

Ben Johnson is probably going to be the single most popular name in the coming head coaching cycle. He has taken this Lions' offense into the elite stratosphere ever since taking over back in 2022. His NFL coaching career began in 2012 when he was just 26 years old. He was an Offensive Assistant for the Miami Dolphins and stayed with them until 2019, where he latched on with the Detroit Lions as Offensive Quality Control.

In Johnson's first year as the Lions' OC, the team ranked ninth in points, fourth in yards, third in rushing touchdowns, eighth in passing yards, and eighth in touchdown passes. In 2023, his unit ranks fifth in points, third in yards, eighth in rushing yards, and fourth in passing yards. It's a top-five unit and QB Jared Goff is playing at an MVP level.

The Patriots should look to pair Johnson with an eventual new quarterback.