Jerod Mayo could entice free agents to sign with the Patriots

After the initial news broke about Bill Belichick and the Patriots parting ways on Thursday, there was a growing concern about what that decision could mean for the roster, as several have indicated their reason for signing with the team was due to the legendary head coach's presence.

It then became a question of what it could mean for free agents' desire to sign with New England, especially since many have touted Tom Brady and Belichick as the reason they wanted to become Patriots.

But those worries may not last too long, as MassLive's Mark Daniels revealed he spoke to an upcoming free agent who declared he is prioritizing re-signing with the team because of Mayo's promotion, which could indicate a domino effect among other players looking to remain with the team or those looking to join the team for the first time.

This may be just one response from a lengthy list of internal pending free agents, but the reaction to Mayo from players just last week could be a sign of more to come. It would undoubtedly be a welcomed trend at this stage, as the roster is in need of significant improvement, particularly offensively.

If this is a general feeling amongst players, it could entice others to sign with the team, ultimately benefitting them overall.

This could be the difference between signing a game-changing wide receiver and having to settle for a guy who's good but not exactly the one they need. Because the offensive roster needs so much improvement before next season, it's possible Mayo's new role would make some more desired players intrigued by the idea of playing for the youngest head coach in the league.

We've seen how well that has worked for others in that position, like Sean McVay. So why not?

It's not like Mayo is an unfamiliar name to most players. They didn't have to grow up as Patriots fans to know who he is and what he's accomplished. And he's built a solid reputation around the league, hence why so many teams were interested in hiring him despite the lack of coordinator experience, and players speak to their admiration and fondness of him. That'll likely pay off in adding players to the roster.

There's a lot to look forward to with this new era and how it will pay off to head in an all-new direction much sooner than anticipated. It's just the start of what should be a fascinating offseason, and hopefully, it will be even better now with Mayo in charge.

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