What Scott Zolak said about the Patriots’ offensive coordinator search

The Patriots’ search to replace former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels continues, but Scott Zolak doesn’t believe McDaniels will be replaced in the traditional sense.

Zolak, who is the color commentator on radio broadcasts for Patriots games, doesn’t think New England will hire an offensive coordinator for the 2022 season — even after they were linked to Bill O’Brien and Adam Gase.

“I don’t think Billy O’Brien’s happening, or it would’ve happened by now. It is not happening. Billy O’Brien will not be the offensive coordinator,” Zolak said on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak and Bertrand.”

“I don’t think Gase is a go. … I would say Billy O’Brien [is] off the table more so than Gase. I think Billy wants to be like a head guy somewhere else. “

When McDaniels left New England for Las Vegas, it was rumored that O’Brien would return to the Patriots in the role he once had in 2011. But Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters earlier in February that there was “no indication” that O’Brien wanted to leave his current role as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator.

Gase was also reportedly viewed as a candidate to replace McDaniels early in the process. Bill Belichick has spoken highly of the former Dolphins and Jets coach in the past. But the Patriots haven’t reached out to him, The Monday Morning Quarterback’s Albert Breer said on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher and Rich” on Friday.

So, if the Patriots aren’t going to hire an offensive coordinator, Zolak speculated how the offensive coaching staff might look:

“Troy Brown at receivers. [Tight ends coach] Nick Caley, move him with Mac Jones. He’s been around. He’s the guy who gets elevated within. So, ‘You go work with our quarterback. Quarterback’s the most valuable position on the team. Nick, you’re gonna take care of that kid. You understand what we want to do in the passing game.

“Joe [Judge], you’re back, I want you to get Jonnu Smith’s ass going.’ So Joe Judge, he coached receivers, but I’d rather have Troy Brown coach receivers than Joe Judge, so put Joe Judge with the tight ends. Now you’ve got a big gap up front which I think Matt Patricia would get assigned to.”

Of all the changes Zolak speculated on, Brown would be the only carryover at the same position from last year, though he held receivers coaching duties with Mick Lombardi, who left with McDaniels.

Caley has been with the Patriots since 2015 and has been tight ends coach since 2017. He hasn’t coached quarterbacks over his 17-year coaching career.

Judge and Patricia are the most noteworthy parts of Zolak’s speculated coaching staff. The Patriots re-hired Judge earlier in February to be an offensive assistant following his disastrous two years as the Giants head coach. While Judge mostly coached special teams during his eight seasons in his first tenure with the Patriots, he was the wide receivers coach in 2019.

Patricia re-joined the Patriots in 2021 after he coached the Lions for nearly three seasons. Like Judge, Patricia doesn’t have much experience coaching on the offensive side of the ball. The former Patriots defensive coordinator was an offensive assistant for one season in New England (2004).

As it remains anyone’s guess as to how the Patriots’ coaching staff will look in 2022, Zolak does know that a couple of things are certain.

“I don’t know what [Bill Belichick] wants to do, but I know what he has with him right now,” Zolak said. “And he already stated that Judge is going to be on offense and Matt will have influence on offense.”