A three-point plan for Patriots 2025 offseason

New England’s disastrous 2024 season is nearly over, but the hard work has just begun for the Patriots. 

This offseason could be one of the busiest in recent memory for New England, with key questions regarding first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and the team’s offense up for debate.

Here’s how the Patriots should approach this crucial offseason:

1. Figure out GM situation

After a 4-13 season under former head coach Bill Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft gambled. Attributing the team’s struggles —highlighted by poor offensive play — to faulty coaching, he fired Belichick in January. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and other assistant coaches also were let go. 

Now, entering Week 18 of the 2024 season, it is evident that Kraft’s sweeping coaching changes have failed to produce better results. New England is 3-13 and still saddled with an abysmal offense (30th in yards per game, 290.8).

Since he has already tried changing the coaches, Kraft’s only path toward mending New England may involve altering the front-office staff. The first name Kraft should focus on is Wolf, who is partly to blame for the team’s down year due to his lack of success in the 2024 NFL Draft and free-agency market

With the offseason rapidly approaching, Kraft must decide whether Wolf has learned from his mistakes and is trustworthy enough to rebuild the roster for 2025 and beyond. Whatever route Kraft takes could determine the direction of the team’s offseason.

2. Despite his poor performance, keep Mayo

There is little debate the 38-year-old’s first year as head coach is a major disappointment. Under Mayo’s watch, the defense has declined from last season, dropping from 15th to 26th in points allowed per game (21.5 to 25.1) and from seventh to 21st (301.7 to 348.7) in average yards allowed per game.

The head coach has also developed a reputation for being indecisive and imprecise with his words. 

In January, he said the Patriots were ready to “burn some cash” in the offseason before backtracking on the comments in a later interview. Several months later, in October, he backtracked after calling his team “soft,” and did the same thing in December after making comments critical of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

This doesn’t inspire confidence among players and the rest of the team. But firing the head coach after just one season would risk repeating the past. (See the stunted development of former Patriots QB Mac Jones after the Patriots changed the staff.)

Kraft would risk harming rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s development by completely rearranging New England’s coaching staff for 2025. Maye — who has thrown for 2,276 yards and 15 TDs in in 12 games — is one of the few bright spots on New England’s roster. He should be a central focus for nearly every important decision this offseason. 

Firing Mayo after only one season would not serve Maye well.