With the brutal season that the New England Patriots have had in 2023, there is a wide belief that major change could be coming to the proud franchise. One of those major changes is rumored to be the departure of legendary head coach Bill Belichick. It is currently believe that the two sides will part ways after the season.
Simply thinking about Belichick leaving the Patriots is a strange thing. Going a step farther and thinking about him coaching another team takes the weirdness to a new level.
New England would be starting a new era of football and they would need to be right on who they hire to replace Belichick. Robert Kraft is not interested in going into a full rebuild at this point in time.
3 Sleeper Candidates For The Patriots To Replace Bill Belichick
There are quite a few coaches who could be great fits for New England. Among those options that have been rumored are Jim Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, and Bill O’Brien.
Let’s dive in and take a look at three sleeper candidates the Patriots should consider to replace Belichick.
3. Kliff Kingsbury
The former Arizona Cardinals’ head coach could make some sense in New England. He brings a high-profile offensive system with him and was not horrible in his previous job. While the record makes him look bad, the Cardinals’ entire organization was an absolute mess.
Kingsbury is a good offensive coach. If he surrounded himself with a good staff, he could be a very intriguing candidate in New England.
2. Ben Johnson
Currently, Johnson is the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. What he has been able to accomplish in Detroit has been absolutely amazing. He has been a big part of taking that team from a laughing stock to one of the most competitive teams in the NFC.
Johnson has been a head coaching candidate for about a year now. He’s a great offensive mind and a young coach. That could be appealing to Kraft and the Patriots.
1. Eric Bieniemy
Finally, we have to take a look at the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy. He has long been talked about as a potential head coaching candidate. For some reason, no one has given him that chance.
Bieniemy was a huge part of the Kansas City Chiefs becoming a dynasty. He worked with Patrick Mahomes and led one of the NFL’s highest-powered offenses. Andy Reid has received most of the credit in Kansas City, but Bieniemy has been credited by many players as a top-notch coach.
Honestly, this should be one of the most discussed options for the Patriots. He’s ready to be given a chance. New England should strongly consider taking a chance on Bieniemy this offseason if they do indeed move on from Belichick.
