The New England Patriots are 1-4 and saddled with the worst point differential in the NFL. The Mac Jones experiment has soured quicker than milk under hot sun and it's starting to feel like Bill Belichick's days with the franchise that made him are numbered.
Despite the Pats' overall struggles, a number of NFL teams would be happy to employ the greatest coach in modern history. Belichick has a staggering career record of 455-299. His win rate with the Patriots is 70.1 percent. He has been to nine Super Bowls, winning six. His resume is without comparison.
Finding which teams would trade for Belichick is a bit tricky. And, yes, NFL rules do allow coaches to be traded as long as the coach is willing and can reach an agreement with their new team. The 71-year-old probably has no interest in joining another rebuild, but there aren't many true contenders in need of a new head coach. That said, there are good teams who could talk themselves into a coach with Belichick's reputation.
Here are the teams who should pitch a few picks at New England so the Patriots can rebuild in earnest.
3. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders cannot figure out how to win with Josh McDaniels at the helm. Why not replace him with his old boss? The Raiders have shown no shame when it comes to spending big to acquire weapons, but it takes the right coach to put those weapons to good use.
Belichick has a history of elite defenses. He also has a history of getting the most out of Jimmy Garoppolo, whose career is teetering on the brink with a rough start to the campaign. The Raiders are 2-3, with enough time to turn the season around with a positive, pronounced change. Belichick would certainly lend more credibility to an organization that has felt like a laughing stock in recent years.
With Davante Adams on the verge of mutiny and the vibes as bad as ever, the Raiders need to take drastic action. Belichick may or may not be able to save the Raiders from themselves, but he's a solid bet. If you're going to overpay for a big-name coach, it might as well be for one that actually does the job well.
2. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are 3-2 despite a ghastly point differential and a juiceless offense. Arthur Smith has committed body and soul to the run game, leaving the Falcons to grind out narrow wins over bad teams. When a competent offensive team comes to town, it's generally bad news.
Smith isn't necessarily a bad coach — he is no doubt held back by personnel, primarily the complete lack of competent QB play since his arrival — but he is not a great coach. The Falcons' offense operates with an unacceptable malaise and it's hard to imagine a contender being built around Smith's conservative system.
Belichick would give the Falcons are of the greatest coaches of a generation. We have seen the risk of pairing Belichick with a below-average QB (is Demond Ridder better than Mac Jones?), but there's no denying the coach's football instincts. He would theoretically improve the passing attack. If you want a coach to boost Kyle Pitts (and even Jonnu Smith with two-TE groups), Belichick is your man.
The Falcons have a rock-solid defense and are within striking distance of first place in the winnable NFC South. A midseason pivot away from Arthur Smith feels unlikely, but there's reason to believe a bold move for Belichick could give Atlanta the extra push it needs to truly compete in the NFC. The Falcons' improved defense, combined with a more explosive offense fashioned around playmakers like Pitts and Bijan Robinson, is a compelling thought.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are 3-2 with the second-best point differential in the NFC. That is a good team, maybe even a title contender. Dak Prescott looks better than last season (with the exception of an ugly three-INT game against the Niners' staunch defense) and the Cowboys' defense ranks near the top of the NFL.
Still, it feels like there's a ceiling on that team with Mike McCarthy in charge. The Cowboys have already suffered two brutal losses, one in blowout fashion to the Niners, and one to the low-hanging Cardinals. McCarthy insists on maintaining play-calling duties over OC Brian Schottenheimer, which feels like a mistake given the offense's tendency to sieze up in big moments.
If the Cowboys want to get over the hump — to leap from very good to legitimately great — it could require a bold change at head coach. Who better than the GOAT? Say what you will about the Pats' recent skid, there's no doubt that Belichick can still pull the strings for a quality roster. He would have ample talent at his disposal with the Cowboys and a chance to compete for his seventh ring.
Belichick can reset the culture around Dallas and potentially whisper wisdom into the ear of Prescott. He's the ultimate borderline QB, teetering on the edge of greatness but too mistake-prone to assume that mantle. Perhaps with Belichick, who has two decades of Tom Brady experience to lean on, Prescott is finally unleashed in peak form for the first time in years.
If the Cowboys want to go all-in on a Super Bowl, it could be worth going all-in for the best coach the league has ever seen.
