Bill Belichick David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Belichick comments on potential changes in New England

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 1/8/24

A change is coming to New England, with or without Bill Belichick.

On Monday morning, Belichick discussed the Patriots' future (as well as his own), and his comments suggest the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach could remain in Foxborough.

Belichick on if he's willing to give up personnel control:

"I'm for collectively what we decide as an organization is the best thing for the football team."

That is definitely not a no. Interesting. pic.twitter.com/yuiL1MoRIw
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 8, 2024

#Patriots coach Bill Belichick, at his season-ending press conference, says, "Obviously things need to be fixed." Says he's under contract and will do what he always does to help the team.

"As far as any decisions or direction for next year, way too early for that."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2024

Belichick's concession that "obviously things need to be fixed," with him even potentially ceding personnel control, is a potential sign that he wants to remain with the organization.

If owner Robert Kraft is able to bring in a general manager and keep Belichick, that should be preferable to hiring both a GM and coach. Are the Patriots really going to hire someone better than Belichick? For all of the team's issues, his coaching isn't one of them.

However, New England must also consider what Belichick, who's under contract, is worth to another team via a trade. Last year, the Broncos traded a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-rounder to New Orleans for former Saints head coach Sean Payton and a 2024 third.

A franchise like the Commanders, needing a cultural reset, or the Chargers, a team with Super Bowl aspirations, could pay a handsome sum for Belichick. If Kraft can add a bounty of picks to go along with one of the quarterbacks left at No. 3 - likely either LSU's Jayden Daniels or Washington's Michael Penix Jr. - the Patriots might expedite their rebuild.

If one thing is certain, it's New England won't look the same in 2024 as in 2023. Not even Belichick can prevent that.

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