The process of reassembling the New England Patriots’ coaching staff continued this week.
The Patriots have hired Ohio State defensive assistant Bob Fraser for an as-of-yet undisclosed position, according to a report Tuesday by Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald.
Fraser has a long working relationship with Greg Schiano, working under him at Rutgers from 2006 to 2011 and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012 to 2013. After returning for a second stint at Rutgers from 2014 to 2015, he moved to Ohio State when Schiano was hired as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator in 2016. Both left Columbus after the 2018 season.
Schiano reportedly will replace Brian Flores as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator this season, though his hiring has yet to be made official. In each of his last 11 seasons as a college or pro head coach/coordinator, Fraser has been part of his staff.
Current Patriots defensive backs Devin and Jason McCourty and Duron Harmon all played at Rutgers during Schiano and Fraser’s tenure.
Fraser, 56, began his college career in 1985 at Allegheny College, his alma mater. In his two years as an NFL assistant, he served as the Buccaneers’ linebackers coach in 2012 and assistant defensive coordinator in 2013.
The Patriots lost their linebackers coach/de facto defensive coordinator earlier this offseason when Flores took over as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea, cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer and assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski went with him, and defensive line coach Brendan Daly left to take a job with the Kansas City Chiefs.
