NFL Insider Believes Patriots’ Robert Kraft ‘Sensitive’ To This Optic

Robert Kraft experienced great success as Patriots owner thanks in large part to two titans of industry.

Kraft already played a hand in letting one of those legends leave New England, and he soon might say goodbye to the other.

It certainly feels like Bill Belichick's days in Foxboro, Mass. are numbered. The Patriots mostly have been a disaster since Tom Brady left town in 2020, and no one could blame Kraft for being fed up at this point. A coaching change in New England would make sense -- it's just a matter of when and how the franchise goes about it.

All signs point to a classy offseason separation rather than a harsh midseason firing. Belichick deserves that, but Kraft might choose that route for his own benefit as well.

"I believe he (Kraft) wants to respect the wild success Belichick brought to his franchise," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote in a column published Monday. "I also think, with his Hall of Fame case being considered, he’s sensitive to being seen as the guy who let both Belichick and Tom Brady go. So my guess would be he'd seek an elegant sort of escape hatch from the Belichick era."

Breer's take also suggests the Patriots won't trade Belichick, which reportedly is the future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach's preference. Thus, the stage could be set for a fascinating free agency featuring a legendary coach who's in the twilight years of his career.