Alex Van Pelt Stresses ‘Players Over Scheme’ In Patriots Offense

FOXBORO, Mass. — Alex Van Pelt established several values with the Patriots as he takes over as the offensive coordinator in New England.

One early theme has been Van Pelt’s plan to find each player’s strength on offense and build his schemes around that for the Patriots.

“You always have to play to the strengths of your players, regardless of position,” Van Pelt told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. “We’ll try to put those guys in positions to be successful.”

The 53-year-old shared he has met with players such as Mac Jones and Demario “Pop” Douglas while recognizing that the Patriots will likely have several new players on that side of the ball when training camp rolls around.

“There are definitely some pieces of the puzzle that aren’t quite put in place yet,” Van Pelt added. “That’s our job, at the end of the day, to get everything and establish who we are with what we have available to us.”

Van Pelt prides himself on the diversity of his past offenses and feels ready to adapt to whatever scheme fits the playmakers that New England will run out in 2024.

“The good news is I’ve done it in a lot of different ways,” Van Pelt explained. “I’ve been under center a ton. I’ve been in shotgun a ton. … We’re not exactly sure of all the pieces we’ll have, but I feel confident with the coaching staff.”

With free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft still to come, Van Pelt is certainly planning his offense with the ability to shift for whoever suits up for the Patriots.

“It’s no so much about scheme,” Van Pelt said. “It’s about players and putting those people in position. There’s a lot of different schemes out there. The best ones put the players in position to be successful.”

As the Patriots build their roster this offseason, Van Pelt will be ready to prioritize personnel in his scheme during the 2024 season.