Patriots Rumors: ‘Rising Star’ Added To Offensive Coaching Staff

The Patriots aren’t done retooling their offensive staff, reportedly adding another former player to the ranks Friday.

New England is working on finalizing a deal to add former Carolina Panthers assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler to the staff, according to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, who added the 31-year-old is “well-respected and is seen as a rising star who could be an offensive coordinator down the road.”

It’s expected Kugler will work with new offensive line coach Scott Peters.

Kugler has spent each of the last three seasons as an assistant, all under long-time offensive line coach James Campen. He got his start with the Houston Texans, before spending each of the last two seasons in Carolina. His career began as a graduate assistant at UTEP, before moving on to have an assistant role with Washington and Appalachian State at the collegiate level.

Campen has a relationship with Patriots executive Eliot Wolf, who he worked with as a member of the Green Bay Packers. There’s the tie everyone was looking for.

Kugler played at Purdue and had a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills. He’s the son of former Arizona Cardinals assistant Sean Kugler, who was fired following an incident where he allegedly groped a woman on the team’s trip to Mexico. Sean Kugler also was the Bills’ offensive line coach when new Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt was calling plays for Buffalo.

The Patriots have revamped the entire offensive staff, but specifically the offensive line room. Adrian Klemm, who headed up the unit last season, departed mid-season due to health reasons. He is not expected to be back in 2024, while assistant Billy Yates’ status is still up in the air.