Jerod Mayo Highlights ‘Most Important’ Aspect Of Patriots’ Offseason

The Patriots were tasked with more than shaping a roster this NFL offseason. New England needed to establish a new culture as well.

That comes with the territory when you bring in a new head coach. Jerod Mayo had big shoes to fill when he replaced Bill Belichick, a legendary coach who had a rigid method of operation. Mayo was widely viewed as a breath of fresh air of sorts in Foxboro, Mass., and it didn’t take long for him to go in a different direction than his predecessor.

Mayo and company clearly made it a priority to retain several internal free agents, something Belichick wasn’t always keen on dating back to 2000. Outside of maintaining a talent level in New England, the re-signings also helped send a message about the new Patriots era.

That message was of the essence to Mayo.

“The most important thing for us was to get our people back here,” Mayo told reporters at the NFL annual meeting Sunday, per ESPN. “Re-sign our players — the Mike Onwenus of the world. We have some good players that we like to keep and that’s kind of part of the culture that we want to build. Obviously, we were disappointed that (Calvin) Ridley went in a different direction, but we’re good. I like the direction that we’re going.”

For starters, the Patriots should be encouraged by so many of their free agents wanting to return after back-to-back brutal seasons. That might be a testament to Mayo, a former player who probably already has a leg up on Belichick in the interpersonal skills department. And by keeping so many players in house, New England is showcasing itself as a place where talents are inclined to stick around.

This solid culture also should pay dividends when the Patriots welcome their next draft class, which could include their next franchise quarterback.