Offensive Coordinator Target Reportedly Turned Down Massive Offer From Patriots

Alex Van Pelt clearly wasn't the first choice to be the New England Patriots offensive coordinator this season.

The Patriots reportedly interviewed double-digit offensive coordinator candidates before settling for Van Pelt. And it seems like New England wanted former Patriots tight end Nick Caley for the role and were to give him a major payday to make it happen, too.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Thursday that the Patriots made a hefty offer to Caley, who reportedly was the first finalist for the vacated offensive coordinator role, that would have made him one of the highest paid assistants in the NFL.

But Caley decided to not come back to the organization he spent eight seasons with and instead stayed under the guidance of Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams, where Caley was promoted to tight ends coach/pass game coordinator.

"Nick got offered almost $3 million a year," Breer said as transcribed by MassLive's Mark Daniels. "So, the fact that you're willing to pay a first-time coordinator that number -- that's (a) really, really good number.

"So, I think having the person who's going to write that contract in there -- (Robyn Glaser, Patriots executive vice president of football business and senior advisor to Jerod Mayo) an important piece of that puzzle if you're got a first-time head coach and a first-time top personnel executive running the show. That's all. It doesn't hurt to have that resource in there."

It was the second consecutive offseason the 41-year-old Caley interviewed for the Patriots offensive coordinator job. Bill Belichick ended up hiring Bill O'Brien to take the reins of the offense over Caley, who also interviewed to be the New York Jets offensive coordinator in 2023.

Caley didn't return to the Patriots after not getting the OC job from Belichick and went to the opposite coast to continue to build his reputation on McVay's staff.

Meanwhile, the Patriots offense doesn't look much different under Van Pelt than it did in previous seasons with the unit lacking big-play, quick-strike potential. New England averaged 18 points per game through the first two contest of this season.