The New England Patriots are already making changes, and on Thursday, they moved their former defensive coordinator, Terrell Williams to a “high-ranking role” within the organization. Williams was away from the team for most of the season due to being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
New England’s linebackers coach, Zak Khur stepped into the role of calling plays for the Patriots this season and is likely the frontrunner for the position. However, if New England is considering other options, Patriots On SI writer Ethan Hurwitz believes former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would be a strong candidate.
“As for outside candidates, Schwartz seems like a potential hire — for defensive coordinator or for any other position on staff,” Hurwitz wrote on Friday. “Schwartz was the defensive coordinator in Cleveland for three seasons, coming after a prior stint as the Detroit Lions head coach.
“Twice under Schwartz did the Browns have a top-10 defense in the NFL. Schwartz wouldn’t need to be hired away from Cleveland, as he recently resigned from his job after he was passed up for the team’s head coaching job for Todd Monken. He’s also a familiar face for Vrabel, who spent the 2024 season with the Browns in a consultant role. Schwartz was also a senior defensive assistant with the Titans under Vrabel.”
Schwartz would be a great candidate for the Patriots, but there’s a significant hurdle for New England to overcome. He’s still under contract with the Browns through 2026, and they have a team option for 2027. There’s a good chance that Cleveland won’t allow him to exit his deal to coach elsewhere, which means he might have to sit out the entire season.
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It would make sense for the Patriots to pursue Schwartz, given his connections with Vrabel. However, doing so might send the wrong message to the players in the locker room, especially since they would be moving on from Khur after he had a great season calling plays.
Featured image via Jeff Lange -USA TODAY NETWORK
