Patriots Rumors: Matt Patricia Mulling Options; Joe Judge Expected to Change Roles

The New England Patriots have already made some alterations to their coaching staff this offseason with the hiring of Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator, but more changes are expected ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Matt Patricia, the team's offensive line coach and play-caller in 2022, is mulling his NFL options, according to Henry McKenna of Fox Sports. The 48-year-old is trying to decide whether to leave New England for a defensive coordinator role with a new team, stay with the Patriots in a new role or take a break from coaching, per McKenna.

As for offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, the Patriots expect to move him into a different role "away from the offensive side of the ball," according to McKenna.

For lack of a better word, the Patriots offense was hideous with Patricia at the helm in 2022. It averaged 314.6 yards per game—208.0 yards passing and 106.6 yards rushing—which was the seventh-worst in the NFL.

Patricia's style of offense also took a toll on second-year quarterback Mac Jones, who regressed significantly from his 2021 rookie season. The Alabama product completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,997 yards and 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

During the 2021 season under former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Jones completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions en route to a playoff berth.

Jones became visibly frustrated with Patricia at times throughout the 2022 season, appearing to yell at the de facto offensive coordinator for his conservative and unimaginative play-calling.

While Jones said during the season that he had "no problem with Matty P," his relationship with Judge, who rejoined head coach Bill Belichick's staff in 2022 after being fired as head coach of the New York Giants, was unstable at best.

According to the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan, Judge drew the ire of both Jones and Belichick throughout the 2022 season in which he was gradually "phased out."

"As Patricia came under outside fire as the face of the offense, Judge drew increasing criticism from within," Callahan wrote. "Belichick would blast him in practice, and it wasn't uncommon for Judge and Jones to trade profanity-laced outbursts. Jones' trust in his position coach was effectively non-existent."

A source added that Jones didn't like Judge "at all."

Given the frustration during Judge's short tenure on offense, it's no surprise that the Patriots are likely to move the former Giants head coach away from Jones.

If Patricia stays with the Patriots and transitions to a defensive role, it could greatly help the franchise. He helped New England win three Super Bowl titles while serving as the team's offensive assistant in 2004, linebackers coach from 2006-2010, safeties coach in 2011 and defensive coordinator from 2012-2017.