MVN - Most Valuable Network

Pats first big signing a new coach

The first big signing for the New England Patriots this offseason wasn’t a player, but a new coach. The Pats announced today that they signed Dom Capers as a special assistant/secondary coach. You may remember Dom Capers as the former head coach of the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans. Capers also employed a 3-4 defense when he ran the Panthers and Texans. However, Capers doesn’t employ a Belichick-style 3-4. Capers version is based more on pressuring the quarterback, similar to the system of Wade Philips (formerly of San Diego and currently Dallas) and Dick LeBeau (defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers). This could be a sign of the Pats changing up their defense somewhat to add more pressure-based packages, which may be a necessity depending and what the secondary looks like this coming season.

Capers spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins (another Dolphins cast-off?). Before Pats fans groan because the Dolphins were terrible last year, consider this: despite being the NFL’s worst team, the defense finished #4 in the league against the pass. In 2006, Jason Taylor (a possible future Miami release/soon-to-be Patriot) became the Defensive Player of the Year under Capers’ tutelage. I’m excited about this hire, and hopefully this can free Belichick up to concentrate more on the entire team. The defensive coaching staff just got a head coach-caliber assistant in an area in need of some serious upgrades.

Courtesy of Mike Reiss, here’s what the coaching staff now looks like:

Dom Capers, Special Assistant/Secondary
Don Davis, Assistant Strength and Conditioning
Ivan Fears, Running Backs
Pepper Johnson, Defensive Line
Pete Mangurian, Tight Ends
Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator/QBs
Harold Nash, Assistant Strength and Conditioning
Bill O’Brien, Wide Receivers
Matt Patricia, Linebackers
Dean Pees, Defensive Coordinator
Dante Scarnecchia, Assistant Head Coach/OL
Brad Seely, Special Teams
Mike Woicik, Strength and Conditioning

In other news, the Pats reached a deal to bring back special teams ace Larry Izzo for next season. Also, the Pats will meet with Kelley Washington’s agentto hopefully work out a deal to bring him back for next season. Washington wants to return and the Pats wants him back, but not for the $4 mill option he was due. Washington’s return would bolster the special teams and he could possibly see more playing time at receiver depending on who does and does not return (Moss, Stallworth). In some sad news, fan favorite wide receiver and practice squad player Bam Childress signed a 2-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The diminutive receiver showed flashes of ability and fans were always hoping he would stick on the 53-man roster. Best of luck to Bam.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm and is filed under NFL Free Agency, Kelley Washington, Dom Capers, Dante Stallworth, Eagles, Bill Belichick, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.