The Patriots introduced Van Pelt on Wednesday.
The New England Patriots offense will look different in 2024, but the question is to what extent. For newly-hired coordinator Alex Van Pelt, however, it all will come to one key aspect: the players available.
While Van Pelt brings considerable coaching experience to his new position after serving as offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns the last four years, his initial focus when it comes to installing a scheme will be on the players. Then, once he knows what they can or cannot do, he will try to mold his offense around them.
On Wednesday, during his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium, he explained his approach.
“We’re not exactly sure what pieces to that puzzle we’ll have, but I feel confident with the coaching staff that we’ll be able to put those people in the right place,” Van Pelt said. “It’s not so much about scheme, it’s about the players and putting those people in position. There’s a lot of different schemes out there, the best ones put the best players in positions to be successful.”
If focusing on players over scheme at this stage of the process sounds familiar, it’s because it is.
The Patriots under long-time head coach Bill Belichick successfully used that very same mindset for more than two decades. Now that Van Pelt is running the show on the offensive side of the ball under Belichick’s successor, Jerod Mayo, that one core philosophy will remain in place.
As for the eventual details of the system that will be used, however, the new OC will not try to hide his roots. His time in Cleveland as well as prior stints in Cincinnati, Green Bay and Buffalo will all impact what the 2024 New England offense will look like.
“I would say there’s a lot of similarities,” Van Pelt said about his Brown offenses compared to his new one. “Again, it’s those pieces of the puzzle: what’s available, and how can we make those guys successful. But there will be similarities, and I’ve taken pieces of a lot of different offenses over my time and kind of melted those together into what’s best for us at that time. …
“I’ve been under center a ton, I’ve been in shotgun a ton. I’ve had issues with personnel in certain areas and been able to adjust and adapt to that.”
Van Pelt will have to adjust once again following his arrival in New England. After all, he is taking over an offense that was among the least efficient in the NFL last season and is facing major personnel questions across the board, starting at quarterback.
Regardless of how the Patriots will ultimately try to address those uncertainties, their new offensive coordinator will keep the same mentality when it comes to the talent available.
“You always have to play to the strength of your players regardless of position,” he said. “So, we’ll try to put those guys whoever they are in the best position to be successful, while at the same time understanding where they are maybe deficient in areas, and try to guard against those deficiencies.”
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