But before he can design a play-calling system, he'll need to resolve New England's quarterback situation. Mac Jones didn't do his future any favors in 2023, playing poorly enough to be benched a handful of times and tossing the Patriots' outlook under center into the uninviting waters of Lake Uncertainty. There's no telling who will be New England's starter in 2024, leaving the Patriots with a top priority they could address as soon as next month, when free agency begins.

"Really right now, everything is on the table," Van Pelt said when asked if he could envision Jones starting in 2024. "As we go through this process, we really this last couple weeks, 10 days, have just been diving into who we are, trying to evaluate our guys. A lot of people in this situation, on staffs that have been here, they're doing free agency. Well, we're doing our guys as they are free agents. We're trying to understand who we have here, as well as looking at other players out there.

"But right now, everything is on the table and we're just still working through that process. When then time comes, I'm sure it'll be a collaborative effort and we'll make the right decisions." #AlexVanPelt #newenglandpatriots #Patriots