Patriots Going Outside Box (and Organization) For GM Hire?

The New England Patriots have completed the first step in the process of replacing Bill Belichick by naming Jerod Mayo as their new coach. However, they still need to find a new general manager.

Not even 24 hours after the New England Patriots announced they'd be mutually parting ways with longtime coach Bill Belichick did they name his successor in former player/assistant Jerod Mayo.

While Mayo is set to be formally introduced as the Patriots coach next Wednesday, the task of filling Belichick's legendary, multi-dimensional shoes isn't quite complete. Not only did Belichick serve as their coach for 24 years, but he had complete autonomy over personnel decisions for the Patriots, making him their de facto general manager. 

Despite the Patriots coming off the franchise's worst season, 4-13, since 1992, plenty of suitors will hope to be the general manager that helps New England get back to the NFL mountaintop. But where will the Patriots turn to find that person? 

Will they do what they did with Mayo and promote someone from within? Or will the Patriots look externally for their answer? 

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (left) and new coach Jerod Mayo (right) / Clutchpoints

If it were up to us, the answer would be a person from the outside. Now, that doesn't mean ruling out the multiple candidates who, after starting their career in New England, have gone elsewhere, as hiring one of those candidates would still technically be an external choice. 

But with the hiring of Mayo as coach, who not only has spent the last five years in New England learning under Belichick as a coach but also played his entire seven-year career in Foxboro, knows the "Patriot Way" as well as anybody.

Yet, if the last four years haven't proven anything else, the Patriots must evolve. Not everything that worked five or six years ago has translated into success recently. 

Mayo Hired, GM Wanted: Leading Patriots Candidates?

Bringing in a general manager from the outside would allow the Patriots to modernize their way of doing things regarding the personnel department while not abandoning their core principles of the "Patriot Way."

With $64 million in cap space potentially available this offseason, per OverTheCap, the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and the right general manager, the Patriots could find themselves back in playoff contention quicker than expected.

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