The New England Patriots made a number of changes this offseason, including hiring a new offensive coordinator (Alex Van Pelt) and bringing in three new quarterbacks (Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye and Joe Milton III).
Van Pelt's arrival in New England means a change in the system that Patriots fans have witnessed for the last 24 years, but while it will be different, that doesn't mean it's worse.
Speaking after practice on Thursday, Brissett, who's expected to be the team's starter when the season begins, spoke highly of Van Pelt, as a coach, and his offense.
"(For him), it's about the players," Brissett said. "He kind of molds it around the guys that we have on our team. Obviously, playing the position and having experience a lot of other places where he was successful as a coordinator, it's always been about the players. I think he does a really good job of that, and it's becoming evident every day that we come to work. He's obviously installing our offense, but understanding the big picture, we're going to plug-and-play our players where fits their strong suit."
Working with Van Pelt isn't new for the former Wolfpack quarterback, as the two spent a season together in Cleveland in 2022. Does that experience help the veteran? Has it changed much in a year?
"It's similar," Brissett said. "They call some things a little differently than when I was there. For the most part, it's very similar."
Brissett was thrust into the starting role for the Browns in their year together with Deshaun Watson missing the team's first 11 games due to his suspension. Brissett had one of his most successful seasons in the NFL that year, completing 64% of his passes for 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Obviously, the Patriots are hoping for more than that in 2024, but that first season together is a solid building block for the coordinator and quarterback.
