The New England Patriots' personnel may change this offseason, but as long as Bill Belichick is in charge, their preparation and approach will not.
Former NFL executive and Belichick disciple Scott Pioli highlighted New England's meticulous approach Tuesday morning, sharing a Twitter video from a Florida hotel lobby ahead of the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl, college football's version of an All-Star game.
According to Pioli, all four of the player interviews happening just after 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday were being conducted by Patriots staffers, which in Pioli's view is a testament to New England's commitment to leaving no stone unturned.
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Pioli is well aware of the benefits of this approach: He joined Belichick's staff as assistant director of player personnel in 2000, the same year the Patriots drafted Michigan quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round after interviewing him at the same Shrine Bowl.
The silver lining for New England after its Wild Card Round loss to the Tennessee Titans is that Belichick's staff can hit the recruiting trail early. Monday marked day one of practices ahead of Saturday's Shrine Bowl at Tropicana Field, which will feature a number of players who could be right in the Patriots' wheelhouse at the NFL Draft in late April.
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"I wouldn't be surprised if we see one or two (Shrine Bowl players) taken later in (Round) 2," one scout told NFL.com's Andy Fenelon. "Lots of mid-round picks where teams make or break their draft."
So, even if Tom Brady leaves the Patriots in free agency this offseason, Belichick and his Patriots staff will continue to operate the same system that's helped them win six Super Bowl titles in the last two decades.