The NFL coaching carousel keeps spinning, and while the New England Patriots have been relatively quiet so far this offseason, they’re starting to make some moves in the wake of their Super Bowl LX loss. The most pressing change? Filling the defensive coordinator role after Terrell Williams was promoted into a new, high-ranking position within the organization.
Mike Vrabel’s staff doesn’t need a full overhaul-continuity is still the name of the game in Foxborough-but the defensive coordinator spot is a key vacancy. For now, all eyes are on who steps into that role.
Zak Kuhr, who handled those duties throughout the 2025 season in Williams’ absence, is the logical in-house candidate. He knows the system, the personnel, and has already earned the trust of the players.
But with Vrabel now steering the ship, you can’t rule out the possibility that he might be eyeing a bigger splash. Whether it’s Kuhr or someone else, don’t expect a ton of turnover once this final puzzle piece is in place.
Meanwhile, one of New England’s former assistants is on the move. Mike Pellegrino, who spent a full decade with the Patriots-including six seasons as the cornerbacks coach-has landed a new gig. After a one-year stint with the Buffalo Bills as their nickels coach, Pellegrino is reportedly heading to Philadelphia to join the Eagles as a defensive backs coach.
According to multiple reports, the Eagles are bringing Pellegrino in as part of their defensive staff overhaul. It’s a smart pickup.
He’s just 32 years old but already brings a wealth of experience, especially when it comes to working with cornerbacks. During his time in New England, he helped develop a number of standout DBs, and now he’ll get a chance to work with a promising young group in Philly that includes recent draft picks like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
The Eagles are clearly looking to shake things up after a disappointing 2025 season, and adding a coach like Pellegrino-who’s been part of a winning culture and knows how to develop talent in the secondary-fits that mission. His experience in both man-heavy and zone-based schemes should give Philly some flexibility as they look to tighten up a defense that struggled down the stretch last year.
As for the Patriots, the focus now shifts to solidifying the defensive leadership under Vrabel. The foundation is there.
The staff is largely intact. But the coordinator hire will be a telling one-both in terms of scheme and the direction Vrabel wants to take this defense going forward.
Whether it’s Kuhr or a new face, the Patriots don’t appear to be hitting the reset button. They’re building on what’s already in place.