“I see two men sitting there, respecting each other and saying to each other, ‘Maybe it’s time.'”

Bill Belichick’s job security is far from stable at this stage of the 2023 season. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

The story for the 2023 Patriots has quickly changed.

All the optimism this summer, rooted in the chances of a possible playoff push, is gone after a 2-8 start.

And with seven games left before this season reaches its merciful end, most of the discourse in Foxborough now revolves around both the future of Mac Jones as New England’s starting quarterback — and Bill Belichick’s job security as head coach.

During his weekly radio spot on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Mondayformer Bengals great and current CBS NFL analyst Boomer Esiason was asked for his thoughts on whether both Jones and Belichick will remain with the Patriots beyond this season.

“I think it’s unlikely they’ll both come back next year,” Esiason said. “Let’s put it this way. I think that’s why I put him at the top of the list, that one of them isn’t coming back, and most likely Mac Jones isn’t coming back either.”

Considering the lackluster results Jones has put forth this season (10 touchdowns, 10 interceptions in 10 games), coupled with the hope that New England picks up a blue-chip QB prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, it appears that writing is on the right track. wall that Jones’ time as QB1 is coming to an end.

But even with this year’s disastrous results, could a coach with Belichick’s resume really be fired in the coming months?

Esiason said it wouldn’t be much of a shock if Belichick leads another team from the sidelines next fall.

“Number two, I would probably say I wouldn’t be surprised if Bill ended up coaching somewhere else next year,” Esiason said. “It wouldn’t surprise me. Now I’m not going to go as far as some people and say, “I know exactly where he’s going because he knows where he’s going.” I’m not going to say that because I don’t know. I haven’t the slightest idea about that.

‘But I can honestly tell you that I see two men sitting there, respecting each other and saying to each other: ‘Maybe it’s time. Maybe it has run its course. Maybe things should be different here.’ And if Robert Kraft wants to change the way things are done up there, he’ll most likely have to let Bill Belichick go, because Bill controls everything. You know that better than I do. He will not play a smaller role in any aspect of that.

“And I know he wants to get that overall record, and I would be the same if I were him, that I would want that record in the worst way. To do that, he may have to move to another team. Who that other team is, I have no idea.”

While most of the commentary from former NFL players and media personalities has charted Belichick’s impending departure after 24 seasons in New England, former Patriots safety Devin McCourty said last week that Belichick remains the best man for the job that a entering the low season of change. .

“I think it’ll be Coach Belichick,” McCourty said when asked who New England’s coach will be in 2024 on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “I think that needs to happen. I think there are other things they can do to fix the problems they’ve had, but I also believe this team needs to build over time.