Perry: Belichick insists he's not spread too thin on Patriots' staff

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PALM BEACH, Fla. -- We're well into the offseason at this point. But just in case anyone was wondering, Bill Belichick appears to be done adding to his coaching staff.

"I think our staff is complete," Belichick said during his media availability period Monday morning at The Breakers resort. "I wouldn't rule anything out, but I don't think we necessarily would hire anybody else. But we'll evaluate every situation as it comes."

As Belichick deflected questions about roles that will be absorbed by Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, and as he hinted at how the Patriots will cope without Josh McDaniels, he laid out that which Patriots coaches are trying to wrap their arms around at the moment.

Titles? Determining a play-caller? Not exactly.

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"Putting our system together, whatever changes we're gonna make, making those changes," Belichick said. "New personnel, building obviously with Mac [Jones]. Building, now that we know some of the players we're going to have back that we didn't know we were going to have back. Putting that together. Having Devin [McCourty] back, that makes a difference what we can do defensively. Things like that."

In some ways, Belichick was highlighting much of what he'll have to do in the coming months. With no offensive coordinator and no defensive coordinator -- Belichick hinted that neither will be named this offseason, and that he's "not big on titles" -- it appears as though Belichick could have more on his plate than he would in a typical season.

Who's responsibility will it be to shape the offense with Jones behind center in his second year?

"Ultimately it's my responsibility," Belichick said. "Whatever happens under that... whatever happens happens."

Who will be responsible for coaching Jones up in his second season?

"I'm sure everybody will have a role in it," Belichick said. "I'll work with him, like I have before. Matt. Joe."

As Belichick pointed out, these aren't all new responsibilities for him. But with McDaniels gone, there's a massive void. 

Patricia and Judge seem set to pick up some of that slack, as does tight ends coach Nick Caley.

"I'm sure he'll have a very significant role, like he always has. But as he grows in experience. he'll have more responsibility," Belichick said of Caley.

But some will fall on Belichick as well. He was asked if he has to manage his time in such a way that he's not overworked this season. With big changes on his coaching staff, he'll have to be comfortable delegating key jobs, leaning on folks who don't have a vast array of experience in those jobs.

And then there's the front office. 

In the last two years, Belichick has lost his right-hand man in personnel (Nick Caserio) and Caserio's successor (Dave Ziegler). Matt Groh has been elevated from director of college scouting to director of player personnel.

This will be Groh's first year involved in pro personnel, and it's fair to wonder if Belichick will have to take on more in the front office than he has in recent years in order to ease the transition.

"Matt's done a tremendous job for us," Belichick said Monday. "Very smart. Very detailed. Obviously has a great football background with his dad, his family. He's grown up in football. He's scouted multiple areas for us, has had multiple responsibilities from area scout on the West Coast to the Southeast, regional scout, national scout. 

"Really put the draft together last year as the director of college scouting. With Dave leaving, I feel like he's the best person to step into the personnel job. He's done a great job. I think he's as good as anybody that we've had in that position."

That's high praise from Belichick, who has worked with the likes of Ziegler and Caserio -- now general managers for Las Vegas and Houston, respectively -- as well as long-time personnel chief Scott Pioli.

But if Belichick has to take on more, how will he make sure he's not spread too thin?

"I feel like I have a lot of good people working with me in the organization. Collectively we do what we need to get done," he said. "I certainly don't do it all, by any stretch. I rely on a lot of other good people and they do a great job. I'm very fortunate to have the people on the staff we have."

Belichick, who turns 70 next month, appears as enthusiastic about his job as ever. There's no indication from those who work with him that he's thinking about stepping away any time soon. And watching him bounce from station to station at Patriots practices last year, it's apparent he's not lacking for energy.

"I enjoy it. I enjoy doing it. Yeah," he said Monday, smiling. "All parts of it. Comprehensive job. It's a lot, but it's fun. It beats working."

But it is a lot. And it might be more for him this year than it has been in a long time.

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