Will New England Patriots Bring Back General Manager Dave Ziegler?
Despite being tied for the third-worst record in the NFL, the New England Patriots were not the first to get the coaching carousel started this season. Rather, the Las Vegas Raiders decided after midnight on the east coast Wednesday that they'd make the first move by firing coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler following a 3-5 start.
With the firings of the two former Patriot staffers, it didn't take long for many to ponder if either or both would back up in Foxboro at some point.
A return to the Patriots wouldn't be anything new for McDaniels, as he's served on the coaching staff on two different occasions already (once before becoming the Broncos coach and afterward). However, Ziegler, the former director of player personnel, ended his only stint in Foxboro when he took the front office job in Vegas.
Former Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler (left) and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (right).
Clutchpoints
While McDaniel's success as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots is well-documented, and it is entirely possible he rejoins the staff he picked apart when he took the Raider job. We'd like to argue that Ziegler is the more realistic option regarding a potential return.
While it is highly unlikely that Ziegler would return to his former position of power as the director of player personnel, as Matt Groh now takes that title, he could find himself in a new front-office role.
What that new role could be is too early to tell. It seems entirely possible he could become something as simple as a consultant or as powerful as a higher-ranking staffer.
Either way, with the Patriots trending toward a potential rebuild, the return of Ziegler, someone who worked in the scouting department for New England for eight years, could prove all the more valuable.
