What the Patriots offense will look like in 2024

Recently hired New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will bring with him a West Coast offense, an attack the Patriots have never run.

From 2020-23 as OC with the Cleveland Browns, Van Pelt — who has coached for five other NFL teams — employed a dominant West Coast scheme. During the 53-year-old's tenure, Cleveland made the playoffs twice in four seasons — most recently in 2023, when the Browns reached the wild-card round with 39-year-old backup Joe Flacco at quarterback.

A West Coast scheme is based on timing, quarterback footwork and precise route running. It relies on short passing plays, forcing the defense to cover the field from sideline to sideline. 

As opposed to an "Air Raid" offense that prioritizes deep balls and quick offensive possessions, a West Coast scheme involves a methodical, tactical and creative play-calling approach.

The best example of a West Coast offense is the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, who finished second in yards per game (398.4) and points per game (28.9) for the 2023 regular season. 

San Francisco's success with QB Brock Purdy — the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft — and Van Pelt's finish with Flacco are positive signs for the Patriots, who are widely expected to get a new starting QB in either the draft or free agency to replace Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe.

The Patriots — who have a little more than $66 million in cap space and a new head coach in Jerrod Mayo — don't have nearly the caliber of talent that San Francisco has, but they have a new direction for the offense. Now they need the players to make it work.