Patriots add Alabama's Will Lawing to coaching staff

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the Patriots have added Will Lawing to the coaching staff. 

Lawing's last three coaching jobs with Penn State (2013), the Texans (2014-2020), and Alabama (2021-2022) have all been with Bill O'Brien, who is New England's new offensive coordinator. 

Lawing's chemistry with O'Brien will be a much-needed coaching connection that the Patriots' offensive staff has lacked in the past. 

It is unclear what official title Lawing will hold, but it may be involved with tight ends.  

New England's current tight ends coach Nick Caley has spent the last seven seasons with the Patriots. Caley has been highly sought by NFL teams this offseason, earning offensive coordinator interviews with the Jets, Texans and even an internal interview with the Patriots.

Assuming Caley takes an offensive coordinator position with one of those teams, Lawing, who coached tight ends at Juniata College (2009) and with the Texans (2014-2016), will seamlessly be able to enter the Patriots' offensive team. 

If Caley stays with the Patriots for the next season, Lawing may have to undertake a role that he has less experience in, such as offensive line coach. New England's current offensive line coach is Matt Patricia, who is on increasingly thin ice. 

Even though the Patriots were selected as the coaching staff to serve on the East-West Shrine Bowl, HC Bill Belichick did not invite Patricia onto the coaching staff for the game. Patricia's contract has also shifted payment duties, and the Patriots are now obligated to pay Patricia's entire contract, whereas the Detroit Lions were paying his contract in the 2022 season. 

In the likely event that Patricia is relieved of his duties, Lawing makes a strong case for becoming the offensive line coach due to his extensive offensive coaching experience. 

Regardless if Lawing is working as a tight ends coach, offensive line coach or lower-level assistant, the move to bring him onto the coaching staff shows Belichick's dedication to mend the Patriots' broken offense, which ranked 17th in points (21.4) and 26th in yards (314.6) per game in 2022.