Commanders could make run at Bill Belichick following season, per report

The Washington Commanders could be planning to make a splash move in 2024 under new team owner Josh Harris. According to a report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there’s rumblings around league circles that Washington has interest in acquiring head coach Bill Belichick from the New England Patriots.

The acquisition of Belichick would represent a full makeover under the Harris regime, which has already seen change in the last couple of days. Ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, the Commanders dealt defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young to the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers respectively.

Washington currently has Ron Rivera at the helm, but given that Harris didn’t hire the 61-year-old and the Commanders are 25-32-1 under his control, including 3-5 this season, Rivera appears to be on the hot seat.

Belichick, meanwhile, is in his 24th season with the Patriots. A six-time Super Bowl champion in New England, Belichick and the Patriots have fallen under hard times following the departure of Tom Brady in 2020. Belichick has gone 27-31 without Brady over the past three-plus seasons with just one playoff appearance (2021).

Bill Belichick on the trade block?

Despite the recent struggles, the 71-year-old reportedly inked a lucrative, multiyear contract extension with the Patriots this past offseason.

“His contract [is] one of the most closely held secrets in New England,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said last month. “That said, I think it’s fair to say there was some, at least, uncertainty or intrigue surrounding him. Now, contractually, he is locked up long-term.”

While trades for head coaches don’t happen often in the NFL, there are a couple of occurrences that have happened recently. The Denver Broncos acquired Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round pick from the New Orleans Saints earlier this year, sending a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick the other way.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers paid a hefty price to acquire Jon Gruden from the then Oakland Raiders in 2002 — two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8 million. The move paid off for the Buccaneers, who won a Super Bowl in their first season with Gruden.