Patriots tried to make coveted coach one of NFL’s highest-paid OCs (report)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It seemed like the Patriots really wanted Nick Caley to be their next offensive coordinator. Turns out, the franchise couldn’t lure him away from Los Angeles, even with a hefty contract offer.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Patriots were willing to make Caley one of the highest-paid offensive coordinators in the NFL. The former New England tight ends coach, however, turned down an offer to become Jerod Mayo’s offensive leader and received a promotion to the Los Angeles Rams.

On Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Breer discussed the role of Robin Glaser, the Patriots’ executive vice president of football affairs and Mayo’s senior advisor, and how she was involved in the coordinator’s hiring process. That’s when the NFL insider revealed the Patriots extended Caley a “healthy contract” offer.

“Nick was offered close to $3 million a year,” Breer said. “So the fact that you’re willing to pay that amount to a starting coordinator — it’s a really, really good number.”

“So I think whoever’s going to write that contract is a big piece of the puzzle if you have a new head coach and a new personnel director running the operation. That’s it. It doesn’t hurt to have that resource in there.”

According to Front Office Sports, the highest-paid offensive coordinators in the NFL are Baltimore’s Todd Monken and the Giants’ Mike Kafka, both of whom make $3 million per season.

Caley, 41, joined the NFL with the Patriots in 2015 as an offensive assistant. He was promoted to tight ends coach in 2017 and has emerged as a promising future offensive coordinator. In 2023, he interviewed with the New York Jets for their offensive coordinator position. That same offseason, he also interviewed with the Patriots for their offensive coordinator position before Bill Belichick hired Bill O’Brien.

Given that Caley worked with Mayo on the Patriots staff, it’s no surprise that he was offered the job.

In 2023, he left New England to join Sean McVay’s Rams staff as tight ends coach. When he turned down the Patriots job this offseason, McVay offered Caley a promotion as he is now the Rams’ tight ends coach and passing game coordinator.

After Caley, the Patriots turned their attention to veteran assistant coach Alex Van Pelt, who joined the Patriots staff after coaching in Cleveland.