Assistant special teams coach Ray Ventrone leaves Patriots to join Colts

The New England Patriots were expected to lose offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to the Indianapolis Colts this season – and with him fellow assistant coaches Jerry Schuplinski (assistant quarterbacks) and Joe Judge (special teams). With McDaniels agreeing to stay in New England at the last second, however, both his colleagues are expected to return for another season as well.

The Patriots will still lose one member of their coaching staff to Indianapolis, though, according to the Sporting News' Alex Marvez:

Source tells @SportingNews that Ray “Bubba” Ventrone (special teams) & Alan Williams (secondary) are joining @Colts staff. Ventrone was @Patriots assistant special teams coach; Williams was with the @Lions

After three seasons as Joe Judge's right-hand man, Ventrone will now leave the Patriots to run the special teams operation under new Colts head coach Frank Reich. The move creates a second void on New England's staff after the departure of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to the Detroit Lions. And as is the case with Patricia's spot, it is expected that the replacement happens via an in-house promotion.

At first glance, there appear to be four candidates on the Patriots' staff: Cole Popovich and Mike Pellegrino – currently serving as offensive and defensive assistants, respectively – as well as coaching assistants DeMarcus Covington and Brian Belichick, the son of head coach Bill Belichick.