Dave Ziegler to stay with Patriots after withdrawing name from Denver general manager search

The New England Patriots’ front office already suffered one major loss this offseason when director of player personnel Nick Caserio accepted the Houston Texans’ general manager position earlier this week. And with the Denver Broncos interviewing Caserio’s assistant, Dave Ziegler, for their own open GM spot there was a chance for even more personnel turnover in the Patriots’ front office.

However, it seems as if Ziegler will not follow Caserio’s example and instead stay in New England: according to a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the 43-year-old has withdrawn his name from Denver’s general manager search and in turn committed to the Patriots.

Per Broncos beat writer Mike Klis of 9News, New England head coach/general manager Bill Belichick “stepped up” and convinced him to stay with the Patriots. The two apparently had a conversation on Sunday morning that led to Ziegler’s decision.

Given Caserio’s departure earlier this week, keeping Ziegler in the fold is certainly good news for the Patriots.

Ziegler, after all, has been around since the 2013 season and steadily climbed up the organizational ladder. After spending three years as assistant director of pro scouting and four as director of pro personnel, he was promoted to his current role just last year. Accordingly, he is seen as the frontrunner to take over Caserio’s former position atop the player personnel department and as Belichick’s de facto right-hand man.

A college teammate of Caserio and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels at John Carroll University, Ziegler’s contract was scheduled to expire after the 2021 draft. Given today’s news, however, one have to expect that it will be extended — allowing New England to keep one of its top executives in the fold for the foreseeable future.

While the team will likely see plenty of turnover in the coming weeks and months, Ziegler staying put helps with the Patriots’ overall stability.