Report: Patriots to hire Buccaneers scout Tony Kinkela in a senior role

What the week after the regular season is for coaches, and the week of free agency for players, the days after the NFL Draft are for a team’s scouting staff: if there is personnel turnover in this department it is likely to happen now, with the draft in the books and teams headed towards the quietest part of the offseason.

One of the moves being made this year apparently involves the New England Patriots.

As first reported by Neil Stratton of Inside the League, the team is expected to hire Tampa Bay Buccaneers area scout Tony Kinkela. Kinkela spent the last 13 years in Tampa Bay but is now believed to take over a “more senior role” in New England.

What does this mean? One possibility is that Kinkela comes aboard as a national scout. The Patriots created an open spot in this area when Camren Williams was promoted to college scouting director earlier this offseason.

No matter what title he will eventually hold, Kinkela comes with plenty of experience. He originally joined the Buccaneers as a combine scout, focusing on the Scouting Combine and working with the NFL in selecting invitees to the event. In 2011, he was promoted to area scout and from his home base in Boise, Idaho played a vital role in recruiting players such as Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr.

Before arriving in Tampa Bay, Kinkela worked as director of football operations at Tulane (2006-08) and assistant director of football operations at Washington State (2004-05). He earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management and a master’s in education administration at WSU.

Headed by the aforementioned Camren Williams, the Patriots’ college scouting department for the 2022 draft consisted of multiple national and area scouts. The first group was made up of Tucker Ingraham and Brandon Yeargan, with the second group consisting of area scouts Alex Brooks, Chris Caminiti, D.J. Debick, Matt Evans and Taylor Redd.