Devin McCourty maps out two possible AFC landing spots for Bill Belichick

Patriots

“I think it would be scary for the league, putting him with one of these top quarterbacks.”

Devin McCourty wouldn’t be surprised if Bill Belichick sticks in the AFC East if New England moves on from him. Jim Davis / The Boston Globe

If Robert Kraft and the Patriots opt to part ways with Bill Belichick after a disastrous 2023 season, Devin McCourty thinks there’s a chance that the legendary coach will stick around in the AFC East in 2024 and beyond.

The longtime Patriots safety and current NBC Sports analyst appeared on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” for his weekly radio spot on Wednesday, offering up two potential destinations for his former head coach if he becomes a free agent this winter.

“Buffalo I do like,” McCourty said. “I don’t think Sean McDermott is lasting after this year. The hard thing in this league is once you start firing coordinators and stuff — you fire Leslie Frazier, then you fire Ken Dorsey. To me, the next thing is the owner fires you. I think a Buffalo or a Chargers.

“Those are two teams that, when you look at it, they have all of the pieces that it takes. I think any owner who’s been in the league, you’ve lost to this guy over and over and over again. Like, you’re not going to magically think he no longer knows what he’s doing. So, if it doesn’t work out and he doesn’t stay in New England, I think there are going to be so many teams [interested].”

Even though Belichick’s own roster decisions and dreadful drafting have played a major role in New England’s current state, his impressive resume should be enough to entice plenty of teams looking for a change on the sidelines — especially ones that already have some high-end talent in place.

“I think it would be scary for the league, putting him with one of these top quarterbacks, a Josh Allen, a (Justin) Herbert. I think it definitely could be,” McCourty said. “The interesting thing about Buffalo is it gives them a chance to stay in the AFC East, which would be very, very fun to watch.”

Belichick battling the Patriots twice a season as the head coach of the Bills would be appointment viewing for any football fan in 2024.

But even with the Bills currently sitting at 6-6, Tim Graham of The Athletic reported on Thursday evening that there is a “zero” chance that Buffalo fires head coach Sean McDermott at the end of this year. 

Speculation about Belichick’s future has continued to swirl with each new loss doled out to the Patriots this season.

Earlier this week, former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton noted on his “4th & 1” podcast that he believes Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is “hoping” to land Belichick after the team fired Frank Reich after just 11 games with the team.

In his latest football column, The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin linked Belichick and the Panthers as a potential fit, according to league sources “who know the coaching market and know Belichick.”