Bill Belichick’s job as head coach of the New England Patriots is on the line this weekend.

That’s right, I said it.

Now, before all the keyboard warriors who only read a title or first few sentences jump down my throat, I’m not saying Bill Belichick should currently be fired, relax. What I am saying, however, is that if Bill Belichick the GM doesn’t help out Bill Belichick the coach tonight in what is quite literally the most important weekend in the history of the franchise, then I believe his job will be in serious jeopardy heading into 2022.

If you sit there and tell me that this team goes 7-10 (remember, 17 game seasons now) or fails to make the playoffs for a second straight year AND they don’t have a succession plan lined up at QB, well then what are we doing here? Greatest coach of all time? Yup. Greatest thing to ever happen to the Patriots (besides Brady, obviously), you bet. All those things can be true, and the simple fact of the matter is at 69-years old the franchise will need to start looking elsewhere sooner rather than later, another bad draft weekend expedites the start to that process.

Ideally, I would love to see Jimmy G back here. Not only does he know the staff, Foxborough area and overall expectations, but you’re not starting from the ground floor with him like you would be a rookie QB. Don’t get me wrong, I desperately want them to take a quarterback at some point, they need to at least start the process they started in 2014 before Kraft stepped in, but no matter where or when they take one, there’s no chance in hell he’s starting as a rookie. It’s Cam, Jimmy, Stidham (I seriously think they still consider him an option) or no one this year. Jimmy is the lesser of three evils in this scenario.

Jimmy’s injury history is obviously a concern, but at this point, if Belichick doesn’t find a way to get him, running it back with Cam or Stidham is a fireable offense. Drafting a rookie is a slight band-aid aesthetically and fans will be happy that it at least looks like a plan for the future is in place, but Jimmy G should be the ultimate goal for the team coming out of this weekend.

If the Patriots choose to go defense (bring me Parsons) I’d be perfectly fine with that, as long as a guy like Trask or Mond is the plans in a later round. Trading back this year should also be a fireable offense. The “In Belichick We Trust” crew would have a hard time defending it at this point with so much on the line in this draft. I’d actually prefer defense with that 15th pick. We know Belichick can draft well on that side of the ball (Wilfork, Hightower, Seymour, McCourty) and there are plenty of other needs outside of just quarterback. Do you trust Belichick choosing a defensive player or a wide receiver in an early round? It’s a no brainer.

Whatever they do, Patriots fans just want to know that Belichick isn’t content spending his final NFL days at Del Boca Vista playing shuffle board with Frank Costanza. With that in mind, the fate of the Patriots is on the line. I’m a big hyperbole guy, but I don’t think that’s a stretch. Bill Belichick the GM is drafting and planning for the head coach’s job tonight and over the next three days.

He’ll never be a guy that gets fired midseason or anything like that, but another failed draft that ultimately leads to another miserable regular season is not an option.

The greatest coach of all time and most mediocre GM of all time is on the clock for the 2021 draft. Will it be his last as HC of the NEP?