Jerod Mayo lays out expectations for Patriots' offense under Alex Van Pelt

BOSTON -- For the first time since his introductory press conference last month, new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo faced the media on Wednesday in Foxboro. This time, he was the one doing the introducing, as offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington and special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer held their first press conferences in their new roles.

Regarding the hiring of Van Pelt on the offensive side of the ball, Mayo said he liked both the coach's football background as well as his personality.

"AVP, I'm not exactly sure and I don't want to get into what happened at Cleveland, but all the people that I've talked to, they speak highly of AVP. Obviously, he understands the X's and O's of the game but also developing talent," Mayo said. "And really he is a relationship guy, which I fundamentally believe is very important. Before you really get into X's and O's with the guys on the field, they've gotta know that you care about them. And one thing about AVP, which you guys will see here shortly, he is a people person, but also with an extensive knowledge of football."

Mayo also laid out his expectations for the offense.

"I'm expecting, first and foremost, a tough team. And I think after that it really gets into smart players. You don't have to be a genius, but you have to be smart enough," Mayo said, while adding that he's not looking for players or coaches with egos. "It's an ego-free zone. Once we get the coaches on that same page, we hope that the players will follow suit and go out there and play for one another."

The 53-year-old Van Pelt said he's looking forward to giving everyone on the offensive roster a clean slate.

"The biggest thing is there's some good pieces in place. I think the best thing for everybody is going to be a fresh start for everybody," Van Pelt said, adding that he intends to build the offense "from the ground up."

Van Pelt shared that quarterback Mac Jones is one of the players he's met thus far, and he was then asked if he envisions Jones as the starting quarterback for the team next season. Van Pelt notably did not say yes.

"Really right now, everything is on the table," Van Pelt said, adding that the coaching staff has been evaluating players on the roster. "Right now everything is on the table, and we're still working through that process. When that time comes, I'm sure it'll be a collaborative effort and we'll make the right decisions."

With the Patriots potentially picking a quarterback with the third overall pick, Van Pelt was asked what traits he looks for when evaluating a young quarterback.

"Just goes back to decision-making, accuracy, the fundamentals, mechanics, if the guy is sound. Big one again is leadership. Was he a three-year captain? You know, why wasn't he a captain? So all that really plays together," he explained. "The big piece for me is the leadership, the toughness, the accuracy and the decision-making. All four are super important."

Covington, who's worked alongside Mayo for the past several years, spoke about his appreciation for his new role.

"There's only 32 defensive coordinators in the world. There's only 32. So I don't take that lightly," he said. "There's so many people that are dying to get our jobs, or should I say wanted to get our jobs. I don't take that for granted. And I know where I started, and I know where I'm at now, and I know where I want to be and what I want to do."