The Boston Globe is reporting today that, according to two unnamed sources, the Patriots will promote former wide receivers coach Bill O'Brien to quarterbacks coach; O'Brien will also inherit some of the offensive coordinator's responsibilities. Josh McDaniels, who was quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator last season, has left the Patriots to become head coach of the Denver Broncos.

The Globe report says that O'Brien will not officially become offensive coordinator, as Bill Belichick will become more involved in the team's offensive play calling. That would be the same approach the Patriots used in gradually transitioning McDaniels into the offensive coordinator role after Charlie Weis' departure for Notre Dame in 2005.

O'Brien, a 39-year-old Massachusetts native, is a former offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech and Duke.