Indefinite New England Patriots Thread (1 Viewer)

[kyoun1e]

Patriots sign QB Ian Book to practice squad

The Patriots have made another in a series of recent quarterback moves, adding Ian Book to their practice squad.

www.nbcsports.com

I don't understand what's going on here with this QB merry go round lately.

 

[Boston]

Patriots sign QB Ian Book to practice squad

The Patriots have made another in a series of recent quarterback moves, adding Ian Book to their practice squad.

www.nbcsports.com

I don't understand what's going on here with this QB merry go round lately.

Something was up with Corral…not sure what it was but sounded like some type of personal issue so they needed another body.

 

[cross1420]

maybe they just wanted to horde as many QB's as possible w/ the Rodgers injury

 

[Anarchy99]

Patriots sign QB Ian Book to practice squad

The Patriots have made another in a series of recent quarterback moves, adding Ian Book to their practice squad.

www.nbcsports.com

I don't understand what's going on here with this QB merry go round lately.

Something was up with Corral…not sure what it was but sounded like some type of personal issue so they needed another body.

I read that Corral at times has had some pretty severe depression issues (and subsequent related alcohol problems). Apparently, with never seeing the field last year and getting released by CAR, that pushed him into another bout of depression. NE is aware of the situation, and BB has given the kid the benefit of the doubt to see how he responds.

 

[Boston]

Some random thoughts:

*Pats trying to win games an old school way...not gonna cut it in 2023...especially since they are not as disciplined as they used to be

*A lot on the line against the Jets...if they lose to Zack Wilson and then have to go into a red-hot Dallas that will be an 0-4 start...win this weekend and there is at least hope as after Dallas they are home against the Saints and at the Raiders so they do have a chance to start the year 3-3 which was probably the best-case scenario going into the year

*D is solid especially when you consider the pressure they have been under due to a lackluster O

*Would like to see the O go to an up-tempo/no-huddle type of offense...they just don't have the talent to just line-up and get it done and I also think Mac is better suited for it

*It is year 3 and still early but Mac has yet to prove he can be the difference in the type of games they have had the last two weeks (which they will probably have all year)...at some point he needs to be the reason they win a close one...if not it's time to figure out what to do for the future

*Gonzalez looks like he's gonna be a legit #1

*Juju looks like another miss at the WR position...truly fascinating how BB has so much difficulty with this position

*Zeke does zero for me...would much rather have a complimentary RB to Stevenson that provides big-play ability and puts pressure on the D or what we hoped Pierre Strong was going to be

*Gesicki looks solid

*Still early but the schedule may not be as difficult as it looked going into the year...this week is a must-win if they want to keep a realistic chance of making the playoffs

 

[Anarchy99]

NE is doomed if they keep rolling out an OL that hasn't played or practiced together. In two games, they've played 10 different linemen. We can blame BB for not getting a legit tackle in the offseason, but it's a bit unfair to blame him for a bunch of concurrent O-line injuries. Because of that, it's hard to assess Jones' performance. Being "in position to win" sounds a lot like "losing" with a more positive PR spin attached to it . . . they haven't been able to close out close games with Jones. I can't remember the last time NE never led at all in back-to-back home games.

I took issue with the game plan last night. They did very well in tight WR stacks against PHI and got away from that against MIA. They opted for more 1 second throws to the outside. When they didn't do that, they tried very deep throws to Bourne. A few of them could have been caught with better throws, but Bourne as almost an exclusively deep threat doesn't make sense. He's much better at intermediate, just-past-the-sticks routes with slants / digs / drags / square outs. The Pats did not complete a pass over 10 yards long last night. Hard to live on short dump offs or deep plays with nothing in the middle. Line issues won't help there. I thought they needed to keep a back or TE in to help block more times than they did.

With a revolving cast of characters on the line, it will be very difficult to kick start the running game. Their best bet is probably to run a hurry up, spread offense with RS in the backfield and run RS some out of that. But in a more typical run formation, they haven't really gotten anywhere. Zeke is there for his experience and pass protection. He might be an adequate put uninspiring depth piece should things ever get back to normal, but no RB will do well when defenders are hitting the backs behind the LOS.

They definitely game planned and schemed Parker a lot against the Dolphins. He played every offensive snap. JuJu and Bourne both were only on the field about half the time. Bourne led the team with 9 targets, but they certainly weren't quality targets. It looks like Boutte is the understudy to Parker, as they deactivated Boutte and Parker played the whole game. It's starting to look like JJSS and Douglas share similar WR sets and routes. Bourne's snaps and usage may come down to the sets they are lining up in . . . but hard to tell after only one game with Parker / JJSS / Bourne playing together. Pop didn't get back on the field on offense after the fumble (he played a couple snaps on special teams).

Until they can stabilize the OL and be able to consistently run plays without blocking lapses, Mac will have a hard time to really trust that he can survey the field, the running game won't get anywhere, and it will put undo strain on the defense. They've been gritty, but that can only get them so far. The blocked FG was great, though.

 

[Boston]

Jerry Thornton with an entertainment recap:

Knee Jerk Reactions from Week 2: Patriots vs. Dolphins

Things to consider while waiting for the 1,000-year-old mummified alien to announce it's running as a third party candidate:--There's no escaping the fact the Patriots are now 0-1 in games in which th...

www.barstoolsports.com

--I expected a slow start. That's happened in some of the most successful season this team has ever had. I can accept that, with the disarray along the offensive line all summer, the injuries, the roster turnover, and the reliance on rookies in all three phases, that there'd be a bit of a shakedown cruise element to 2023 where things would start off shaky until all hands on deck get comfortable with this vessel. And things may, and I suspect will, improve as we move forward. But what is harder to accept though, is that as it currently stands, this team is just ... well, just just. They simple are. There's not a single notable thing about this edition of the New England Patriots. They're neither fish nor fowl. Neither Jew nor Greek. They're the NFL's ultimate middle child. The C student who doesn't play any sports, isn't a Band Kid, doesn't belong to any clubs, and by the fifth year reunion you're checking his "Hello, My Name Is" sticker in case he says, "Remember me from Algebra?" or something. They're that co-worker you realize you've never spoken to but someone is asking you to sign a Good Luck card for him because he's leaving. The current Patriots are that song you think you've heard before but the band who does it and the year it came out completely escape you. If they were a meal, they'd be that time you went to Olive Garden and remember the salad and breadsticks, but just know you ordered the pasta prima-something. If they were a TV show, they'd be that one season of that one ... what's it called? It had Nicole Kidman and some other rich ladies where they think one of them might have killed her husband? I forget who ended up doing it. But anyway, we might have to watch that one again. And for this franchise, being that team is the unpardonable sin.

 

[Boston]

Corral and Book waived.

Patriots waive Matt Corral from exempt/left squad list

The Patriots have officially moved on from quarterback Matt Corral.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[Boston]

Curran: Is persistent face-planting now part of Patriots' identity?

After watching the Patriots commit several unforced errors Sunday night, Tom E. Curran wonders if it’s time to accept a new reality in New England.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

But good teams don’t make bad mistakes on a week-in, week-out basis. And good teams sometimes beat other good teams. The Patriots make bad mistakes weekly. They only win when they play the dregs of the league.

The new leaf turned over in 2023 looks a lot like last year’s leaf so far.

Why loss to Dolphins illustrates need to invest in offensive talent

Phil Perry believes the Patriots’ loss to the Dolphins illustrated the importance of investing in offensive talent. He explained why on a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

"I think this is the kind of game that illustrates why it's important to invest in your offense, and invest in explosive players, and invest in talent on that side of the ball," Perry said. "Because you can dictate the terms. The Patriots were on their heels early in this game. They could not get off the field. Yes, they won the Tyreek Hill battle. Congratulations to 'em. Tip of the cap. What did it get them? They lost the game because they were so focused on shutting down Tyreek Hill and eliminating those explosive plays, they opened themselves up to lingering on the field defensively, allowing long scoring drives, focusing on one or two players to allow other players to hurt them. That's on the defensive side of the ball.

"On the offensive side of the ball, when you don't play it perfectly and you're undermanned from a talent perspective, and you get down and you don't have explosive players, you can't come back. Now, that sounds extreme. You can come back, and you could've come back in this game. It makes it very, very difficult. And that, to me, is the big-picture story of this game."

 

[RenegadeRoy]

"I think this is the kind of game that illustrates why it's important to invest in your offense, and invest in explosive players, and invest in talent on that side of the ball,"

This seems to be obvious to everyone but New England brass. Back in the Tom days you could slap any old roster together (or get vets on the cheap) and Brady and Bill would handle the rest. They think in today's NFL in this year's AFC East that that is going to work with the bench they have assembled... it's not. The defense can only do so much.

 

[Mitchie]

QB - generously average
RBs - more or less average
WRs - Below average, probably bottom 3 in the league
TEs - average

What do you expect is going to happen?

 

[Bossman]

I don't know how PFF rates offensive line play ... but as far as NE having the #5 ranked OL at the end of last season, or down the stretch ..
They gave up 8 sacks in the last 3 games including 4 to CIN week 17.
OK, maybe they rank highly due to their run blocking then? ...
in their final 3 games, NE had a total of 244 yards rushing and 0 TD's. 81 yards per game avg ... as a TEAM.
the 27 O-lines ranked behind them must be using cheerleaders at that position.
Belichick had 5 months and metric ton of cap space to upgrade a glaring need and ignored it.

Let's see some predictions.. What's their record this year?

5-11-1

"and it's all Mac Jones fault ... regressed!"
... as he is instantly pounced on the moment he takes the snap from center.

This now appears to be just a continuation of last season. All of the same issues that they ended the season with.
Sure, injuries are a thing ... just like every other team has ... just like every other season ... but what we're seeing now is the same as what they were pre-injuries.
The new coaches, rookies, and free agent signings, have changed nothing ... they can't beat a team that scores more than 17 points.
and BB's smug, condescending, refusing to answer the question, and overall duchebaggyness has me liking him less and less.
I hope the press continues to ask him the tough questions so he can stand up there and squirm for the camera.
My 5-11-1 prediction is looking pretty good from what the team is showing me. I think they get that "tie" this week vs the Jets.
Krafts are going to have to make a tough decision after a 5 win season.

 

[Bossman]

QB - generously average
RBs - more or less average
WRs - Below average, probably bottom 3 in the league
TEs - average

What do you expect is going to happen?

You forgot O-Line ... last in the league?
Every team has an offensive player that fans find worthy of buying their jersey ... who's jersey (on offense) would you buy as a Patriots fan?
There is an extreme lack of elite talent on that side of the ball ... and BB benches one of the few that shows promise (Pop Douglass) after an early fumble.
Guess BB thought teaching the kid a lesson was more valuable that having one of your better offensive playmakers on the field ... being down 17-3 early.
How is it that Zeke fumbles on his very first touch as a Patriot ... yet he stays in the game?

 

[Boston]

Hopefully this will get him motivated:

Report: Trent Brown gets revised contract with more incentives

The Patriots and offensive tackle Trent Brown have agreed to a reworked contract.

www.nbcsports.com

Matt Corral back...not sure what the record is for being involved in the most transactions in a 3 week period.

Report: Matt Corral returns to Patriots' practice squad

The Patriots waived quarterback Matt Corral on Monday.

www.nbcsports.com

 

[Lansdowne]

Hopefully this will get him motivated:

Report: Trent Brown gets revised contract with more incentives

The Patriots and offensive tackle Trent Brown have agreed to a reworked contract.

www.nbcsports.com

Matt Corral back...not sure what the record is for being involved in the most transactions in a 3 week period.

Report: Matt Corral returns to Patriots' practice squad

The Patriots waived quarterback Matt Corral on Monday.

www.nbcsports.com

I’m guessing Ross Ventrone still holds that title.

 

[Boston]

Hopefully this will get him motivated:

Report: Trent Brown gets revised contract with more incentives

The Patriots and offensive tackle Trent Brown have agreed to a reworked contract.

www.nbcsports.com

Matt Corral back...not sure what the record is for being involved in the most transactions in a 3 week period.

Report: Matt Corral returns to Patriots' practice squad

The Patriots waived quarterback Matt Corral on Monday.

www.nbcsports.com

I’m guessing Ross Ventrone still holds that title.

Very good call...Corral needs to keep this pace up for the next 3 to 4 years before he enters that rarefied air.

 

[Anarchy99]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

 

[Boston]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

You keep bringing this up…is your point that BB Can only be successful if he has a franchise-level QB and without it he is just another run-of-the-mill NFL HC…or that he should be given carte Blanche as a GM until he digs up an elite QB regardless of the results on the field and how long it takes.

 

[Boston]

Funny coincidence that Trent Brown was able to practice right after getting his contract tweaked…the fact the Pats can not live without him is just piss-poor roster management.

 

[Anarchy99]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

You keep bringing this up…is your point that BB Can only be successful if he has a franchise-level QB and without it he is just another run-of-the-mill NFL HC…or that he should be given Carte Blanche as a GM until he digs up an elite QB regardless of the results on the field And how long it takes.

The point is most teams struggle when they no longer have their HOF QB (and teams without them struggle for years at a time). This isn't exactly covering any new ground (or unexpected). Some of those teams I listed have the same coach, others have cycled through many. Several of those teams invested heavily in offensive skilled players. Some of them may be headed in the right direction . . . but it's not like any of them are locks to make their conference championship games. The fact is, it's nearly impossible to win consistently without a top tier QB (and difficult many times even with one). Unfortunately, NE (and many other franchises) just can't go to the store and grab themselves an elite QB off the shelf.

 

[Boston]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

You keep bringing this up…is your point that BB Can only be successful if he has a franchise-level QB and without it he is just another run-of-the-mill NFL HC…or that he should be given Carte Blanche as a GM until he digs up an elite QB regardless of the results on the field And how long it takes.

The point is most teams struggle when they no longer have their HOF QB (and teams without them struggle for years at a time). This isn't exactly covering any new ground (or unexpected). Some of those teams I listed have the same coach, others have cycled through many. Several of those teams invested heavily in offensive skilled players. Some of them may be headed in the right direction . . . but it's not like any of them are locks to make their conference championship games. The fact is, it's nearly impossible to win consistently without a top tier QB (and difficult many times even with one). Unfortunately, NE (and many other franchises) just can't go to the store and grab themselves an elite QB off the shelf.

It is today's NFL...tough to be a legit championship contender without a very good QB...due to that it probably makes sense to do everything possible to put your young QB in the best spot possible to develop him or continue using high picks on a QB or sniff around when that rare franchise QB like Lamar or Rodgers may be available.

 

[SoBeDad]

Will the oline get better soon? I think Mac hasn't done that bad considering the pressure on passing plays and the lack of a running game. He was just dropped in my league, so he's on my radar.

 

[Boston]

Will the oline get better soon? I think Mac hasn't done that bad considering the pressure on passing plays and the lack of a running game. He was just dropped in my league, so he's on my radar.

It should but it is still dicey...on the interior they should be better if Strange-Andrews-Mike O can stay healthy and get some consistent reps together...there is some potential depth on the interior but nothing definite...the tackle position is still an accident waiting to happen...Anderson at RT is subpar and as I continue to say Trent Brown is fine at LT but is just not reliable physically and mentally and I don't trust him to be consistent on a weekly basis...I don't see this unit ever being very good this year between the injuries and tackle issues...they could be solid which will help Mac but since he is not too mobile it may never be an asset for him and if the injury issues do not clear up it could be a real negative.

Long term they have both Mike O and Trent Brown entering unrestricted free agency while David Andrews is 31 and has only 2024 left on his contract...with his injury issue I could see him calling it quits sooner rather than later...this unit will need to be seriously looked at this offseason and it needs more than 4th round picks added to it.

 

[Anarchy99]

Will the oline get better soon? I think Mac hasn't done that bad considering the pressure on passing plays and the lack of a running game. He was just dropped in my league, so he's on my radar.

IMO, Brown-Strange-Andrews-Onwenu is a solid 4/5th's of an O-line. They have 10 other guys on their roster to find another tackle (or even another guard if they opt to kick Onwenu to RT like they did a couple of years ago). They certainly have question marks (these guys haven't practiced much so far this season) in the short term and beyond this year.

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

You keep bringing this up…is your point that BB Can only be successful if he has a franchise-level QB and without it he is just another run-of-the-mill NFL HC…or that he should be given carte Blanche as a GM until he digs up an elite QB regardless of the results on the field and how long it takes.

For me, the point is that a transition period is a norm and a predictable reality. We may debate if it should take 0 time or 5 years, but if the average solid over time team has a transition period, what is an appropriate transition period for 20 years of dominance, complicated in the last few years by the heir apparent getting run off, the roster being treated like a sponge so TB12 could keep winning, and TB12 exiting stage left after the well was dry.

Ultimately we agree that the Patricia/Judge experiment was a fiasco...most of the rest of the debate will be settled over the remainder of this season.

 

[Bossman]

I would buy the whole "transition period" argument if it was just the QB that was lacking.
This team is below average or bad at every offensive position ... other than one RB
(and RB being a position they spend a lot of draft capital on ... which is weird considering how devalued the position has become around the league)

Also, Having a QB on a rookie deal is supposed to be a huge advantage salary cap wise. So where is the talent that this extra salary cap money is going?
Dolphins get Tyreek Hill. Eagles land AJ Brown. 49rs grab McCaffery.
Patriots; Davante Parker, Nelson Agholor, JJSS, Ezekiel Elliot, Ty Montgomery??
Transition harder! Please!

 

[Boston]

With the Bill-needs-to-go narrative only getting louder with NE starting 0-2 and the persistent talk of the team struggling without Brady, I looked up how other teams have done since they moved on from their HOF-level / long-term starting QBs in recent years.

PIT without Roethlisberger: 10-9, missed the playoffs last year.
NOS without Brees: 18-18, missed playoffs both seasons
DEN without Manning: 44-72, missed playoffs all 8 seasons
LAC without Rivers: 26-26, lost only playoff game (26-27 with the playoff loss)
ATL without Ryan: 9-10, missed playoffs last year
NYG without Eli: 24-43-1, 1-1 in the playoffs

That's 6 other franchises that have struggled to win since their top QB left the team . . . with 1 combined playoff win in a combined 19 seasons.

NE is 25-27 (with a playoff loss on top of that) without Brady. Certainly, far from ideal, but not that different than these other franchises.

You keep bringing this up…is your point that BB Can only be successful if he has a franchise-level QB and without it he is just another run-of-the-mill NFL HC…or that he should be given carte Blanche as a GM until he digs up an elite QB regardless of the results on the field and how long it takes.

For me, the point is that a transition period is a norm and a predictable reality. We may debate if it should take 0 time or 5 years, but if the average solid over time team has a transition period, what is an appropriate transition period for 20 years of dominance, complicated in the last few years by the heir apparent getting run off, the roster being treated like a sponge so TB12 could keep winning, and TB12 exiting stage left after the well was dry.

Ultimately we agree that the Patricia/Judge experiment was a fiasco...most of the rest of the debate will be settled over the remainder of this season.

Could not agree more about the transition and I hate that some people thought it was going to be a quick turnaround post TB12 and they would be competing for championships by now...that is borderline delusional...my issue is I truly believe they are rudderless right now and BB's plan (and I don't think he truly has one he just thinks he can do what he did with #12) is destined for failure...if they went 6-11 this year but there was legit high-end young talent on the roster and you could see a bright future on the horizon I would be totally fine...instead I see a roster that has very few legit foundational pieces and a GM that does not appear open to new ideas as the NFL changes...it really bums me out because BB was so far ahead of the game for so many years it is kind of sad watching this happen...this team is just stuck in neutral and if they weren't the New England Patriots they would be almost irrelevant.

 

[Anarchy99]

Ultimately we agree that the Patricia/Judge experiment was a fiasco...most of the rest of the debate will be settled over the remainder of this season.

One of my friends (RIP) used to try to tell me all the time that NE would never win another title because BB was cheap and would never pay anyone. My friend's vision of the team was whatever the roster they had in any given season AND guys like Moss, Welker, Law, Seymour, Samuel, Chandler Jones, and every other notable player that came their way. He would have had them $100M over the salary cap every year. I asked him all the time, which guys would you dump to keep all those big names. He never gave me an answer or a suggestion, other than to say they could figure it out.

Certainly, the current roster has some holes and some issues. Going back to the end of the Brady era, people have ranted and raved about the offense and how little they've done to address it . . . essentially saying they haven't done anything to try to fix the offense.

Since 2017, here are all the players NE brought in on offense at the skill positions:

RB:
Signed Jeremey Hill, Rex Burkhead, and Ezekiel Elliott . . . Drafted Sony Michel, Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong, and Kevin Harris.

WR:
Traded for Brandin Cooks, Philip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, and DeVante Parker . . . Drafted N'Keal Harry, Tre Nixon, Braxton Berrios, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte.
Signed Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Peterson, Josh Gordon, Antonio Brown, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Ty Montgomery, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

TE:
Signed Dwayne Allen, Matt LaCosse, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Mike Gesicki, and Pharaoh Brown. Drafted Devon Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

That's close to 35 players. The huge majority did not work out. I don't think there's must debate about that part. But the narrative that I keep hearing that BB hasn't done anything to improve the offense the past 5 or 6 years isn't really true. If people want to say the players they drafted, signed, or traded for were terrible (mostly true), they overpaid for (mostly true), or aren't still with the team (mostly true), so be it. But to say that they made no attempt to bring in other players isn't accurate.

If people want to grill BB for making bad choices or dumb personnel decisions on the offensive side of the ball, have at it. But I suspect if they this year they drafted a tackle that was shaky to start, a WR that barely played, and another RB with their Top 3 draft picks, the people complaining about the offense would still be complaining . . . except on top of that they would now be saying they have no good CB, they need another edge rusher, and they need another box safety. Teams can't plug every hole all at once.

 

[RenegadeRoy]

who's jersey (on offense) would you buy as a Patriots fan?

I bet their best selling jersey is still Brady. Maybe even Gronk.

 

[RenegadeRoy]

But to say that they made no attempt to bring in other players isn't accurate.

I don't think people are saying that per sey. People are saying they didn't attempt to bring in top talent. Most of the guys you listed were, at some point, top talent but by the time they made it to the Pat's roster they were not. They keep dumpster diving and going to the bargain bin and then wondering why they can't find a super star. They brought in and overpaid bad to mediocre players. That's a problem.

 

[Boston]

Ultimately we agree that the Patricia/Judge experiment was a fiasco...most of the rest of the debate will be settled over the remainder of this season.

One of my friends (RIP) used to try to tell me all the time that NE would never win another title because BB was cheap and would never pay anyone. My friend's vision of the team was whatever the roster they had in any given season AND guys like Moss, Welker, Law, Seymour, Samuel, Chandler Jones, and every other notable player that came their way. He would have had them $100M over the salary cap every year. I asked him all the time, which guys would you dump to keep all those big names. He never gave me an answer or a suggestion, other than to say they could figure it out.

Certainly, the current roster has some holes and some issues. Going back to the end of the Brady era, people have ranted and raved about the offense and how little they've done to address it . . . essentially saying they haven't done anything to try to fix the offense.

Since 2017, here are all the players NE brought in on offense at the skill positions:

RB:
Signed Jeremey Hill, Rex Burkhead, and Ezekiel Elliott . . . Drafted Sony Michel, Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong, and Kevin Harris.

WR:
Traded for Brandin Cooks, Philip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, and DeVante Parker . . . Drafted N'Keal Harry, Tre Nixon, Braxton Berrios, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte.
Signed Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Peterson, Josh Gordon, Antonio Brown, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Ty Montgomery, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

TE:
Signed Dwayne Allen, Matt LaCosse, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Mike Gesicki, and Pharaoh Brown. Drafted Devon Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

That's close to 35 players. The huge majority did not work out. I don't think there's must debate about that part. But the narrative that I keep hearing that BB hasn't done anything to improve the offense the past 5 or 6 years isn't really true. If people want to say the players they drafted, signed, or traded for were terrible (mostly true), they overpaid for (mostly true), or aren't still with the team (mostly true), so be it. But to say that they made no attempt to bring in other players isn't accurate.

If people want to grill BB for making bad choices or dumb personnel decisions on the offensive side of the ball, have at it. But I suspect if they this year they drafted a tackle that was shaky to start, a WR that barely played, and another RB with their Top 3 draft picks, the people complaining about the offense would still be complaining . . . except on top of that they would now be saying they have no good CB, they need another edge rusher, and they need another box safety. Teams can't plug every hole all at once.

I don't understand the point of this post unless it is to make more excuses for BB...are you saying as long as he is trying it doesn't matter what the results are?

There are many different ways to bring in legit talent...draft, UDFA, trade and free agency and free agency can almost be broken into two...high-end and mid-to-end of the roster...at the end of the day you use all your resources to build as strong a roster as possible but in today's NFL without some legit top-end studs it's difficult to be a real contender...right now I do not see a coherent plan for the Patriot's roster construction...it is as if the goal is to be .500...which you can't even be anymore with a 17 game schedule.

 

[RenegadeRoy]

it is as if the goal is to be .500...which you can't even be anymore with a 17 game schedule.

It's almost like he's stuck in "regular season doesn't matter, making the playoffs does" but when the rest of the AFC East got way better, he chose to not join the arms race. A near 500 record won't cut it anymore in this division.

 

[Boston]

it is as if the goal is to be .500...which you can't even be anymore with a 17 game schedule.

It's almost like he's stuck in "regular season doesn't matter, making the playoffs does" but when the rest of the AFC East got way better, he chose to not join the arms race. A near 500 record won't cut it anymore in this division.

I don't get the endgame...with 7 teams now making the playoffs there is always a chance you can sneak into the playoffs but does anyone think they are a realistic contender or are building something that will eventually get you to that level...it's like the goal is to be the Indiana Pacers of the NFL.

 

[Bossman]

A little nostalgia for Patriots fans going into the weekend.

Peyton Manning Super Bowl Party

 

[Bossman]

A little nostalgia for Patriots fans going into the weekend.

Peyton Manning Super Bowl Party

Those Brady vs Manning games were so awesome. (no, not Eli)
The anticipation ... sometimes both teams were undefeated (at least once that I recall), then playoffs
... it was always edge of your seat thrilling.

 

[Lansdowne]

A little nostalgia for Patriots fans going into the weekend.

Peyton Manning Super Bowl Party

Those Brady vs Manning games were so awesome. (no, not Eli)
The anticipation ... sometimes both teams were undefeated (at least once that I recall), then playoffs
... it was always edge of your seat thrilling.

I still remember NE @ IND in Week 9 of 2007 being dubbed Super Bowl 41.5 with both teams undefeated going into the game. Probably one of the most highly anticipated regular season games I could remember.