The one thing really not discussed at all is how BB let the cap get to this point. He is always praised for his cap management but with all the draft busts and crappy contracts we have been in cap hell for a couple of seasons now. That is what forced this off-season upon us.
I have to disagree. After 20 years of high-level football, you are unhappy about the cap situation in year 21? Year 21??? You're not at all willing to look back and see how expected and not surprising the current cap situation is, this year. The year Brady leaves the team.
It's only one year (and it's not even that bad-space is available if needed) and it's only like this because our long term QB just left after 20 years and we panicked a bit when injuries hit we and rolled the dice with AB. (We then panicked again and traded a 2 for Sanu but that's another story ) With a player like Brady on the team for two decades, it would be impossible to have not rolled some of his money forward at some point. This is the modern game of football and how it works and Belichick has played the cap game exceedingly well over the years. See 9 Super Bowl appearances in 20 years. Show me a coach or GM with a third of Belichicks success during that same 20 years period.
The bottom line here is that Tom is gone and the rebuild has started.
I think it will be an absolute blast to watch the next 2-3 years of team building and what last years, this years' and next years' drafts end up becoming. It's these three draft years that are going to shape so much of the next 5-10 years of the franchise's future. This will be the core of the next run. Will it get to the Super Bowl? Who knows? I can't wait to watch it!
We have a shtt ton of cap space next year, a 2021 draft with a lot of draft capital (thank you comp system), and a much younger and more athletic 2020 roster.
Man but it's crazy how much is riding on Stidham and can you imagine the intensity of the spotlight that's coming for him soon? I want to see a QB that gets better as the season goes on. I hope to see a QB that is sound with his ball responsibility and instinctively knows when to get rid of it.
How can anyone not be fascinated and excited about 2020 and beyond? It will be great sporting theatre.
Fingers crossed we're all healthy and there's a game being played.