No Point in Tanking, the Future is Bleak

[MrTibbs]

If we get a very high draft pick I wouldn't be opposed to trading back.

The Patriots don't even have a face of the franchise. Those guys don't "typically" come late in the draft. Bill hasn't drafted an all pro skills player since Gronk. Use the pick and get a guy who has a greater chance to become a blue chip player and face of the franchise.

 

[Brewskies]

Patriots don't have to tank all they need to do is keep Mac Jones as starting QB

 

[Huckleberry1]

Karras is having a horrible year. There are no good FAs anymore at tackle or WR. The guys who get $90m guaranteed like O Brown and McGlinchey have been huge busts. Talent is thin throughout the league and teams are holding on to their top players or else trading them for huge value (Laremy Tunsil, etc.)

Agree with this completely. You have to fill your positions if need with the right players, not just fill them. The free agency and Draft last offseason were both bad for OL, so you don’t break the bank or take one in the first round because they aren’t worth it, even though you need it. You wait for a better market, and a better draft to fill those needs. I’m not saying you don’t address them and try to upgrade, but you don’t give out a big contract, or use your 1st if they aren’t worthy of it.

 

[upstater1]

Agree with this completely. You have to fill your positions if need with the right players, not just fill them. The free agency and Draft last offseason were both bad for OL, so you don’t break the bank or take one in the first round because they aren’t worth it, even though you need it. You wait for a better market, and a better draft to fill those needs. I’m not saying you don’t address them and try to upgrade, but you don’t give out a big contract, or use your 1st if they aren’t worthy of it.

This is the way teams should be run even if it means you can't compete at your level best for a year.

Does the lack of an RT hurt us more this year than the lack of Gonzalez at CB? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

But filling the RT position is easier than grabbing a guy like Gonzalez to be your shut down CB.

What are we building for? The Super Bowl or the playoffs? If the playoffs, you take the RT. If the Super Bowl, you take Gonzalez.

Having a guy who can potentially become a Revis, Gilmore, Ty Law type is much more important than having a Cannon or a Vollmer.

I feel this way about Mac. Sure, he may look like he can be a average QB if he had more weapons and more time behind the line. But at crunch time, when the defenses are going at you full throttle, he doesn't have the arm or the composure to withstand the brutal assault of a good playoff defense. We've seen both Brady and Mahomes stoned by such defenses. Mac wouldn't stand a chance. (I'm not saying we need Mahomes or Brady). We need a guy who can stand in there at the most crucial moments and deliver. Plenty of mediocre QB have done so in the past (just take a look at the list of Super Bowl QBs).

 

[RobertWeathers]

Next week is going to be ugly. No point in tanking for a 6ft QB, there’s no viable path to respectability for the next few years. But we had a hell of a run…

We aren't talking about 1989 here. Ownership is strong and the NEP are a "rich" NFL team.

With that said though, as it stands they'll be $80m-$100m in cap space for the 2024 year. A great starting point for a rebuild.

The problem is they'll most likely need a franchise QB, new coach and new GM after this season. Three of the hardest things to get

 

[NFL Mystique]

Chicago owns Carolina's first rounder. Meaning the Bears are very likely to get # 1 OA. They are undoubtedly taking Williams. If they get # 2 too, they will probably trade it for a ransom. It's way better to have the Bears get the first two picks vs Bears having first pick and Denver, Vikings, & NYG getting second OA. The latter three teams are highly unlikely to pass up Drake at 2nd OA. They need a franchise QB. Chicago would probably be open to trading #2 because they have their guy already. Fwiw, I don't foresee Minnesota finishing top three. They have a good QB and elite receiver. They aren't nearly as awful as Chi, Carolina, Denver, & NYG.

 

[sb1]

We aren't talking about 1989 here. Ownership is strong and the NEP are a "rich" NFL team.

With that said though, as it stands they'll be $80m-$100m in cap space for the 2024 year. A great starting point for a rebuild.

The problem is they'll most likely need a franchise QB, new coach and new GM after this season. Three of the hardest things to get

And GM has to come first then the direction will be set on everything else. Coaches and roster.

 

[Mack Herron]

Where do I get my torch?

 

[PatsFan2]

This is the way teams should be run even if it means you can't compete at your level best for a year.

Does the lack of an RT hurt us more this year than the lack of Gonzalez at CB? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

But filling the RT position is easier than grabbing a guy like Gonzalez to be your shut down CB.

What are we building for? The Super Bowl or the playoffs? If the playoffs, you take the RT. If the Super Bowl, you take Gonzalez.

Having a guy who can potentially become a Revis, Gilmore, Ty Law type is much more important than having a Cannon or a Vollmer.

I feel this way about Mac. Sure, he may look like he can be a average QB if he had more weapons and more time behind the line. But at crunch time, when the defenses are going at you full throttle, he doesn't have the arm or the composure to withstand the brutal assault of a good playoff defense. We've seen both Brady and Mahomes stoned by such defenses. Mac wouldn't stand a chance. (I'm not saying we need Mahomes or Brady). We need a guy who can stand in there at the most crucial moments and deliver. Plenty of mediocre QB have done so in the past (just take a look at the list of Super Bowl QBs).

I think you mentioned him what's your take on Justin Fields for us if the Bears are moving on??

 

[RobertWeathers]

And GM has to come first then the direction will be set on everything else. Coaches and roster.

Agree.

I don't see/envision any coaches out there who warrant the Coach/GM ala BB role. It'll be two people.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Any truth to the Rumors that Caleb Williams might choose to stay at USC because he'll make more at USC then on his rookie deal?

This was an actual rumor posted on Reddit, based upon a twee. It is absurd. His NIL money would never come close to matching his NFL guarantee, if he is the #1 pick.

 

[upstater1]

I think you mentioned him what's your take on Justin Fields for us if the Bears are moving on??

I've always liked Fields at Ohio State and thought he was the best of all the QBs that year except for Lawrence.

He had 2 really good weeks after I made that post about him 2 weeks ago (i.e. that he was salvageable). But I watched him yesterday on my 4 screen split (YouTube TV) and he was very slow to see the field. I was disappointed, to be honest. I think he's not processing rapidly, for whatever reason. But the prior 2 weeks show that he is excellent with his feet and throws a great accurate ball to his primary target.

He needs to be developed by better coaches, maybe.

If the Bears do take Caleb Williams, they'll be trading Fields for a 3rd.

The Patriots might decide to trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr. and take Justin fields off the Bears hands as well.

That has some appeal for me over trading for Drake Maye.

 

[PatsFan2]

I've always liked Fields at Ohio State and thought he was the best of all the QBs that year except for Lawrence.

He had 2 really good weeks after I made that post about him 2 weeks ago (i.e. that he was salvageable). But I watched him yesterday on my 4 screen split (YouTube TV) and he was very slow to see the field. I was disappointed, to be honest. I think he's not processing rapidly, for whatever reason. But the prior 2 weeks show that he is excellent with his feet and throws a great accurate ball to his primary target.

He needs to be developed by better coaches, maybe.

If the Bears do take Caleb Williams, they'll be trading Fields for a 3rd.

The Patriots might decide to trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr. and take Justin fields off the Bears hands as well.

That has some appeal for me over trading for Drake Maye.

I'm going top watch Fields more The Bears are in a enviable position.

 

[Real fan 02]

Any truth to the Rumors that Caleb Williams might choose to stay at USC because he'll make more at USC then on his rookie deal?

I heard something about that. The NIL money.. yes the way the rookie salaries are structured now..he'd make more staying than on his rookie deal. The NFL QB rookie salaries are like this becuase the likes of Sam Bradford and JaMarcus Russell and others.. who busted out in the NFL were handed 60 million and hadn't done squat in the league yet. It's all about the 2nd contract for starting QBs.

 

[Real fan 02]

Bleak. Might as well just pick a new team to root for.

Regarding tanking, you guys can forget about that. It's not in Bill's blood. Even if the misery continues, he will find a way to get 4-6 more wins. So you'll have that much more to ***** at on how much you hate him.

Looking waaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead to draft talk, Quinn Ewers, JJ McCarthy, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye all warrant more research and Saturday game watching. I look forward to BGC breaking them down.

Question? Do you think it would be worth it to hang on to Mac and surround him with talent at WR? What's lost in this lost season is that this has also shown RK what it looks like for a untalented team with injuries and underperforming looks like. Just a question.

 

[Nunchucks]

This team needs a full talent review. Anybody who can't bring effort or any talent needs to be cut, regardless of cap hit. Patriots need to enter full rebuild mode.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'm going top watch Fields more The Bears are in a enviable position.

I like fields.

 

[KCSVEN]

I heard something about that. The NIL money.. yes the way the rookie salaries are structured now..he'd make more staying than on his rookie deal. The NFL QB rookie salaries are like this becuase the likes of Sam Bradford and JaMarcus Russell and others.. who busted out in the NFL were handed 60 million and hadn't done squat in the league yet. It's all about the 2nd contract for starting QBs.

He will make 2.6 million in NIL and if he went back another year probably increases that a bit but he would need to buy injury insurance and there is much risk going back to college. However, He can use it as leverage to go to a team he wants or avoid a team he does not want to go to.
Williams is higher rated than any QB since at least Andrew Luck and maybe back to Elway. You get the #1 you have to draft him. He is a smaller Mahomes in style of play.
Drake Maye will be rated similarly with Burrow, Herbert and Hurts as a prospect. Prototypical size but needs to prove he can read defenses and go thru progressions.
After that you get the typical "potential" QB's (Ewers, Sanders, Penix) that might be good, might not but will show first round "talent".
Patriots get a shot at Williams or Maye they are probably set for a decade at QB and will have a true franchise QB.
They miss out on those 2 they can get Harrison at WR or a Tackle and draft a QB in round 2 because anyone else is going to be more of a crapshoot. Best case then is probably trading down for someone in love with QB #3.
-Williams or Maye all the way IMO.

 

[Steve102]

Question? Do you think it would be worth it to hang on to Mac and surround him with talent at WR? What's lost in this lost season is that this has also shown RK what it looks like for a untalented team with injuries and underperforming looks like. Just a question.

I could give a chit about talent at WR if whoever is the QB has 2 seconds to get rid of the ball. It starts up front. They either have a talent issue, a coaching issue, or, likely, both. They have to fix the line issues, the WR issues and the QB issues.

The line needs influx of talent and/or coaching. Give me that, with a solid drafted #1 WR instead of Parker and then maybe Mac is somewhere above JAG level. There were moments yesterday where he looked "fair". I think Bourne is a fine possession receiver, nothing more. Parker, all set. Pop Douglas might be alright, but he can't stay on the field. Don't talk to me about this FA WR or that free agent WR, because if they were all that and a bag of chips, they wouldn't be available.

Recapping, you have 2 decent RBs in Zeke and Rham. No third down back, no FB. Two decent TEs in Gesicki and Henry, one lineman with a receiver # in Pharaoh. QB is probably topping out as a JAG, without the electricity of Fitzmagic or even Gardner Minshew. No back up QB, with a gimmick QB who can't get out of the way because the line is so bad. I don't think it's a complete retool on offense, but it's dammed close.

 

[sb1]

See I told you...Bring out the tarp cover the field! I can't watch this anymore it's over! Turn the lights out let's get the bulldozers in here and turn this place into a parkin' lot!