Rebuilding, or playing to win?

[Wozzy]

Agreed that injuries are a big wild card that can often be the determining factor for whether a season is playoff bound or a disaster by midseason. That factor seems somewhat uncontrollable though.

Your assertion that the talent is there is not universal, on this board or in the broader football world. I think that may be the most controversial question about the Patriots at the moment. I tend to agree, but with the caveat that there are numerous questions about it. To me those questions boil down to basically two: can rookies demonstrate their talent by performing? And has age, injuries, and overall mileage eroded veterans’ ability to demonstrate their talent by performing? But there are others who question or debate even whether there is any real talent on this roster.

Rookies are the biggest question. Until they produce performances to demonstrate their talent they are unproven and it’s easy to question whether they’re really talented or not. Polk is a case in point, as is the T Rex wingspan of our rookie LT. But going through the roster I see a lot of talent. Even Baker is talented, unfortunately a talented head case is difficult to predict. Even some young vets, such as Strange and Sow and Wallace, have yet to demonstrate their talent by producing performances that leave no unanswered questions.

Your point about tapping their well of talent is another good one, and it’s not just a question for rookies. Trent Brown is the poster child for a player undeniably talented but erratic about tapping it consistently throughout his career. Keion White and Barmore are both talented but still need to build a body of work showing they consistently perform to that potential.

It’s going to crucial for the young players to tap the potential of their talent. If they do I think this roster can win now; if they don’t there will be rebuilding needed.

There could be a lag time if the rookies are slow to develop. But they could get it about midseason like many good rookies do or in the next year or two. Either way, they have enough vets on the roster where they should be respectable. Health and development will determine how far this year’s team can go… but the talent is there.

 

[Thelonious]

Rebuild. If we accidentally get into the playoffs: whatever. But this roster is still far too thin to have a sustainable and secure prospect of actually competing for anything at this point. I really do not care how many games they win this year. I will judge the year a success or not based on whether this year does or does not complete the work of rebuilding the team's foundation for future success.

 

[Thelonious]

Apparently Mayo did not get the message about rebuilding during the last game against buffalo in January.

Mayo pretty much missed every message, and was left without a clue.

 

[Thelonious]

The talent on the roster exists to win now.

Yeah, this is delusional, sorry to say.

 

[Wozzy]

Rebuild. If we accidentally get into the playoffs: whatever. But this roster is still far too thin

Where?

 

[DC Patriots]

Wish there was a third choice for “playing to be respectable enough that free agents want to come here.”

New coaching staff, essentially two rookie classes, ton of new personnel. Last OL we saw with pads on was a total mess.

I admire folks who can see the pieces for a playoff team there. I think 9 or 10 wins and respectability is the goal

 

[Ring 6]

Wish there was a third choice for “playing to be respectable enough that free agents want to come here.”

New coaching staff, essentially two rookie classes, ton of new personnel. Last OL we saw with pads on was a total mess.

I admire folks who can see the pieces for a playoff team there. I think 9 or 10 wins and respectability is the goal

I’m curious. Do you really think the coaching staff set a goal of being respectable, doesn’t care about the playoffs and believes it has no chance at all of winning a SB?
Do you think the players think the team sucks and 4 win teams can’t get better fast, or do you think they look at what Washington did last year and believe they can?
Do you think the attitude in the locker room is if we win a few maybe we can get better players and win someday?

Also, they signed a lot of free agents this year so the idea they don’t want to come here is already a fallacy.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Wish there was a third choice for “playing to be respectable enough that free agents want to come here.”

New coaching staff, essentially two rookie classes, ton of new personnel. Last OL we saw with pads on was a total mess.

I admire folks who can see the pieces for a playoff team there. I think 9 or 10 wins and respectability is the goal

Williams, Spillane, Diggs, and Landry all signed here. What top FAs are you talking about?

 

[Thelonious]

Where?

This can't be a serious question. I think I'll just let it lie.

 

[Wozzy]

This can't be a serious question. I think I'll just let it lie.

Sounds like you can’t answer, not choosing not to.

They’re thin… where?

 

[sb1]

Maye is 3-9 as a starter. Let's see our young QB get to .500 first before we say our team is ready to win now.

 

[pazrul72]

I voted young team that's rebuilding because I think it is important to keep in mind how many young, or new moving parts there are to this years team. Between coaching, rookies, and a huge FA boost there was IMO an abnormal amount of turnover. Which is good because last year's team sucked. Now I like almost every move they did and I have a high level of optimism that more will work out then won't but NFL history shows anything close to 50% of your additions working out is pretty damn good. The only way the Patriots are "win now" contenders is if almost all of their moves work out exactly the way they want them to. Diggs is 100% back and a 1k 8 TD guy, Campbell and Moses give competent pass protection all year long, Milton and Barmore terrorize the #$&@ out of opposing QBs so Gonzo and Davis set up a no fly zone. Landry has the kind of year that lets chassin look like Uche opposite Judon. McDaniel's can run an offense with someone besides Brady that looks amazing. All legit questions that won't all work out but if they did then the Pats would be contending deep into Jan.

Course like many others have said the real answer is both. I think while rebuilding and setting the foundation for better years going forward, this years team has the horses against a weak schedule to make some noise.

 

[Ring 6]

Williams, Spillane, Diggs, and Landry all signed here. What top FAs are you talking about?

And Davis

 

[Family]

Sounds like you can’t answer, not choosing not to.

They’re thin… where?

I agree with you Wozzy. Thin isn't the way I would describe the team. But they need some of their young first line players, who really haven't yet consistently done so, to step up.

Except RT. That's pretty thin.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

And Davis

Great point. Pretty much the top DT, CB, and DE.

 

[jmt57]

When I hear the term "win now mode" I think of a team going all-in to win a championship this year, and disregarding the future.
In other words trading draft picks for one-year rentals, for example.

The 2025 New England Patriots do not fit that description, so I am voting 'no' on the poll.

But as others have said, of course the team and coaches are/should be trying to win every game.
There is a huge difference between rebuilding and tanking, à la Suck for Luck.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

If you compare to last year:
- defense is better at all 3 levels, they go from a C to a B+
- OL looks much better, from D to B-
- QB should improve from C+ to B+
- RBs with Henderson go from C+ to B+
- WR looks much better, from D to B
- Coaching is much better, from D to B+
- Schedule is much easier, from C to A-
- Overall that nets to going from C- to B or B+
= 10 wins & wild card, probably not ready to win a playoff game yet. A lot like Washington last year.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

When I hear the term "win now mode" I think of a team going all-in to win a championship this year, and disregarding the future.
In other words trading draft picks for one-year rentals, for example.

The 2025 New England Patriots do not fit that description, so I am voting 'no' on the poll.

But as others have said, of course the team and coaches are/should be trying to win every game.
There is a huge difference between rebuilding and tanking, à la Suck for Luck.

Exactly. You don't trade any draft picks higher than 5th round.

 

[n1997y]

Williams, Spillane, Diggs, and Landry all signed here. What top FAs are you talking about?

And Davis

Moses?
Chaisson?

Lots of FAs came here this year. Total makeover is seen as an opportunity. Question is whether it still looks as attractive next year.

 

[n1997y]

I agree with you Wozzy. Thin isn't the way I would describe the team. But they need some of their young first line players, who really haven't yet consistently done so, to step up.

Except RT. That's pretty thin.

Exactly. Biggest place they are thin is on individual player career performance stats for all the young players.

In five years a lot of players at positions currently evaluated as “thin” because of inexperienced contributors will have produced a body of work good enough for them to no longer be viewed as liabilities. But now until they have done that they’re not respected.

Whole OL could be seen as thin, very unsettled and fluid. Biggest question mark about whether the talent there is real or illusory. Strange and Sow and the rest of them still have a lot to prove.