When do you think the Patriots will be SB Contenders?

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Agreed. Specifically looking at this season has alot of importance especially how we attack FA/Draft. We want the team to continue be competitive and stack wins.. so if we end up a team in the hunt that gives validation to the players and potential FAs that the NEP are on the come up.. if we don't beat ourselves & looking at the landscape of the AFC there is a chance to potentially make a postseason beth.

Yep, many of us (including myself) still have playoff aspirations this year but i still think its more about evaluating for the future and seeing what we need to attack next year. Could be why guys like pop and ellis continue to see time.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yep, many of us (including myself) still have playoff aspirations this year but i still think its more about evaluating for the future and seeing what we need to attack next year. Could be why guys like pop and ellis continue to see time.

True. Speaking of pop and Ellis those are guys that we will likely see now as rotational players other than guys seeing 50 or 60% of snaps. But your right about evaluating. I really appreciate how Vrabel's able to adjust in game and how the recognized putting Diggs in the slot could unlock the offense. I think chism is going to his chance soon as well.

 

[signbabybrady]

Yesterday

 

[Real fan 02]

Yesterday

 

[patsinthesnow]

Fans have to realize the pats roster isn’t far away from the afc contenders. Years of drafting in the late first have taken it’s toll on the bills, chiefs & ravens. The bills have zero all-pro players outside of allen, the chiefs best players outside of mahomes are interior OL, a 31 year old DT & a slot CB & the ravens are starting to look weak in the trenches.

The pats will have probably ~$65M in cap space & 10 draft picks in 2026 to add a WR1, EDGE, etc. If maye continues on his trajectory the expectation should be contending next year IMO.

 

[mayoclinic]

A top 5 QB with an average roster and good coaching should equal a perennial contender, barring injury. The rest is mostly luck and attrition.

Pats are not far from having that.

 

[Gumby]

I've seen alot of posts about rebuilding a creating a great culture again. Assuming Maye pans out, the defense gets better, and a top WR is added, when do you think the team should be SB contenders? Meaning, winning the division and as good as other top teams.

This may be for this year a little contrarian (albeit rosy), but I give us for chances to win
DIV / chance get to SB

2025-26: 20% chance /but 0% 1 & done in playoffs
- our division is ****. Fish suck & jete stink. Buffy is good, but has a 1 place schedule & we have a4th. Steal one of two from them, and we could actually be in driver seat.

2026-27: 40-50% div / 10% chance to get to SB
- we’ll be playing a tougher schedule, but have improved roster, & Buffy on downhill.

2027-28: 70% DIV / 40% chance to SB.
- should be hitting stride, but no telling how injuries or rest of league plays out.

 

[FoxboroFan23]

February. Not sure which year but definitely February.

 

[VrabelJr]

I laid out the arc of going from feeble to formidable last week: Content Post - Idle thoughts - The "Bobby Grier RIP" edition

We can exit this season between step 2 and 3 by consistently beating teams that we should. We’re currently the Raiders only win.

I’d say 2027-28 at the earliest. Our roster is still pretty bad in quite a few places. The difference between a 4 win team and a 9 win team isn’t a ton. The difference in team quality between 9 and 13 wins is immense. Going to be a lot of heartbreak along that path.

 

[pazrul72]

To me this all comes down to what they do in the upcoming off-season. Most years you are doing pretty well to add an impact starter in FA and 2 starters plus depth in the draft. It's only been 4 games so plenty of time for perspective to change but right now this past off-season they hit on Williams, Landry, chaisson, Davis, Moses, Bradford, and Diggs as starters/key contributers. Then Campbell, Henderson, Wilson, and woodson in the draft. Jury is still out on the kicker but sometimes they just need to have a rough rookie year.

That is a grand freakin slam of an off-season. If next year's is even half of that then we're back baby! I think the approach will be similar, spend all your money on defense and all of your draft capital on offense. I don't have specific names but image adding a starter caliber edge, lb, and s to this defense. Then add a TE, C/G, and a power RB. If this off-season continues to be the hit it appears, and they hit like that again, which I find unlikely but I'm not going to bet against them just yet, then I think I would call them legit contenders in 2026.

Meaning we don't have to justify the playoff talk with they have a really weak schedule. We don't have to be hoping they play well against Buffalo in a loss, we think they can win. 9 or 10 wins is the floor not high hopes if everything breaks right. We aren't talking about a potential top 10 pick in freakin September....oh wait this is patsfans the fever dream took over for a second. They probably still won't win it all, that's 2 or 3 brilliant drafts away and a mountain of in season luck any team needs, but they will be in the conversation of 6-10 teams most likely to and that's more then enough for me.

 

[Bill Lee]

Maybe I'm being too literal, but to me 'SB contender' implies 'likely AFC Championship Game winner' and I think I need to see more than four games of the Vrabel Era before I'm going to feel good about offering a prediction on that.

 

[Steve102]

Can we revisit this at about 11:30pm on 10/5? Kidding.

I think there's a possibility that if Drake continues to develop, it'll be clear why teams wanted to trade up and get him from the Pats. I think there's a reasonable chance they can improve to the point that they are "in the hunt" for a playoff berth this year.

With that said...

They are a long way from the mythical Patriots of 2001-2004. The line is not elite, there's no elite weapons. If they can start pitching shut outs on defense, then maybe the D can carry the day like 2001. MAYE-be. (see what I did there?)

I think to compete with Philly on a February Sunday, they need an elite OL, at least one elite weapon somewhere and a stout defense that keeps even the best offenses on the sidelines.

Maye looks to be a real keeper at this point. The sky's the limit with this kid right now, but he can't do it alone. Look up Tom Brady circa 2019 and 2006.

It does seem that they are turning the corner and finally ascending.

 

[Thelonious]

If anyone has some sort of relationship with signbabybrady, can you please convince him that I am straight and a married man, and that all his efforts at "bad boy charm" are just not gonna win me over? Thanks very much.

 

[Steve102]

 

[maust]

One victory against Caleb Young and the Panthers, we go straight into SB prospection

I like it

Why the hell not? It is over reaction Monday after all. Last week we had one self inflicted loss and there was no end of folks mashin' the panic button and ready to offer Vrabel a blindfold and cigarette so yeah, this feels about right

 

[signbabybrady]

If anyone has some sort of relationship with signbabybrady, can you please convince him that I am straight and a married man, and that all his efforts at "bad boy charm" are just not gonna win me over? Thanks very much.

 

[DC Patriots]

1 more off season if they hit lighting in a bottle like Washington last year.

More realistically 2 seasons +. I haven’t changed my options of their greatest needs in the draft coming up. I think they need 2 picks on the OL if they let Ownenu walk and a fast LB who excels in coverage before they can do too much offensively. It’s just a bit out of reach for 1 offseason. I would change my mind if Henderson or Williams really catches fire

 

[Joey007]

I do think one thing that hurts us is that we’ll basically be getting zilch from the 2024 class besides Maye. Maybe Wallace can turn into a starter someday on the line? But that’s it.

23 at least has Gonzo as a major building block piece. After that, we also landed White, Mapu, Boutte and Baringer. So it wasn’t like we got nothing from the rest of the class.

20-22 still has Barmore, Marcus Jones, Onwenu, Rhamondre, maybe Dugger if he can fix himself. It’s not a lot, but the poor drafting from 20-24 at least had a few big pieces we’re building off from. Just not a ton.

 

[signbabybrady]

1 more off season if they hit lighting in a bottle like Washington last year.

More realistically 2 seasons +. I haven’t changed my options of their greatest needs in the draft coming up. I think they need 2 picks on the OL if they let Ownenu walk and a fast LB who excels in coverage before they can do too much offensively. It’s just a bit out of reach for 1 offseason. I would change my mind if Henderson or Williams really catches fire

Bradbury and Moses aren't getting younger I wouldn't walk from Onwenwu. And I actually think he's our 5th best OL right now but I don't want to go backwards on the OL just to save a few pennies.

 

[DC Patriots]

Bradbury and Moses aren't getting younger I wouldn't walk from Onwenwu. And I actually think he's our 5th best OL right now but I don't want to go backwards on the OL just to save a few pennies.

I agree. But he is expensive for a guy who shows up fat and out of shape