Curran: "In my estimation... [Gonzo would like to] be treated as if he's at the table in 2027." [previous title: "say goodbye to gonzo"]

[DoubleDeluxe]

Quote from Kraft in 2024:

“Look, we were blessed to have a coach in our system who was a great coach and also understood value,” Kraft added. “He ran a tight ship. They say we’ve been low spenders in the last 10 years, and that might be true, but we had a pretty good record. And we won three Super Bowls. But our coaches have always had the ability to spend at whatever level they wanted.”

They have been low on the cash spending list.
Kraft admitted as much.
Perhaps it's BB's fault as Kraft has suggested, because Bill "ran a tight ship".
And perhaps Kraft really did give Bill, and has given Wolf the unilateral power to spend what they want.

And here's a quote from BB in 2023:

"Our spending in 2020, our spending in 2021 and our spending in 2022 — the aggregate of that — was we were 27th in the league in cash spending," Belichick said. "So a couple years were low, one year was high, but over a three-year period, we're one of the lowest-spending teams in the league.

"Had we averaged that out in those three years, you would have had the same numbers. So whether it's two low and one high, two medium or three mediums, or two sort of high and one really low — whatever it is — there's an average that comes. That's the three-year average. We're 27th in the league in cash spending."

So, kinda seems like Kraft and BB are both blaming the other, but only solidifies that fact that the Pats have been of the lowest cash spending teams in the league for a number of years.

 

[PatsfanTN]

And here's a quote from BB in 2023:

"Our spending in 2020, our spending in 2021 and our spending in 2022 — the aggregate of that — was we were 27th in the league in cash spending," Belichick said. "So a couple years were low, one year was high, but over a three-year period, we're one of the lowest-spending teams in the league.

"Had we averaged that out in those three years, you would have had the same numbers. So whether it's two low and one high, two medium or three mediums, or two sort of high and one really low — whatever it is — there's an average that comes. That's the three-year average. We're 27th in the league in cash spending."

So, kinda seems like Kraft and BB are both blaming the other, but only solidifies that fact that the Pats have been of the lowest cash spending teams in the league for a number of years.

Well said. Also, BB isn’t here to blame anymore, soooo who is to blame Robert?

 

[Ring 6]

Quote from Kraft in 2024:

“Look, we were blessed to have a coach in our system who was a great coach and also understood value,” Kraft added. “He ran a tight ship. They say we’ve been low spenders in the last 10 years, and that might be true, but we had a pretty good record. And we won three Super Bowls. But our coaches have always had the ability to spend at whatever level they wanted.”

They have been low on the cash spending list.
Kraft admitted as much.
Perhaps it's BB's fault as Kraft has suggested, because Bill "ran a tight ship".
And perhaps Kraft really did give Bill, and has given Wolf the unilateral power to spend what they want.

I don’t believe that last sentence is true. He said it when he was taking heat. I believe it was in response to Mayo getting corrected about “cash to burn”

 

[Ring 6]

And here's a quote from BB in 2023:

"Our spending in 2020, our spending in 2021 and our spending in 2022 — the aggregate of that — was we were 27th in the league in cash spending," Belichick said. "So a couple years were low, one year was high, but over a three-year period, we're one of the lowest-spending teams in the league.

"Had we averaged that out in those three years, you would have had the same numbers. So whether it's two low and one high, two medium or three mediums, or two sort of high and one really low — whatever it is — there's an average that comes. That's the three-year average. We're 27th in the league in cash spending."

So, kinda seems like Kraft and BB are both blaming the other, but only solidifies that fact that the Pats have been of the lowest cash spending teams in the league for a number of years.

It’s dangerous to take quotes out of context and apply them as if they are the response to any question we choose to ask. That’s when it looks like “blame”.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I don’t believe that last sentence is true. He said it when he was taking heat. I believe it was in response to Mayo getting corrected about “cash to burn”

Ya, I'm not saying it is or isn't true.
Just pointing the fact both Bill and Kraft publicly addressed and admitted they were a low cash spending team, despite what PatsFaninVA choses to believe.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

It’s dangerous to take quotes out of context and apply them as if they are the response to any question we choose to ask. That’s when it looks like “blame”.

I don't care who's to blame.
The fact is, low cash spending is a real thing.

 

[silentone]

There's something known as the Billionaire advantage. While most of us who have investments earn 8-9% a year (ex. S&P), billionaires earn 13% on average.

I'm convinced this is how Kraft is looking at things:

"We all agree to make him the highest paid at $32.5m per year, but he wants $65m in guaranteed money up front as a signing bonus. We only want to give him $40m immediately and another $20m in a year, with the remaining guaranteed money in his 6th year."

For Kraft, effectively, a $65m payout becomes a $68m payout because he knows he'll earn $3m on the amount he doesn't pay immediately. The same thinking goes for Gonzalez. He can make 10% on the $60m he gets immediately (before taxes).

$3m may seem like nothing to us, but if Kraft has a policy that says, I'm only shelling out $300m in cash per year, because if I do $400m this year like the Seahawks are doing (and extended the payout into the future), that's a whopping $52m I'm foregoing in investment gains.

Effectively, the Seahawks owner not only paid $100m more than what Kraft would pay, in this scenario, but actually he paid $113m more.

I've never really heard of something called the "Billionaire advantage". Can you tell me more about it?

 

[rochrist]

Youre very confused sonny boy. I was the only one on this messageboard to continually call out Kraft for his shoddy treatment of Mayo.

But, you already know that Krafts contract was a joke. Cleverly worded to dupe Gonzalez's attorneys and agent. Surprising that Gonzo has stated that he wants to stay in NE.

Because of the Orchids Day Spa and all the allegations of bending the rules.

Belichick did not get in either.

What does Belichick have to do with anything?

 

[rochrist]

So, Gonzo refuses to sign a contract that would pay him and his agent.

You have been blasting Kraft and smoking Gonzos pole all this time.

Smoking Gonzos pole. Veery adult of you. We'll see. A absolute blue chip player and they're havijng trouble extending him. What are you going to do when the same thing happens with Maye next year. Not to mention AJ who is likely to want something done. What exactly is YOUR reasoning as to why the Rams can sign all these players to great contracts and we struggle to do one?

 

[Ring 6]

I don't care who's to blame.
The fact is, low cash spending is a real thing.

It is and has been for a long time.

 

[Zuma]

Isn't Kraft getting a new stadium / arena built in the general vicinity ? Maybe he needs $ for the new place...and maybe some Patriots players aren't getting paid?

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

go kick rocks.

/kick!

I don't think Gonzo is Prime Revis sorry.

I was going to say this but for some reason feared the hate that would be directed at me so...thanks for saying what I shoulda... As always.... =D

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Quote from Kraft in 2024:

“Look, we were blessed to have a coach in our system who was a great coach and also understood value,” Kraft added. “He ran a tight ship. They say we’ve been low spenders in the last 10 years, and that might be true, but we had a pretty good record. And we won three Super Bowls. But our coaches have always had the ability to spend at whatever level they wanted.”

They have been low on the cash spending list.
Kraft admitted as much.
Perhaps it's BB's fault as Kraft has suggested, because Bill "ran a tight ship".
And perhaps Kraft really did give Bill, and has given Wolf the unilateral power to spend what they want.

“They say… and that might be true”!isn’t the same as “you know, we’re statistically the cheapest.” It’s also the case that NE’s 2 cheapest years were the last 2, so he snuck in Vrabes’ 2 years into BB’s watch. By the way, it seems there’s now liberal carryover rules. No idea whether it makes sense to Attribute these last couple years’ underspend to carryover.

 

[upstater1]

I've never really heard of something called the "Billionaire advantage". Can you tell me more about it?

Billionaire's grow their assets on average 13% a year while most Americans grow them at the S&P average, much lower. This may have a lot more to do with LEGAL insider trading, like IPOs or angel funds.

 

[upstater1]

/kick!



I was going to say this but for some reason feared the hate that would be directed at me so...thanks for saying what I shoulda... As always.... =D

He's better. Revis was afraid to tackle.

 

[rochrist]

/kick!



I was going to say this but for some reason feared the hate that would be directed at me so...thanks for saying what I shoulda... As always.... =D

Gonzo isn't yet Prime Gonzo.

 

[slash83]

How cool would it be if they were able to agree on the contract and it gets signed before the plane is boarded.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I think Kraft was just as spoiled as we are as fans.
Most of his wealth is the value of the team which is not liquid.

True but it is kind of liquid. It is very easy to get a loan with the Pats cash flow. So the value is not liquid, but the cash flow is so reliable, it is really easy to borrow against for player salary guarantees, or sell equity.

Thunder doesn’t have money to burn.

Thunder can borrow against his cash flow or sell equity. He just sold 8% for over $700M in 2025, so Thunder has cash available.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

So, kinda seems like Kraft and BB are both blaming the other, but only solidifies that fact that the Pats have been of the lowest cash spending teams in the league for a number of years.

Yup, but if you mention that Kraft is cheap then some posters get uptight and nervous and want to defend Kraft. Kraft purposely minimizes yearly cash spent, probably to reduce the risk of money not well spent in FA.

Not spending money in FA (being cheap) will not improve the draft. Kraft is cheap and BB sucked at drafting from 20182019 onwards. That was a deadly combination..

 

[KCSVEN]

Yup, but if you mention that Kraft is cheap then some posters get uptight and nervous and want to defend Kraft. Kraft purposely minimizes yearly cash spent, probably to reduce the risk of money not well spent in FA.

Not spending money in FA (being cheap) will not improve the draft. Kraft is cheap and BB sucked at drafting from 20182019 onwards. That was a deadly combination..

Since BB left there is ZERO evidence Kraft is cheap.

Once Belichick left, Kraft immediately funded a top-10 cash-spending offseason, expanded the payroll to accommodate a significantly larger coaching and scouting staff, and cut the ribbon on a massive, state-of-the-art training facility.

Under BB Pats were in the Super Bowl every other year. They went to 9 SB's and people use the word cheap because of cash spending. Maybe its the typical BB playing chess and not checkers. Maybe the approach to not hand out big money where an injury (Hello Micah Parsons) is right around the corner. In a sport where the average career is less than 4 years it seems the results were that BB was smarter and spent money more wisely than other teams. Only here would people criticize spending over 2 decades for a team that was a dynasty twice! The few times BB opened up the FA check book were some of the worst decisions.

Gonzalez wants to set a bunch of precedents, a guy that missed 1/3 of his games since drafted. He's not a franchise QB which you automatically do that for. With franchise tags he's also under your contractual control for 4 more years, yeah, I get he can hold out or fake an injury. You give into Gonzalez your next free agent period will cost you more. A Milt Williams will now want more guarantees as you can't say you don't do it. The Pats have to decide if they want to break with their standard practice on contracts for Gonzalez. That's just managing your team to maximize the future.