In the five seasons of 2014-2018, the Patriots quite clearly ran themselves into the ground. They knew it was ending, so they traded (and had stolen) draft capital for hole-plugging vets, and drafted players they thought could find a way onto a deep, veteran roster. Seems like both coach and QB had no time for developmental players.
For example, why Michel in 2018? Because he could walk onto the field and keep Brady upright in a blitz, while giving them a strong runner for a couple of years, and very much helping them bring a title in 2018. The way people here discount that amazes me - and speaks to an expectation that "of course we're supposed to win every year!"
They had one of the greatest 5-year runs ever. It certainly wasn't all Brady (Rams Superbowl), but he was THE GUY. The GOAT.
But the Pats were playing on borrowed time, with an expensive roster, thin on rookies, high on rentals.
The wheels came off a year earlier than they had to in 2019. They had to take chances to keep it going. Josh Gordon burned out. Antonio Brown exploded, Sanu got hurt and was never going to fix it anyway, and the team ran out of gas so obviously, falling flat.
Then, 2020, with no QB and the COVID year. Clearing the books. The team wasn't going anywhere. For a moment, it looked like Cam Newton might be the short-term answer, though...a brief moment. As an aside, and it doesn't really matter in the long run, I still believe Newton came back with COVID brain - it's very real and slows processing time. They weren't going anywhere anyway.
2021, they took the risks of big FA signings. Judon was a hit. Henry performed as expected, Smith a huge miss, and Agholor (like every other top FA WR that year) a miss. Welcome to Free Agency Follies. Happens every year across the league.
2022 is mostly on BB and his decisions regarding the offense. None of us know the whole story, but wow, what a mess.
I'm only recapping this obvious recent history because, wow again, what a spoiled fanbase. "Three mediocre years"? Look around the league. How many mediocre (or terrible) years do you think the Rams and Bucs are looking at for one ring? Pete Carroll engineered a great run in Seattle that netted them two appearance in the SB and ONE, count 'em, ONE ring. And they've been mediocre since 2015, with only one playoff win. They're also mired in meh now, with their biggest hope being the talent drain from NFC to AFC.
It takes a couple of years for a rookie QB to develop, and you really don't know what you have until it happens or doesn't. There are few exceptions - I think Cinci knew Burrow was special right away. I have no idea if Mac Jones will get where the Pats need him to be to compete at a high level. I thought yes after 2021, but last year...wow.
As far as BB goes, there have been a few mistakes, sure. How can there not be? Personally, I like the team he's constructing right now. They're deep and they're good and they're not looking at cap hell in the future at all. A piece here and a piece there and who knows? The biggest question is QB - it's always the biggest question in the NFL right now with the way they've changed the game, lopsidedly (and detrimentally) so. If Mac Jones comes out slinging in 2023, this team can go a long way. Big "IF," sure - it always is in the NFL.
BB's biggest problem right now might well be his superb coaching, and that part remains superb. The Pats will almost always beat teams with equal or lesser talent. 14 is the highest they've picked in 15 years! And they only had the 7th pick in 2008 because SF sucked in 2007. So really, it's been 20 years - 20 efffing years - since they picked this high because of their record.
I get the restlessness and miss the January games as much as anyone here, but come on.
