On a serious note, I'm starting to wonder if Belichick's salary cap philosophy is tied to red zone defense. I've noted that he's paid big contracts to players like Wilfork, Mayo, Hightower, and Gilmore. All of these guys are very physical and would tend to be better players on a shorter field, the first three being able to own the middle of the field and stop the run. In addition, the decision to break the bank for Gilmore over Butler comes to mind, as Butler is a less physical defender who can be boxed out in the endzone. Belichick didn't even try to resign Chandler Jones and traded away Jamie Collins. I wonder if much of that has to do with their talents being better realized on a long field with more space and passing plays taking longer to develop. Edge rushers are certainly less valuable as you get closer to defending your own goal line, whereas NTs and MLBs become much more valued. Year after year, the Yards Per Game vs Points Per Game confirm the Patriots personnel is best at minimizing points, not yards. With the salary cap, you can't have it all, so perhaps this is Belichick's strategy and why he we rarely understand his decision to spend on certain players but not others.
