BB Admits 2020 Is Bridge Year

[Lagaffe_07]

Tanking does more damage to your franchise than any draft pick could add.

I think the damage to the franchise had began with the benching of Butler and culminated with pushing Brady out the door.

the patriots this year doesn’t look like the patriots. The recipe for years was fundamental football, don’t make mistakes, do your job. This year they shot themselves in the foot more than ever, the fundamental are not good, they can’t tackle on defense. It is weird.

This year we have a turnover ratio of -2. Last year it was +21. hard to win when you don’t have that much talent and you make so many mistakes.

 

[203Pat]

You are like a heat seeking missile for "fault." Most of the stuff that happens in life isn't anyone's fault, it is just circumstance unfolding over time .
Sure, we are all disappointed. Redirecting that disappointment doesn't help anyone.

I can respect that. To be honest it’s frustration with the state of the roster and it being a big part of why Brady isn’t here anymore.

 

[Doctor DDS]

The actions the Pats took this off season were obviously about dealing with the cap so BB admitting it was a rebuild was certainly not news.

The 2019 team started the year as a serious contender to win the Super Bowl. The defense was excellent and the offense seemed to have just enough to get it done after blowing out the Steelers, Dolphins and Jets to start the year. Brady was off to an MVP type start with over 900 yards, 7 TDs and no picks. A few games later they are w/o Gordon and AB is gone. Add in a couple injuries on the OL and Brady is the most "miserable 7-0" QB in the league. BB knew that they needed WR to have a chance to compete so he went out and got Sanu. Appeared to be an overpay by a round or 2 at the time and in hindsight was even worse than that but it certainly made sense at the time. Unfortunately after a 10 catch, 81 yards and a TD game against the Ravens Sanu got hurt and the rest was history. The salary cap cost of AB and the draft capital spent on Sanu clearly stung and am sure were part of BB's thought process this offseason.

The 2020 Pats were now looking at an aging QB, lousy WR and TE options and little money to deal with it. BB could have restructured a bunch of contracts to create some cap room, resign Brady and try to add a WR or 2 but it would have come at a serious cost to the 2021 and 2022 cap. My sense is he felt that even if he did that the Pats would still likely be a tier 2 team and while they could have competed for the division and maybe even 1 playoff win he did not think they could realistically compete for the Super Bowl. He therefore decided to accelerate the rebuild by clearing some cap space. He still made some moves to try and remain competitive and if they stayed particularly healthy and Cam had played closer to what many of us hoped the Pats could seemingly be 4-3 right now instead of 2-5.

I absolutely love Brady and will support him as long as he plays football but I can understand why BB made the moves he made. If the goal is championships vs just being competitive then the path he took is certainly logical. His drafting the past 4 or 5 years has been uninspiring (though not as bad as some make it out to be) as has his FA pickups and they'll need a huge off season to right the ship. Obviously need to find the QB of the future but assuming that is secured they are only a couple WR/TE and a defensive player or 2 away from being a serious Super Bowl contender again.

 

[1960Pats]

I've heard or read nothing that was an excuse. He was simply providing reasons.

You say tomato I say tomahto.

 

[Uptown]

Why a Patriots rebuild isn't likely to take long

Bill Belichick did not do a good job setting up the 2020 New England Patriots for success. His depth chart is thin -- everywhere. He admitted as much, and pointed to salary cap constraints, a problem he created through dead money with Tom Brady's and Anton

patriotswire.usatoday.com

 

[Mack Herron]

Good thing we don’t need any big run stuffers.

 

[203Pat]

Good thing we don’t need any big run stuffers.

Was he hurt when we signed him or did he get injured his first 5 minutes into camp?

 

[Mike the Brit]

Good thing we don’t need any big run stuffers.

Like the post, hate the message!

 

[sb1]

Was he hurt when we signed him or did he get injured his first 5 minutes into camp?

 

[Sciz]

Was he hurt when we signed him or did he get injured his first 5 minutes into camp?

He participated in conditioning practices on August 6 and 7. He was not present for any practices open to the media, which I believe started on August 14.

 

[Uptown]

 

[TheRainMaker]

They hardly had guys signed to big contracts. Brady making way less than market value, no high priced skill players on Offense. Gilmore and McCourty as the biggest contracts on Defense. So the big mystery many people want to know is...where the hell did all that money go?

And signing guys like Beau Allen in the off season was a reason I'm glad Tom left.

 

[JMC00]

They hardly had guys signed to big contracts. So the big mystery many people want to know is...where the hell did all that money go?

All that stuff is easily accessible


$26m in dead money, around $20m of that is Brady & Brown. Which wasn't Belichick that was Bobby Kraft.
Thuney on the franchise tag at $14m
Gilmore is a $23m cap hit

$57m of $198m (almost a 1/3 of the cap) on 4 players, 2 of them playing elsewhere right now.

 

[RobertWeathers]

They hardly had guys signed to big contracts. Brady making way less than market value, no high priced skill players on Offense. Gilmore and McCourty as the biggest contracts on Defense. So the big mystery many people want to know is...where the hell did all that money go?

And signing guys like Beau Allen in the off season was a reason I'm glad Tom left.

There is no mystery.

 

[wpdougie2180]

Bill never made excuses. Ever. But now when he looks bad with drafting and roster management, suddenly excuses are ok.

 

[SVN]

when bill doesnt say anyting people are pissed. when he is being honest, he is making excuses.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

I hope for an active trade deadline. Hopefully, the Pats can add picks for players that won't be here long term. I trust that the Pats will be able to use all their cap space next year to greatly improve upon what we have now. If they can upgrade at QB through the draft next year, then they can bring in some talent at WR, TE, DL, and linebacker in free agency and the team is good again.

 

[SVN]

this is volin and gasper's moment


just wait. these guys will want bill fired by end of this year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

this is volin and gasper's moment


just wait. these guys will want bill fired by end of this year.

There aren't many "writers" I truly despise more than Gasper the Smarmy Elitist.

With that said though it is interesting BB is taking to spinning the, "not a lot to work with" and "we are paying for going all-in in past years", yarn.

 

[sb1]

There aren't many "writers" I truly despise more than Gasper the Smarmy Elitist.

With that said though it is interesting BB is taking to spinning the, "not a lot to work with" and "we are paying for going all-in in past years", yarn.

Perhaps putting the spotlight on himself instead of his players? I don’t think he would need to do that...the focus would be on him regardless.

Or maybe it’s some sort of subtle dig at Kraft for having JG sent packing and Tom staying which is opposite of what he wanted.

I don’t mind he’s “breaking character” but this is not the Bill we know for sure. I’m sure he’s saying all of this for a reason.