Belichick's skill position moves since 2018

[patsinthesnow]

2018:

• Re-sign RB Rex Burkhead 3 years 9.75 million
• Sign RB Jeremy Hill, WR Jordan Matthews & WR Eric Decker as camp competition
• Draft RB Sony Michel 31st overall (round 1)
• Draft WR Braxton Berrios 210th overall (round 6)
• Trade a 5th round pick for WR Josh Gordon & a 7th round pick

Offense result - limited passing game, elite running game, above average offense. Pats advance to the SB on the backs of legends in the AFCCG with Tom, Gronk & Edelman all coming up big in the 4th QTR + OT. Defense seals the deal in the SB.

2019:

• Re-sign WR Phillip Dorsett 1 year 2.6 million
• Tender WR Josh Gordon 1 year 2 million
• Draft WR N'Keal Harry 32nd overall (round 1)
• Draft RB Damien Harris 87th overall (round 3)
• Sign TE Matt LaCosse 2 years 2.8 million
• Sign WR Demaryius Thomas 1 year 2.9 million
• Sign WR Dontrelle Inman 1 year 1.5 million
• Sign TE Ben Watson 1 year 3 million
• Sign WR Antonio Brown 1 year 9 million guaranteed
• Trade a 2nd round pick for WR Mohamed Sanu

Offense result - Tom's worst statistical year of his career adjusted for era. Passing game is so poor BB is punting at midfield in a playoff game with the GOAT at QB.

2020:

• Sign WR Demiere Byrd 1 year 1.4 million
• Draft TE Devin Asiasi 91st overall (round 3)
• Draft TE Dalton Keene 101st overall (round 3)

Offense result - Below average offense & arguably the worst passing offense in the NFL. Team starts a rebuild in part due to striking out the previous two seasons in personnel moves.

2021:

• Re-sign RB James White 1 year 2.4 million
• Sign WR Nelson Agholor 2 years 22 million
• Sign WR Kendrick Bourne 3 years 15 million
• Sign TE Hunter Henry 3 years 37.5 million
• Sign TE Jonnu Smith 4 years 50 million
• Draft RB Rhamondre Stevenson 120th overall (round 4)
• Draft WR Tre Nixon 242nd overall (round 7)

Offense result - Pats score 27 PPG & are 10th in 3rd down pct. with a rookie QB. Bourne is one of the most efficient WRs in the NFL & Hunter Henry has double digit TDs. Stevenson flashes as a rookie.

2022:

• Re-sign RB James White 2 years 5 million
• Tender WR Jakobi Meyers 1 year 3.9 million
• Sign RB Ty Montgomery 2 years 3.6 million
• Trade a 3rd round pick for WR DeVante Parker & a 5th round pick
• Draft WR Tyquan Thornton 50th overall (round 2)
• Draft RB Pierre Strong 127th overall (round 4)
• Draft RB Kevin Harris 183rd overall (round 6)

Offense result - The worst offense of the BB era that is bottom of the league in key areas (3rd down, redzone, etc.). FA hits like Bourne & Henry disappear from the offense.

The pats will have plenty of cap space & draft capital (Panthers 3rd, Rams 4th) next offseason. What faith is there that it will spent wisely based on recent history?

 

[archstanton543]

You forgot signing Cam in 2020.

 

[Toofy]

2018:

• Re-sign RB Rex Burkhead 3 years 9.75 million
• Sign RB Jeremy Hill, WR Jordan Matthews & WR Eric Decker as camp competition
• Draft RB Sony Michel 31st overall (round 1)
• Draft WR Braxton Berrios 210th overall (round 6)
• Trade a 5th round pick for WR Josh Gordon & a 7th round pick

Offense result - limited passing game, elite running game, above average offense. Pats advance to the SB on the backs of legends in the AFCCG with Tom, Gronk & Edelman all coming up big in the 4th QTR + OT. Defense seals the deal in the SB.

2019:

• Re-sign WR Phillip Dorsett 1 year 2.6 million
• Tender WR Josh Gordon 1 year 2 million
• Draft WR N'Keal Harry 32nd overall (round 1)
• Draft RB Damien Harris 87th overall (round 3)
• Sign TE Matt LaCosse 2 years 2.8 million
• Sign WR Demaryius Thomas 1 year 2.9 million
• Sign WR Dontrelle Inman 1 year 1.5 million
• Sign TE Ben Watson 1 year 3 million
• Sign WR Antonio Brown 1 year 9 million guaranteed
• Trade a 2nd round pick for WR Mohamed Sanu

Offense result - Tom's worst statistical year of his career adjusted for era. Passing game is so poor BB is punting at midfield in a playoff game with the GOAT at QB.

2020:

• Sign WR Demiere Byrd 1 year 1.4 million
• Draft TE Devin Asiasi 91st overall (round 3)
• Draft TE Dalton Keene 101st overall (round 3)

Offense result - Below average offense & arguably the worst passing offense in the NFL. Team starts a rebuild in part due to striking out the previous two seasons in personnel moves.

2021:

• Re-sign RB James White 1 year 2.4 million
• Sign WR Nelson Agholor 2 years 22 million
• Sign WR Kendrick Bourne 3 years 15 million
• Sign TE Hunter Henry 3 years 37.5 million
• Sign TE Jonnu Smith 4 years 50 million
• Draft RB Rhamondre Stevenson 120th overall (round 4)
• Draft WR Tre Nixon 242nd overall (round 7)

Offense result - Pats score 27 PPG & are 10th in 3rd down pct. with a rookie QB. Bourne is one of the most efficient WRs in the NFL & Hunter Henry has double digit TDs. Stevenson flashes as a rookie.

2022:

• Re-sign RB James White 2 years 5 million
• Tender WR Jakobi Meyers 1 year 3.9 million
• Sign RB Ty Montgomery 2 years 3.6 million
• Trade a 3rd round pick for WR DeVante Parker & a 5th round pick
• Draft WR Tyquan Thornton 50th overall (round 2)
• Draft RB Pierre Strong 127th overall (round 4)
• Draft RB Kevin Harris 183rd overall (round 6)

Offense result - The worst offense of the BB era that is bottom of the league in key areas (3rd down, redzone, etc.). FA hits like Bourne & Henry disappear from the offense.

The pats will have plenty of cap space & draft capital (Panthers 3rd, Rams 4th) next offseason. What faith is there that it will spent wisely based on recent history?

Great post . Honestly the end seems to be near for Bill . We might lose all 5 down the line . The stakes are higher for all our other opponents and skill level and coaching is also superior


If I were Kraft I am not signing any FA check till it is vetted by Groh
And wolf. Bill the GM has been rank bad. 2021 free agency was an unmitigated disaster.

 

[signbabybrady]

Great post . Honestly the end seems to be near for Bill . We might lose all 5 down the line . The stakes are higher for all our other opponents and skill level and coaching is also superior


If I were Kraft I am not signing any FA check till it is vetted by Groh
And wolf. Bill the GM has been rank bad. 2021 free agency was an unmitigated disaster.

Just curious but why is it assumed that Groh isn't in the same spot as Pioli or Casserio? Why is he Krafts guy even with the Groh name that is clearly connected to the BB tree?

And no way we go 0-5.

 

[JMC00]

2021:
Offense result - Pats score 27 PPG & are 10th in 3rd down pct. with a rookie QB

2022:
Offense result - The worst offense of the BB era that is bottom of the league in key areas

Has zero to do with skill positions.

The current set of offensive skill players is probably the best a Pats team has had since 2017.

Difference between 2021 & 2022 is 2021 they had an OC that is actually an NFL caliber OC that has won multiple SBs and had good to great OL play. 2022 the team has an OC with no history of calling plays that installed a new offense and who is doubling as the OL coach and an OL that is playing bad which i'm sure there is a correlation there.


Kraft needs to step in and tell Belichick to relieve Patricia of his offensive duties and actually go get an NFL caliber OC and OL coach. Let Patricia go take over Ernie Adam's old role with his rocket engineer degree

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

I guess QB isn’t a skill position

 

[TheRainMaker]

2019 was Bill’s worst year.

You forgot he signed a guy who’s always injured in Bruce Ellington and 2019 mini camp hero Maurice Harris.

 

[State]

The $50 million for Jonnu Smith seems iffy now. He’s not yet at even 200 yards receiving. And he’s scheduled to earn $17 million next year.

Any other GM would be on the hot seat for moves like this.

Other than striking gold with Rhamondre, it’s a long train of whiffs, misfires, and poor judgment.

Hey, Krafts, seen enough?

 

[VrabelJr]

Aside from drafting Harry, what else do you do in 2019? We’re fresh off a Super Bowl and wanted to contend again. In hindsight it’s clear that the wheels were coming off in 2018 but we rallied the troops to steal a Super Bowl.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The $50 million for Jonnu Smith seems iffy now. He’s not yet at even 200 yards receiving. And he’s scheduled to earn $17 million next year.

Saying the Smith signing is "Iffy" is being beyond polite.

 

[ashley]

The $50 million for Jonnu Smith seems iffy now. He’s not yet at even 200 yards receiving. And he’s scheduled to earn $17 million next year.

Any other GM would be on the hot seat for moves like this.

Other than striking gold with Rhamondre, it’s a long train of whiffs, misfires, and poor judgment.

Hey, Krafts, seen enough?

Last two drafts have been really good, made good free agent pickups on defense- Judon, Mills, Peppers, God etc. Comingvoff a playoff loss last year with a rookie qb where we were depleted with injuries, let's see what we do this off-season. Going to be huge for us!!

 

[RobertWeathers]

Has zero to do with skill positions.

The current set of offensive skill players is probably the best a Pats team has had since 2017.

Difference between 2021 & 2022 is 2021 they had an OC that is actually an NFL caliber OC that has won multiple SBs and had good to great OL play. 2022 the team has an OC with no history of call playing that installed a new offense and who is doubling as the OL coach and an OL that is playing bad which i'm sure there is a correlation there.


Kraft needs to step in and tell Belichick to relief Patricia of his offensive duties and actually go get an NFL caliber OC and OL coach. Let Patricia go take over Ernie Adam's old role with his rocket engineer degree

I wonder if BB would be amendable to this kind of face-saving messaging if Bob broached the subject about basically what constitutes a demotion..

re: Holmgren/Seahawks 2002

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Mike Holmgren stepped down Tuesday as general manager of the Seattle Seahawks but will remain the coach, a move that Holmgren and team officials hope will deliver a Super Bowl title someday.

"We wanted to free up Mike to do more coaching. There's only so many hours in the day,'' team president Bob Whitsitt said. "Clearly, we need Mike on the field as much as possible.''

Holmgren insisted on being the Seahawks' general manager when he left the Green Bay Packers four years ago but said he was giving up this job willingly.

"I think the biggest title you can have is Super Bowl champion,'' said Holmgren, who won the NFL title at Green Bay. "It wasn't a particularly difficult thing for me. My No. 1 goal is winning.''

Seahawks' Holmgren loses GM title, fires five assistants

Mike Holmgren will continue as coach of the Seattle Seahawks but relinquish his role as general manager of the team, Seahawks president Bob Whitsitt said Tuesday.

a.espncdn.com

 

[VrabelJr]

I wonder if BB would be amendable to this kind of face-saving messaging if Bob broached the subject about basically what constitutes a demotion..

re: Holmgren/Seahawks 2002

Seahawks' Holmgren loses GM title, fires five assistants

Mike Holmgren will continue as coach of the Seattle Seahawks but relinquish his role as general manager of the team, Seahawks president Bob Whitsitt said Tuesday.

a.espncdn.com

It didn’t really work for Holmgren until he evolved into Andy Reid and finally won a Super Bowl with KC.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It didn’t really work for Holmgren until he evolved into Andy Reid and finally won a Super Bowl with KC.

I don't follow

The Seasquawks went to the SB in 2005

 

[State]

The TB Effect.

 

[VrabelJr]

I don't follow

The Seasquawks went to the SB in 2005

Shaun Alexander and the OL were good but kind of a down year in the NFL. Too bad we got Jake Plummer’ed and the Champ Bailey crap. Could have done a three peat.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Shaun Alexander and the OL were good but kind of a down year in the NFL. Too bad we got Jake Plummer’ed and the Champ Bailey crap. Could have done a three peat.

OK so Holmgren didn't deserve credit b/c the NFL was in a down year- got it.

 

[State]

Hunter Henry— 3 years $37.5 Million; 25 Million guaranteed.

Jonnu Smith— 4 years $ 50 million; 31.25 Million guaranteed.

That’s tops in the league in cap space.

The Krafts probably don’t think there’s been a good return on the investment.

In my line of work, people get reprimanded then fired for numbers like that.

 

[Toofy]

You forgot signing Cam in 2020.

Hunter Henry— 3 years $37.5 Million; 25 Million guaranteed.

Jonnu Smith— 4 years $ 50 million; 31.25 Million guaranteed.

That’s tops in the league in cap space.

The Krafts probably don’t think there’s been a good return on the investment.

In my line of work, people get reprimanded then fired for numbers like that.

Agholor 2 years 25
Wynn 1 year 10.5

 

[archstanton543]

Agholor 2 years 25
Wynn 1 year 10.5

To be fair, this thread is about skill position players so Wynn doesn't count. But the OP didn't include QB's so it's a bit odd.