If you were Bill, the first 3 things you would do this offseason are...?

[Sciz]

Perhaps this is a little too literal, but we have the first moves:

 

[50-yard-line]

If I was the GM I would do one of two things.

Plan A - Target one or two specific QBs that I believe in and start the rebuild now if you get them.

Plan B - If you can't trade up or if they don't fall to you then you go full tank mode. Trade every pick you possibly can into next year for value. I mean EVERY PICK YOU CAN. Ideally you wouldn't pick once in this draft. Be active in trying to get sneaky value in UDFAs. Unload big contracts for draft picks if you can, if not then unload them anyway. Minimize your cap as much as you can. Put as many low price players on your roster as you can so you can carry forward that space over the next 6 years. The only good plays you should have on the field are core guys who are young, have long contracts and can be part of your plan long term. If you do make a draft pick it better be on a potentially high upside QB in round 3 or something.

After this single awful season you will be in great position to build going forward long term. My only issue with tanking in the NFL is how teams use such half measures. They rarely maximize value in a tank which makes no sense to me.

The Patriots have 27 guys on their roster on their rookie deals. That means that each year that passes, they will have to try to extend several players - so drafting on the other end will be as much replacement as improvement.

Drafting a guy gives you four years - with BB, any player can expect minimal playing time in year one, if they don't get hurt and thrown on IR, and little responsibility in year 2.

This year was an anomaly with so many rookies, second, third year guys flying around. Just because of that, and the cap savings they managed, they're already into their rebuild. They now know what they've got here and can decide what needs fixing. Fill the holes in FA, draft a couple of contributors, find a QB who can manage a game and throw the ball, and go for it. A "push ahead this year/next year strategy" is a hamster wheel of chasing lost assets.

 

[JMC00]

I think Bill will get let go in a yr or two due to the intense media pressure on kraft. There is already a lot of people turning on him in the media and it will get only worse. Kraft will unfortunately cave.

Ya that ain't happening. Kraft will allow Bill to go out on his own terms. There is only one thing that would make Kraft push Belichick out the door and he's in Tampa right now.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Well, we signed Bill Murray, so, uh, we got that going for us.

 

[Simpelton]

Per thread title, if you were BB, what are your top 3 priorities for this offseason?

1: Decide what to do with JC Jackson. This is not as easy a decision as it sounds. The dude is about to get expensive and he's in position to demand CB1 money. His value is also a bit inflated due to playing behind other players so it's an open question whether he's worth CB1 money.

Popular opinion is in favor of shedding Gilmore to make room for Jackson, but Gilmore's injury really spikes that particular wheel. Going the other way may be the correct short term solution, especially if the decision is made to unclog the roster and use the picks gained to restock. Any team in need of some help in the secondary will probably part with reasonable value for JC, and Gilmore should still be good for a few more years.

2: Shore up the linebacking unit. Many of the bigger issues we had that loked like coverage or DL problems actually come down to the devastation of our LB unit. We've spend years building our defense around a strong core of defensive generalists in the LB unit, and we don't have that right now after the loss of guys like Hightower and Van Noy.

3: Come up with a multifaceted solution to the QB problem. This problem didn't get created in 1 year and it's not going to be solved in 1 year and it's certainly not going to be solved with 1 guy. We need 2 things, a bridge guy and a future guy. Frankly I want Andy Dalton as that bridge guy, I think he's got the talent to perform and I think his skillset is correct for the way the Patriots do offense. As for who the future guy is, I have no idea, I don't follow the draft very closely. I know it's not Stidham.

One thing for certain, I would rather have a technically less talented guy learning in a winning system than go in the tank.

 

[WeezyFbaby]

1. Sign best available QB (Jimmy hopefully)
2. Draft best available WR (Please Davonta Smith)
3. Sign Hunter Henry and Kenny Golloday or Chris Godwin

 

[captain stone]

Well, we signed Bill Murray, so, uh, we got that going for us.

Which is nice.

 

[Joker]

The first thing Bill SHOULD do is draft a QB with agility that can already set-up in the pro stance in the pocket AND use his legs to break contain and throw on the run. He doesn't have to be one of these pimped up "superstar!" QB's being marketed unmercifully, he just needs to be a coachable player with the requisite skills, both physically and upstairs. Build around this QB and contend in a couple of season. I'm fine with that. The ADHD "I want it now!" contingent of our fanbase won't like it but I believe this is the best road to return our Patriots to prominence.