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

[Foxypats]

QB has to be the focus. You can have all the talent in the world, but if no one to throw the ball it won't matter.
WR/TE has to also be the focus. There are so many good players that are becoming free agents- Henry Hunter, Jared Cook, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Marvin Jones, Will fuller to name a few. Any of these would help the team tremendously, even Chris Goodwin is a free agent after his year, also Juju Smith Shuster. Some of these guys are still only in their mid 20's, lot's of upsides !
Bill needs to open the purse strings this off season. My biggest fear is that no one will want to sign with us if we don't have a decent QB !
And then we need to improve on the run d. It has been atrocious this year.
I really hope Hightower comes back , I don't want them to trade Gilmour, we need him back too , only trade him if you can get a first round pick for him and I doubt that will happen.

 

[1960Pats]

QB has to be the focus. You can have all the talent in the world, but if no one to throw the ball it won't matter.
WR/TE has to also be the focus. There are so many good players that are becoming free agents- Henry Hunter, Jared Cook, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Marvin Jones, Will fuller to name a few. Any of these would help the team tremendously, even Chris Goodwin is a free agent after his year, also Juju Smith Shuster. Some of these guys are still only in their mid 20's, lot's of upsides !
Bill needs to open the purse strings this off season. My biggest fear is that no one will want to sign with us if we don't have a decent QB !
And then we need to improve on the run d. It has been atrocious this year.
I really hope Hightower comes back , I don't want them to trade Gilmour, we need him back too , only trade him if you can get a first round pick for him and I doubt that will happen.

If they trade Gilmore then I'm hoping they trade him for a proven player (or players) at a position of need.

 

[mgteich]

Excellent with one tiny moan. Any draft with Joe Thuney has to be a good draft; he’s the best OG they’ve ever had, on par with Hannah, better than Mankins. Mitchell, Kruger-Hill, Brissett and Roberts were also productive players.

Re-reading Florio’s article just made me angry again. I had forgotten about the equipment fine mentioned by Judge Katzmann. Fwiw, there’s a pretty good chance he was the smartest person in that courtroom that day.

 

[mgteich]

There have been many list of the "greatest of all" time. Thuney is a fine guard and one of the best in the NFL. Comparing him to Hannah is a strange idea. Hannah was the best of all time. One can argue about the list. I wouldn't put Thuney in the top 10.

Gil Brandt's greatest NFL guards of all time

NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best guards in NFL history. Take a look at how they stack up.

www.nfl.com

 

[Huckleberry1]

1. Land a franchise QB
2. Land a franchise QB
3. Land a franchise QB

Can't fix everything in one off-season but the QB situation MUST be fixed NOW.

When Cam's passing yards are the worst since Scott Secules we've bottomed out

I think you get the franchise QB if there is one available, and that may not be the case. To me the most likely scenario is a reunion with Garrapolo, if they can work out the deal and the $$$. I will always have concerns about his durability, but he knows their system better than anyone, and if he’s healthy and they improve their receiving then it could be their best option.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Wow, I’m shocked to see that the same people who were miserable when they were winning 80% of their games, and Lombardi’s left and right, are still miserable. And I thought for sure that losing would brighten up their dispositions.

The Patriots are coming off the greatest run of success in NFL history, and rebuilding the team to a consistent championship level is going to take some time. It’s possible that Belichick will find a QB who can help them win a championship in the next year or two, but it’s unlikely. The more likely scenario is that he builds them systematically filling leadership roles and adding the best talent he can find for each unit as he sees it available. I don’t see him packaging his draft to move up for a QB, and I don’t see him spending big money on individual free agents until he sees one that he believes can make a big difference for their chances to win a Lombardi. Overall I think the philosophy will remain the same, build a team that can be in the playoffs every season, and try to run the table in the playoffs. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing how they go about getting back to the top, and I have complete confidence in their ability to get there.

 

[amfootball]

Wow, I’m shocked to see that the same people who were miserable when they were winning 80% of their games, and Lombardi’s left and right, are still miserable. And I thought for sure that losing would brighten up their dispositions.

The Patriots are coming off the greatest run of success in NFL history, and rebuilding the team to a consistent championship level is going to take some time. It’s possible that Belichick will find a QB who can help them win a championship in the next year or two, but it’s unlikely. The more likely scenario is that he builds them systematically filling leadership roles and adding the best talent he can find for each unit as he sees it available. I don’t see him packaging his draft to move up for a QB, and I don’t see him spending big money on individual free agents until he sees one that he believes can make a big difference for their chances to win a Lombardi. Overall I think the philosophy will remain the same, build a team that can be in the playoffs every season, and try to run the table in the playoffs. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing how they go about getting back to the top, and I have complete confidence in their ability to get there.

I agree. We are in for a long rebuild.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I agree. We are in for a long rebuild.

I think it’s likely to be a 3-5 year project to get back to the top on a consistent basis, but if they hit on the right QB then that will obviously speed things up. Garrapolo could get them there but he will need a really strong team and offensive weapons around him.

 

[Thelonious]

Wow, I’m shocked to see that the same people who were miserable when they were winning 80% of their games, and Lombardi’s left and right, are still miserable. And I thought for sure that losing would brighten up their dispositions.

The Patriots are coming off the greatest run of success in NFL history, and rebuilding the team to a consistent championship level is going to take some time. It’s possible that Belichick will find a QB who can help them win a championship in the next year or two, but it’s unlikely. The more likely scenario is that he builds them systematically filling leadership roles and adding the best talent he can find for each unit as he sees it available. I don’t see him packaging his draft to move up for a QB, and I don’t see him spending big money on individual free agents until he sees one that he believes can make a big difference for their chances to win a Lombardi. Overall I think the philosophy will remain the same, build a team that can be in the playoffs every season, and try to run the table in the playoffs. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing how they go about getting back to the top, and I have complete confidence in their ability to get there.

If you have "complete confidence" at this point, you're the one laboring under a fog of delusion concerning this so-called team, not those who are questioning decisions which have resulted in one of the worst teams in the league and the dead-on worst offense "led" by the league's worst quarterback. I've been a fan since the mid-sixties. I don't need any lectures from some delusional fanboy who can't face the reality here.

 

[Huckleberry1]

If you have "complete confidence" at this point, you're the one laboring under a fog of delusion concerning this so-called team, not those who are questioning decisions which have resulted in one of the worst teams in the league and the dead-on worst offense "led" by the league's worst quarterback. I've been a fan since the mid-sixties. I don't need any lectures from some delusional fanboy who can't face the reality here.

Belichick has led them to greatest dynasty in NFL history,and it lasted 20 years, anyone who doesn’t trust him to be able to get them back to a contender status is either a hater or a moron. If you think any coach/GM can produce championship teams endlessly then you are seriously deluded. And if you don’t like what I have to say feel free to put me on ignore, I really don’t give a ****. Have fun being miserable because your team doesn’t win every time.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Pass Rush, Run Stop, Pass Rush in that order!

 

[archstanton543]

If they trade Gilmore then I'm hoping they trade him for a proven player (or players) at a position of need.

He's coming off a season-ending injury. You're not going to get much for him...he's also going to be a year older.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Pass Rush, Run Stop, Pass Rush in that order!

I think run stop comes first because if you can’t stop the run then you are completely screwed defensively. I also like Winovich and Uche as young pass rushers. That said you are far more likely to be able to fix run stopping in free agency than you are your pass rush, as the top pass rushers are usually cost prohibitive. So if you can address run stopping in free agency you can add to your pass rush in the draft. And ultimately I tend towards the best players in the draft over need. It’s not that you don’t address need there it’s just that taking lesser players for need leads to weaker teams overall.

 

[mgteich]

Where would we have been this year with one of the midlevel QB's?

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

I think run stop comes first because if you can’t stop the run then you are completely screwed defensively. I also like Winovich and Uche as young pass rushers. That said you are far more likely to be able to fix run stopping in free agency than you are your pass rush, as the top pass rushers are usually cost prohibitive. So if you can address run stopping in free agency you can add to your pass rush in the draft. And ultimately I tend towards the best players in the draft over need. It’s not that you don’t address need there it’s just that taking lesser players for need leads to weaker teams overall.

If your early down run defense holds up well, it sets up the third down pass defense for a better sitaution. Need a run stop DE and NT to fix that. Pass rush could need some help inside next to butler if we resign him from a DE 5 tech standpoint.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Where would we have been this year with one of the midlevel QB's?

Same outcome, no playoffs. As bad as Newton was he had poor receiving options downfield, and their OL struggled with injuries all season. But he gets all the blame for their short passing game as he was atrocious throwing to the backs, White was wide open throughout the season and Newton was missing him by a mile. The ST’s were strong throughout the year, but the defense was inconsistent, in some part due to the inability of the offense to convert on 3rd downs.No sooner would they get to the bench than they would be heading back out. This just wasn’t a playoff team, and a mid level QB wouldn’t have made much difference.

 

[Bradybranch]

1. Keep Mcdaniels - the offense has the worst passer in the league, the worst TE, and no #1 WR. people expect the coaches to be able to polish a turd.
2. Evaluate who is coming back and who is not, including the covid quitters. We have a lot of cap space so most of the players can walk, while we look to upgrade. Thuney should be offered a long term contract. Tender JC Jackson at a first rounder and see if you can work out a long term deal. Given the Pats ability to find DB'S, take the 1st rounder if another team wants him. Shop Gilmore but only trade him if you get a 1st. Let Cam's contract expire and don't even give him a phone call.
3. Work the draft and free agency to find a QB, WR1, TE1, DT. A stud pash rusher would be nice along with plenty of new bodies in the front 7.

 

[Huckleberry1]

He's coming off a season-ending injury. You're not going to get much for him...he's also going to be a year older.

Gilmore is an elite player but you are right that they won’t get real value for him in a trade. Let him play his deal out and sign J.C. Jackson to a new deal.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Belichick has led them to greatest dynasty in NFL history,and it lasted 20 years, anyone who doesn’t trust him to be able to get them back to a contender status is either a hater or a moron. If you think any coach/GM can produce championship teams endlessly then you are seriously deluded. And if you don’t like what I have to say feel free to put me on ignore, I really don’t give a ****. Have fun being miserable because your team doesn’t win every time.

That was all with the greatest QB of all time and that needs to be acknowledged when arguing the 20 year run. BB is back to the year 2000 level when he had a $100M QB struggle through 18 games (5-13). If Bill does not find an above average QB at worst and draft the way he's been drafting since 2013, these are the results were going to get.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think we bring back Gilmore. He may not be a great tackler anymore, but he is still a superior tackler.

we will need a new corner to replace j mccourty.