Sanu explains why he was released

[RobertWeathers]

I think Bill did many great things…I denigrate his 2017-present disaster of personnel handling and a botched rebuild, but there’s no question he’s been very important to 6 Super Bowls.

If they go 12-4 this year and Mac Jones starts and plays well there was nothing botched.

 

[Sicilian]

If they go 12-4 this year and Mac Jones starts and plays well there was nothing botched.

Well, aside from the fact that they forgot to play their 17th game

 

[PScottman]

If they go 12-4 this year and Mac Jones starts and plays well there was nothing botched.

Okay so let me get this straight now:
The Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2019 and the bar to clear is a full rebuild back to Super Bowl competing status in less than two off-seasons (including one with COVID)?

Has the ever been in the history of the NFL a successful two-year FULL rebuild (not keeping a core of either a top defense or top offense)?????

As long as we're doing impossible expectations...can we have just ONE thread on this site not devolve into Brady vs Belichick or Liberal vs Conservative?

I might as well follow the herd and request something that could never happen.

 

[Rob0729]

Sanu didn't exactly set the world on fire last year after he left. He had less than 200 yards in 10 games and ended up on his third team in two years.

 

[amfootball]

If they go 12-4 this year and Mac Jones starts and plays well there was nothing botched.

Bill admitted to throwing away last season because he botched the cap so bad and had to reset. Should we just pretend last year never happened?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Bill admitted to throwing away last season because he botched the cap so bad and had to reset. Should we just pretend last year never happened?

That's not what he said at all.

Belichick: Pats' depth issues partly due to cap

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said that his struggling 2020 team doesn't have the same level of depth as some past clubs, in part because of the salary cap, which has led to younger players being thrust into action.

www.espn.com

 

[amfootball]

That's not what he said at all.

Belichick: Pats' depth issues partly due to cap

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said that his struggling 2020 team doesn't have the same level of depth as some past clubs, in part because of the salary cap, which has led to younger players being thrust into action.

www.espn.com

That's exactly what he said. Not just in your link but at other times in the season. He didn't have the money to improve the roster and then he cited only paying Cam $1mil bucks. It was a toss away season because of how poorly he managed the cap the few years prior.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Okay so let me get this straight now:
The Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2019 and the bar to clear is a full rebuild back to Super Bowl competing status in less than two off-seasons (including one with COVID)?

For some of the impatient, instant-gratification fans- yep.

Has the ever been in the history of the NFL a successful two-year FULL rebuild (not keeping a core of either a top defense or top offense)?????

Nope.

As long as we're doing impossible expectations...can we have just ONE thread on this site not devolve into Brady vs Belichick or Liberal vs Conservative?

Doubtful. The BB-Screwed-Up-Everything-And-He-Needs-To-Go crowd are still thirsty for his blood.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Well, aside from the fact that they forgot to play their 17th game

13-4

 

[RobertWeathers]

That's exactly what he said. Not just in your link but at other times in the season. He didn't have the money to improve the roster and then he cited only paying Cam $1mil bucks. It was a toss away season because of how poorly he managed the cap the few years prior.

He said this.

"We're playing more young players than we've played in the past [for a] combination of reasons. We were pretty heavily invested in our team in the past few years.

I know you read this. You just don't want to agree with it.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

That's exactly what he said. Not just in your link but at other times in the season. He didn't have the money to improve the roster and then he cited only paying Cam $1mil bucks. It was a toss away season because of how poorly he managed the cap the few years prior.

He said this.



I know you read this. You just don't want to agree with it.

“Look, we paid [quarterback] Cam Newton $1 million. I mean, it’s obvious we didn’t have any money. It’s nobody’s fault,” he said. “That’s what we did the last five years. We sold out and won three Super Bowls, played in a fourth and played in a AFC Championship game. This year we had less to work with. It’s not an excuse, it’s just a fact.”

Bill Belichick: Patriots ‘sold out’ and now we are doomed

Bill Belichick opened up about the Patriots’ struggles on Monday. Yes, really. This 2020 is one bizarre year. The usually reserved New England coach went on WEEI radio in Boston and broke dow…

nypost.com

 

[RobertWeathers]

“Look, we paid [quarterback] Cam Newton $1 million. I mean, it’s obvious we didn’t have any money. It’s nobody’s fault,” he said. “That’s what we did the last five years. We sold out and won three Super Bowls, played in a fourth and played in a AFC Championship game. This year we had less to work with. It’s not an excuse, it’s just a fact.”

Bill Belichick: Patriots ‘sold out’ and now we are doomed

Bill Belichick opened up about the Patriots’ struggles on Monday. Yes, really. This 2020 is one bizarre year. The usually reserved New England coach went on WEEI radio in Boston and broke dow…

nypost.com

That too.

 

[Steve102]

Oh look, it's another thread b!tching about Belichick.

Should we just pretend last year never happened?

Actually, yeah, that works for me. Covid leveled the field and took away the advantage coaching and practice time. No pre-season, no development, and missed practices. Without those things, you do not have the advantage of superior coaching. You had no money so you paid the only veteran QB who would come here for a pittance, and he's a broken down shell of himself with horrible mechanics and worse decision making. So, yeah, they took a mulligan and reset the roster after a 20 year run. I am good with throwing out all of 2020. That's a great idea.

 

[Deus Irae]

Oh look, it's another thread b!tching about Belichick.

Actually, yeah, that works for me. Covid leveled the field and took away the advantage coaching and practice time. No pre-season, no development, and missed practices. Without those things, you do not have the advantage of superior coaching. You had no money so you paid the only veteran QB who would come here for a pittance, and he's a broken down shell of himself with horrible mechanics and worse decision making. So, yeah, they took a mulligan and reset the roster after a 20 year run. I am good with throwing out all of 2020. That's a great idea.

Covid's not why they had the year they did.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Oh look, it's another thread b!tching about Belichick.

Actually, yeah, that works for me. Covid leveled the field and took away the advantage coaching and practice time. No pre-season, no development, and missed practices. Without those things, you do not have the advantage of superior coaching. You had no money so you paid the only veteran QB who would come here for a pittance, and he's a broken down shell of himself with horrible mechanics and worse decision making. So, yeah, they took a mulligan and reset the roster after a 20 year run. I am good with throwing out all of 2020. That's a great idea.

Just to be clear: PatsFans overwhelmingly said last year the Patriots would have a huge advantage because of superior coaching during the Covid season. Now it’s the 100% opposite take? Also, the Patriots start Stidham - not Newton - if not for Covid. They got Newton for pennies because teams couldn’t bring him in for a physical.

 

[PScottman]

"We were pretty heavily invested in our team in the past few years."

A great statement to dig into and examine. The question I think that this statement should invoke is "can an NFL team truly balance, in a salary cap era, fully stocking a current roster and simultaneously rebuild?"

Leaving aside the uncontrollable variables: injuries, retirements, suspensions, etc that cause roster holes in both the moment and across multiple seasons, can a team realistically, and repeatedly, constantly "reload" vice having to decide to reset?

If the answer is "yes" then wouldn't the following also have to be true - the team MUST hit on (skill position (incl T, LB and CB) starter in rounds 1-3 and at least playing/contributing backup for all other rounds) not just some, but the majority (say 70-80%) of all draft picks in at least every other year regardless of where they select; have all cap clearing measures (such as unscheduled renegotiations (a la Gilmore)), RFA offers, restructures, cuts, option years, etc) go the teams' rather than player's way; and all free agent targets must sign for (and actually be signed as targeted) what the team initially offers?

I don't think all of those is realistic (nor has ever been achieved by any other team in a "perfect" scenario say across a typical five year span where such "rebuild or reload" decision would naturally arise under the current cap and draft system).

In the cap era, most NFL teams are likely to have one or two of those "must be true" corollaries occur with an already in place core; however subsequent years quickly cause those corollaries to exert their force on any roster precipitating a skew toward either rebuild or reload - not both simultaneously.

Reality is more a choice constantly being made right after each season concludes - spend to the cap/trade for with existing stars/players/free agents "in the moment" looking to prop up a roster for the "now" with hope of draft success allowing you to recoup some of that if you do hit on some picks as not just starters but impact/star level immediately

OR

Clear up or gather resources (cap, picks, both) maximizing flexibility you sacrificed for talent "now" to reshape a majority of one or two phases of the team (offense/defense - I do contend you can reshape an entire special teams roster in a single year).

I don't think that, unless the QB and other cap crushing positions such as WR, play at well under market value, a team can balance both reload and rebuild and instead must choose which plan they will execute.

 

[PScottman]

Just to be clear: PatsFans overwhelmingly said last year the Patriots would have a huge advantage because of superior coaching during the Covid season. Now it’s the 100% opposite take?

No, not opposite at all.

That team last year was a 3-5 win team...that somehow won seven games. That was the coaching advantage.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Covid's not why they had the year they did.

Correct. They lost Brady, High, Chung and Cannon...4 key players.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Just to be clear: PatsFans overwhelmingly said last year the Patriots would have a huge advantage because of superior coaching during the Covid season. Now it’s the 100% opposite take? Also, the Patriots start Stidham - not Newton - if not for Covid. They got Newton for pennies because teams couldn’t bring him in for a physical.

Who said that?

Losing Brady, High, KVN, Collins, Chung and Cannon was no such advantage....let's add JE11 to that list as well and Gilly 3/4 thru the season.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

No, not opposite at all.

That team last year was a 3-5 win team...that somehow won seven games. That was the coaching advantage.

Vegas had their over under around 9. No one thought that was a 3-5 win team.