Win or lose?

[SlowGettingUp]

You can say that they haven't drafted well. You can say they reached when they didn't have to. You can say they missed so many good players that were right there for the picking. I will agree with every single one of those points.

Drafting (like investing) is really easy in retrospect. We all focus on the winners we could have had, ignore the busts we might have had, and complain about the busts we did have. Our eyes are simply inexorably drawn to that guy who turned out to be a star and that was drafted well after some bust of ours.

My bigger complaint this year is they went cheap when nearly all other teams used void years and the like to borrow heavily from future caps. That's a deliberate strategic decision on their part - quite different from whether they lucked-out or screwed-up on a player they drafted.

 

[Pape]

Drafting (like investing) is really easy in retrospect. We all focus on the winners we could have had, ignore the busts we might have had, and complain about the busts we did have.

My bigger complaint this year is they went cheap when nearly all other teams used void years and the like to borrow heavily from future caps. That's a deliberate strategic decision on their part - quite different from whether they lucked-out or screwed-up on a player they drafted.

could the Patriots avoiding cap flexible void years be tied to the number of (what I consider decent, but not top end) free agents who's contracts are up at the end of this year?

2024 UFAs: Michael Onwenu, Hunter Henry, Kyle Dugger, Trent Brown, Kendrick Bourne, Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche, Mack Wilson... there are 23 or 24 ufas... Of the 8 guys listed, how many are wanted back? How many will re-up? What will the associated cost be?

While I agree the Patriots could be more dynamic in their cap machinations, in the end all it does is eat up future cap dollars... Now if we truly had a High Quality player/free agent (Judon) or wanted to bring one in, by all means, play the cap game... but the quality of our free agents is fairly midlin', so I don't expect that type of clause to be heavily used...

 

[UrbanCowboy]

could the Patriots avoiding cap flexible void years be tied to the number of (what I consider decent, but not top end) free agents who's contracts are up at the end of this year?

2024 UFAs: Michael Onwenu, Hunter Henry, Kyle Dugger, Trent Brown, Kendrick Bourne, Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche, Mack Wilson... there are 23 or 24 ufas... Of the 8 guys listed, how many are wanted back? How many will re-up? What will the associated cost be?

While I agree the Patriots could be more dynamic in their cap machinations, in the end all it does is eat up future cap dollars... Now if we truly had a High Quality player/free agent (Judon) or wanted to bring one in, by all means, play the cap game... but the quality of our free agents is fairly midlin', so I don't expect that type of clause to be heavily used...

I hope we get all 8 back! I do think we/Bill need to shift more towards keeping those who earned it -- rather slight overpay for our own than for free agents. You need more continuity with the less practice time available these days.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Kindof in a bizarre spot for me... a Win Win with a 4-11 team. If the Pats win, I'm happy. If they lose, I'm content.

Win 2 - Tells me Zap is worthy of starting at least the beginning of next year. Plus beating both Bills and Jets would be fun. Possible #9 pick overall be damned.
Win 1 - Lock in the 4th pick (99% sure on this) and beat either the Bills or Jets.
Lose 2 - Lock in the 3rd pick and possibly get #1 overall.

 

[goheels22002]

Would you rather see the Patriots win the last 2 games, and finish on a win streak. Or lose the last 2 games and get a higher Draft pick?

The Patriots have draft capital and veterans who can be used to move up from the 4 to 7 pick to two or three. That Bears pick at #1 is ripe for a trade, if they decide they have their franchise QB in Justin Fields but want to fill in a number of other areas of need in 2024.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The Patriots have draft capital and veterans who can be used to move up from the 4 to 7 pick to two or three. That Bears pick at #1 is ripe for a trade, if they decide they have their franchise QB in Justin Fields but want to fill in a number of other areas of need in 2024.

So much depends upon the Belichick decision. If he stays, which is looking less likely by the day, then I don’t see them moving up because he just doesn’t seem to think it’s worth the cost, which is always high. If he goes and the new GM is aggressive then we might see a move up. I hope so, because I really want a franchise caliber QB. I have nothing against Zappe, but I don’t think he will ever be that.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I wonder how much this is breaking down along the lines of those who are really into the Draft, and those who don’t care that much about it? Personally the draft was one of the things that got me the most interested in football, and I have always followed it closely, and really care about it in terms of team development, so for me it’s always been a big deal, and I value their picks. So once they are eliminated from contention my focus goes to the Draft, and what they really need going forward.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

If he stays, which is looking less likely by the day

Not sure that's the case. Seems more up in the air than it was a few weeks ago. I predict he stays - it's the path of least resistance for Kraft. Give him one more chance to re-jigger the offense with the high draft pick and the significant cap space.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Lose both with a respectable effort. The Jet's game has me very nervous ... our defense can more than handle their offense. Even if not drafting one of the top 3 QB's the high position could allow multiple trade downs. Even if the 2nd trade down gets us a 1 next year and something else for now.

 

[*ChungFu*]

Beating the Jets to end the season helps ease the pain of this season and won't change anything should we lose to the Bills. I can't root for a loss to the Bills but I can accept a moral victory.

 

[oldrover]

 

[The Gr8est]

Winning the next two games won't make the remaining players feel less like losers, it won't change the complexion of this season, it won't even be remembered this time next year.

Hitting on a high draft pick QB will be remembered and more impactful

So will missing on the high QB pick.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Winning the next two games won't make the remaining players feel less like losers, it won't change the complexion of this season, it won't even be remembered this time next year.

Hitting on a high draft pick QB will be remembered and more impactful

Of course winning the next 2 games will make them feel less like losers. It'll make them think Mac was the reason why they lost. 7 one score losses! Mac will certainly feel like more of a loser.

This is all speculation, as it'll be tough to win in BUF, regardless.

 

[Steve102]

My opinion on win vs lose is unchanged.


The loss is more palatable in this case, because you can see the draft position improve. But... C'mon.

 

[lancerman]

So will missing on the high QB pick.

You can't avoid taking the swing because you are afraid of striking out. Too many people get gun shy. We are just as likely to draft an OL and have them bust as we are a QB or trade down and draft a bunch of scrubs.

You're better off spending your top pick on a QB 3-4 years in a row until you hit on a legit top end franchise guy.

 

[lancerman]

Of course winning the next 2 games will make them feel less like losers. It'll make them think Mac was the reason why they lost. 7 one score losses! Mac will certainly feel like more of a loser.

This is all speculation, as it'll be tough to win in BUF, regardless.

To who? Every single one of them still goes home the day after the regular season ends, the narrative is that they sucked that year and were the 2nd team out of the playoff picture, they still have either 4-6 wins and double digit losses. Nobody in the league or media is going to say "hey your team wasn't drizzling landslide ****s this year because you won a few at the end".

 

[Sect140]

Goose bumps!

 

[Jim Beankie]

To who? Every single one of them still goes home the day after the regular season ends, the narrative is that they sucked that year and were the 2nd team out of the playoff picture, they still have either 4-6 wins and double digit losses. Nobody in the league or media is going to say "hey your team wasn't drizzling landslide ****s this year because you won a few at the end".

To the players not named Mac. You said "feel less like losers." Winning 6 games versus 4 games will make players feel less like losers, especially potentially winning 4 out of the last 5 games. Considering the circumstances (that Mac unfortunately sucked), that'd be even more so. Seems pretty clear cut to me. You telling me that the players on the 0-16 Browns in 2017 felt the same level of loserdom as the Five 9-7 teams who went "home the day after the regular season ends"? Yeah I don't think so.

 

[Ring 6]

To who? Every single one of them still goes home the day after the regular season ends, the narrative is that they sucked that year and were the 2nd team out of the playoff picture, they still have either 4-6 wins and double digit losses. Nobody in the league or media is going to say "hey your team wasn't drizzling landslide ****s this year because you won a few at the end".

If they end the season 4-1, and that ending pretty much shows the world this was a order good team with crap at qb holding them back, that has a much bigger impact on the future of the franchise than a draft slot or 2.

 

[upstater1]

The draft will be interesting.

First, there's at best a 3% chance of a victory against the Bills. We're banged up, more than in the 1st game. So I take it the Patriots will be drafting 4th.

The Bears are not a lock to take a QB at #1. They may run it back with Fields. WR and LT could be in the works for them.

If they do take a QB, I'd consider thinking about an LT, a WR with a small trade back, and a trade for Fields.

It's going to be interesting, it's going to be wild.

I don't think the Patriots are harmed by beating the Jets.