BGO's Blind Pig - Episode 1 - Free Agency Preview

[Om]

The Pats are in a difficult posture at this point ... the best interests of the franchise and the best interests of the veteran legendary head coach are not necessarily aligned.

Bill needs to approach this year (and every year hence he's planning to still coach) as a win-now year. I can't see him taking any kind of developmental approach very seriously. Man needs to at the very least challenge for the playoffs in 2021. Drafting a rookie with an eye to possibly starting him just seems like something he ain't gonna do. Hence a known veteran quantity in Cam. He at least gives Bill a realistic shot at competing. My guess is he WILL draft a QB, but who that is and how high remains to be seen.

The franchise? If I'm a Pats fan right now, I'm pretty sure my best case scenario is Bill coaches one more year, we make the playoffs and don't embarrass ourselves, then Bill rides off into the sunset and we start from scratch.

 

[SilentThreat]

The Pats are in a difficult posture at this point ... the best interests of the franchise and the best interests of the veteran legendary head coach are not necessarily aligned.

Bill needs to approach this year (and every year hence he's planning to still coach) as a win-now year. I can't see him taking any kind of developmental approach very seriously. Man needs to at the very least challenge for the playoffs in 2021. Drafting a rookie with an eye to possibly starting him just seems like something he ain't gonna do. Hence a known veteran quantity in Cam. He at least gives Bill a realistic shot at competing. My guess is he WILL draft a QB, but who that is and how high remains to be seen.

The franchise? If I'm a Pats fan right now, I'm pretty sure my best case scenario is Bill coaches one more year, we make the playoffs and don't embarrass ourselves, then Bill rides off into the sunset and we start from scratch.

With the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select - Mac Jones - QB - Alabama

 

[MikefromOH]

With the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select - Mac Jones - QB - Alabama

It will be SO much fun watching them return to Earth now that they can't brag on the 199 pick and Brady winning it all.

 

[Om]

With the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select - Mac Jones - QB - Alabama

Yep, I've seen that projection. If they do it, Bill gets away with both protecting himself on the field for this year with Cam, satisfying the fan base he's still looking at the team's best interests, and leaving his successor a young QB that said guy won't have drafted himself, so that guy can run with him if successful, or easily jetison him if he's a bust ("hey, I didn't draft the kid").

Maybe Bill really IS a genius.

 

[SilentThreat]

Yep, I've seen that projection. If they do it, Bill gets away with both protecting himself on the field for this year with Cam, satisfying the fan base he's still looking at the team's best interests, and leaving his successor a young QB that said guy won't have drafted himself, so that guy can run with him if successful, or easily jetison him if he's a bust ("hey, I didn't draft the kid").

Maybe Bill really IS a genius.

Josh McDaniels?

They have a TON of cap space, they can turn that team around quick

 

[SkinsOrlando]

The question is will the Pats aggressively use the cap space? The days of players taking a discount to play there are gone, so if they want to attract talent they're going to have to spend, something they haven't done.

 

[SilentThreat]

The question is will the Pats aggressively use the cap space? The days of players taking a discount to play there are gone, so if they want to attract talent they're going to have to spend, something they haven't done.

They're required to spend a certain amount... and they've got a surplus of cap space in an offseason that $$ is at a premium.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I think we're going to see some talented players who get cut only take 1 year deals though knowing the cap is going up in the future which could stymie some long term growth - if they want to try the win now approach could be a year to do it

 

[romberjo]

If you give $14 mil in incentives, even if they're unattainable, that locks up that cap $$ and it can't be spent

That's only true if the incentives are "likely to be earned" (i.e., at least roughly, would have been earned based on the prior year's numbers). If the incentives are "not likely to be earned" then they don't count against the cap unless and until they're actually earned. (At least that's my rough understanding/memory from the last CBA and I have no reason to think it's changed.)