The New England Patriots are tight against the salary cap but need to find ways to make improvements to their roster this offseason.
Bill Belichick has long been a genius on the sidelines. Now he needs to be one in his office.
In 2021, the New England Patriots surprised many, winning 10 games and earning a trip to the playoffs as an AFC wild card. However, they were blasted by the Buffalo Bills, losing 48-10 without stopping Buffalo from scoring a touchdown once. Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Mac Jones struggled down the stretch, only beating the Jacksonville Jaguars over the final four games of the season, including the postseason defeat.
Entering this offseason, New England needs to get going. The Patriots must retain star corner J.C. Jackson either by franchise tag or a long-term deal, and that will only eat into the $8.3 million of cap space they currently have. Tagging Jackson would cost roughly $17 million, putting NewEngland over the threshold with only a few weeks to go before the new league year on March 16.
Last year, the Patriots were themes aggressive team in free agency, spending huge on contracts for outside linebackers Matt Judon and Kyle Van Noy, tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, corner Jalen Mills, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, and receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.
While it added up to being competitive in the AFC East and a playoff berth, it’s hard to make a case for New England as a top-five team in the conference, with the Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens all better-equipped to make a run.
Although retaining Jackson is a must, the Patriots need to figure out an upgrade for their offense. This is a strike against Belichick, who spent well over $100 million last year on the aforementioned quartet of receivers and tight ends above, only to still need a true top weapon.
With limited financial resources and a late first-round pick, New England has to be smart. The Patriots won’t be able to afford the top-tier talents on the market but can still find great value if looking in the right places. A year after shopping with a credit card, it’ll be more of a gift card approach.
For Belichick, a failure to upgrade means the lack of any real hope to compete for another title as he enters his 70s. Not ideal for a man, and a team, not accustomed to being an afterthought.
