Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The New England Patriots spent a lot of money to build their roster this offseason.
You know the additions by now — tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, along with defensive playmakers Matt Judon, Jalen Mills, Kyle Van Noy, etc., etc. etc.
It was an unprecedented amount of money spent in an unprecedented offseason. Veteran Matthew Slater, who enters his 14th season with the organization, was pleased with the quality of free-agent additions, but offered a realistic response when asked what it means entering the 2021 campaign.
It’s a mindset Patriots fans probably will appreciate.
“Well, you know, it was an exciting time because I think we acquired some fantastic football players, but more importantly we got some great men that are going to be great assets to our locker room,” Slater said during a video conference Monday. “But I understand just as well as anyone else that spending money doesn’t equal results.
“For us, it’s going to be about coming together, executing, respecting the process of trying to get better, of trying to work with one another, and winning each and every day,” Slater continued. “So it is exciting, to an extent. But excitement only gets you so far. At some point you have to go out there and work and earn it and prove it.”
Slater surely isn’t the only one to feel that way. We’re going to assume the catalyst behind the free-agency splurge, Bill Belichick, and many others feel the same way.
And now it’s time to prove it.
