Why Patriots Trending In Right Path Despite Lack Of ‘Fireworks’

The NFL hype machine is back in the sports news cycle following the first day of the legal tampering period, and the New England Patriots were wise not to get caught up in the frenzy.

Multiple big names agreed to massive deals Monday. Kirk Cousins reportedly agreed to a $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons despite coming off an Achilles injury entering his age-36 season. Baker Mayfield reportedly will stay with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a $110 million contract. And Christian Wilkins reportedly agreed to a $110 million deal as he enters his age-29 season coming off a peak season.

There were also big moves in the trade market with the Cleveland Browns reportedly acquiring Jerry Jeudy for two late-round picks, and the New York Giants reportedly making an aggressive move to acquire Brian Burns.

Meanwhile, New England reportedly traded Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick. And its reported agreements are marginal except for Michael Onwenu, who was viewed as a “core” player by de facto general manager and director of scouting Eliot Wolf.

Scott Zolak of 98.5 The Sports Hub got Patriots fans going when he posted on social media Sunday that there’d be “fireworks.” It’s a subjective term, but the first day of the legal tampering period was hardly anything close to what Zolak described. But that’s OK.

“Winning” free agency should not be the goal for the Patriots. Remember when everyone raved about the Philadelphia Eagles adding D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny? Swift is on track to leave Philly for the Chicago Bears, and Penny was a nonfactor in 2023. Orlando Brown Jr. was the best tackle on the market, but he struggled in his first season with the Cincinnati Bengals. The New York Jets went all in on Aaron Rodgers and his friends ended up stuck with a mediocre roster.

There is so much variance in the NFL. What looks like an awesome move in the spring could prove to be a disaster by the middle of the season. It’s why New England’s patient approach is a wise one from Wolf and Jerod Mayo.

Is it a bad look to bring back top players from a team that went 4-13? Yes, but you need veterans on a roster that is expected to be comprised of young, blue-chip stars of the future. And it’s not like the Patriots are bringing everyone back. Jones and DeVante Parker are on their way out and JuJu Smith-Schuster might depart New England as well.

The Patriots agreed to a deal with Jacoby Brissett, which puts them in line to draft a quarterback at No. 3. However, by avoiding deals with Cousins, Mayfield, and Russell Wilson, New England still has the option to trade for Justin Fields. The Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers took themselves out of the quarterback market by reportedly agreeing to sign Cousins and Wilson, respectively. That leaves fewer suitors, and if the Chicago Bears do plan on taking Caleb Williams at No. 1, that could drive Fields’ price lower if they become desperate to maintain as good public will as possible by letting the 2021 first-round pick leave before the 2024 NFL Draft.

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New England should be using its massive amount of cap space to sign options who are more guaranteed to be productive rather than buying high on players like Mayfield and Wilkins or trying to salvage what could already be a dead career in Wilson.

Calvin Ridley would be a great No. 1 receiver for whoever the starting quarterback will be, and Jonah Williams still is available as a solid tackle option. New England also can target players like Sione Takitaki, a talented player who can be acquired without spending big.

Mayo and Wolf didn’t make a splash move on Day 1 of the legal tampering period, but there’s still time to acquire the best players for a team that realistically wasn’t going to compete for a Super Bowl right away. The Patriots made the smart move by letting everyone else fall into potential mistakes, and if they make the necessary moves to build a solid foundation, they will pay off well into the future for Mayo’s tenure.