In the hopes of returning the franchise to prominence, the new England patriots are ready to back up the brinks truck under new head coach Jerod Mayo. “we’re bringing in talent, 1,000 percent,” mayo said on sports radio weei on monday. “we have a lot of cap space and money.
We’re going to burn some cash! According to espn’s roster management system, “the patriots have a projected $65 million in salary cap space.” It is a volatile total that currently ranks fourth in the NFL. The team is coming off a 4-13 season that culminated in the departure of coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons.
Mayo was quickly named as his replacement, and owner robert kraft announced last week that the goal is to empower mayo and his existing staff, led by director of player personnel matt groh and director of scouting eliot wolf, to rebuild the team.
In recent years, spending has been a hot topic for the patriots, with kraft saying he didn’t set limits on belichick, who had the upper hand on all personnel and budget decisions. according to the roster management system, which monitors every NFL contract, the patriots ranked 30th in cash spending last season at $188 million.
The cleveland browns were no. 1 in the NFL. 1 at $282 million. In 2021, the patriots were up to third in the NFL, when a then-record spending spree in unrestricted free agency resulting in $222 million was recorded. However, they were only 31st twice in the last decade, in 2020 and 2014.
According to the roster management system, the patriots finished last in the nfl in cash spending at $1.62 billion over the past ten years. The philadelphia eagles, at $1.92 billion, were the top performers for the entire stretch of the season. starting safety kyle dugger, starting offensive lineman/tackle mike onwenu, pass rusher josh uche, tight end hunter henry, and receiver kendrick bourne are among the patriots’ top players expected to play unrestricted free agency.
The patriots also have the third pick in the nfl draft, their highest pick in kraft’s 30 years of ownership. In the radio interview, mayo said, “we’re going to take the best available player for the team’s greatest need: offensive line, receiver, and quarterback,” adding that “we’re going to pick your choice. The draft is still kraft’s lifeblood for a championship team. “in the end, to be good in this league, you have to draft well,” kraft said at the NFL’s annual meeting last march. “downside of the salary cap and the value of people you draft rather than hiring them as free agents, that’s where your greatest return comes from.” “we always seemed to have 12 or 15 players who were really draft-ready players if you look back on the time we won the super bowls,” he said. When you get them on their first-year deals, you’re able to compete better.
