This offseason was the first in charge for New England Patriots Executive VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, and he has been tasked with filling the impossibly big shoes that Bill Belichick once occupied.
It’s a tall order, and Wolf got a ton of criticism during his first offseason for not spending enough money, a notion he vehemently disagrees with.
The Patriots went into this offseason with the most cap space in the league, and Wolf appeared on “Up & Adams” today to discuss the situation, saying, “I would argue we did spend money (in free agency)…they just so happened to be guys we retained.”
“I would argue we did spend money (in free agency)… they just so happened to be guys we retained.”@Patriots Executive VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf on the criticism that the team didn’t spend enough money this offseason @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/9NC19pZZOe
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 28, 2024
New England still has over $44 million in cap space, but Wolf does have a point that the team prioritized retaining some of its most important players, namely guard Mike Onwenu, who received a 3-year, $57 million deal, and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who got a 3-year deal for $19.5 million.
The biggest contract New England gave a free agent from outside the organization was the three years and $11.25 million it gave former Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson.
The criticism is warranted, but this team isn’t in a position to compete just yet.
The Pats aren’t going anywhere in the first year of a rebuild with a rookie quarterback, and it takes longer than one offseason to rebuild in the NFL.
New England has made the mistake of spending in free agency to boost a mediocre roster, and the Pats are better off taking a patient approach and maintaining flexibility.
This team wasn’t getting fixed in one offseason.
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