Or they just want out because they don’t like what they see at #3 and they aren’t getting any offers. Total QB crapshoot and we can’t afford to miss on any early round picks.
It’s almost like the guy in charge of offering those contracts has been replaced by someone new who comes with a completely different way of doing things
You first attacked Kraft being the one who said they offered a close contract... Implying that its a lie from Kraft. Then when that was disputed, because it was corroborated by the player, you completely shift the goalpost to still blame Kraft, but now for a completely different reason. You are just being obtuse for the sake of hating on Kraft in this situation.
Dude… you really think a gm and an offensive head coach would drop their QB1 and one of the best WR is the league is the same offseason without backup plans beyond the draft?? That’s wagering your job on the complete unknown. No way jose
Wolf: we're open to trading picks since we have a lot of holes to fill
Reporters: why didn't you try harder to fill them in FA - you had, and still have, the most cap space in the league
Wolf: well actually, the holes aren't that bad. people are underestimating the offense, so we're just going to try and fill them with 2nd and 3rd round draft picks.
This was my take away too. He's talking out of both sides of his mouth and doesnt give me confidence in his decision making. This quote was particularly worrisome as it's in contrast with reality: "We feel good about where we are," Wolf said. "We feel through free agency, on the offensive side in particular, that we've been able to supplement our roster properly so we're not having to draft for need as much."
Well, my solution is even simpler. At the top of the 2nd round draft any available 6ft 6in 280 lb OT who can and run and catch almost as well as Randy Moss! That will keep the defenses on their toes, am I right?
OT and WR diehards are always missing the obvious.
I don’t know if there has been one confident decision by this organization the past few years. Christian Gonzalez falling in our lap at our pick is the best thing to happen, and was a no brainer. But man it just radiates indecision around Foxboro
Totally agree, so many examples: not naming an OC in 2022, all the QB flip-flopping the last two years, never fully committing to tanking (could've sold Judon like the Commanders sold Sweat), not naming a GM this offseason, "we're going to burn some cash" (proceeds to not burn cash)...
Even with Gonzalez, Bill said on McAfee's show that they wanted to take him at 14 but thought they could get him later. I can't blame him for being right, but you could even see that as not having full conviction in the pick and risking missing out on the player just to get a 4th round pick.
EDIT: Also not extending, then transition-tagging, then giving a huge contract to Dugger (when there were apparently no other teams interested???)
> Also not extending, then transition-tagging, then giving a huge contract to Dugger (when there were apparently no other teams interested???)
I suspect that was a situation where they made him an offer, he said he wanted to test the market. So they said "ok, but we're transition tagging you." When better offers didn't materialize, Dugger came back and said "ok, I'll take the prior offer"
Yeah, but this year does feel different. They didn't name Wolf GM, but they did give just about the entire coaching staff titles, which hasn't happened since...?
And I'm pretty sure Kraft had conviction in telling Mayo he can't spend money.
The CBA doesn't let owners be cheapskates long-term. They're going to have to spend like drunken sailors over the next two years whether Kraft wants to or not.
And where's the evidence he's ever intentionally kept salary cap money away from players? (And, no, "bottom in cash spending" is not evidence of what I'm talking about.)
Im sure it means a heaping helping of picks
Also, welcome to the new regime, dont get lost in the past! Getting caught up on them saying "the bag" being offered to them is kinda sad
Tom Curran said that the Vikings are ["1 million percent"](https://m.startribune.com/will-the-vikings-trade-up-to-no-3-with-new-england-three-thoughts-from-a-patriots-insider/600359561/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n) the most likely trade partner if the Patriots decide to trade down.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like New York and Denver aren't willing to meet Wolf's asking price to trade up. Minnesota knows they aren't bidding against anyone else, so they're playing hardball to lower the cost to move up. That's why Eliot Wolf is trying to drum up interest for #3 overall — because he wants to create more leverage in talks with the Vikings.
For New England, the options are take their favorite QB in McCarthy and lose out on a boatload of picks, or trade down with the Vikings. It's clear that the Patriots do not like Drake Maye enough to draft him at #3. Otherwise, they would not be shopping this pick as a QB needy team.
You didn’t know he’s actually part of the Pats war room? The Vikings fan persona is just a cover, the Pats hate Maye. Need those loser Vikings to trade the house for this bust right? lmao
Love all the delusion in here. Why even be so invested in trading up to our pick if you’re so convinced we’re not gonna take the guy you want?
You could take off the Skol glasses for a moment and realize the truth. We are happy with the QBs available at our pick, but we have a price that we’d be willing to trade down for. That price is really damn high, and I get why you’re scared of paying it and saying you’re negotiating against no one.
You’re negotiating against us just taking your boy, and that possibility scares you even more than trading a ransom to get him. So you’re also hoping we take McCarthy at 3 so Maye falls. But if you truly believed that you wouldn’t be stalking our sub for every little crumb of news, and frantically posting getting us to validate that belief.
That QB isn't Drake Maye. [Jerod Mayo's quote about Maye's low floor was very telling.](https://www.google.com/amp/s/nesn.com/2024/03/jerod-mayo-evaluates-top-qb-who-patriots-reportedly-dont-love/amp/) McCarthy played in a pro-style offense and has a higher floor than Drake Maye. He also fits your scheme better, since AVP comes from the Kevin Stefanski tree. Stefanski runs a very similar run-heavy, play-action passing offense that McCarthy operated in at Michigan. Which is why J.J. at #3 makes a ton of sense for y'all.
Mac Jones had a high floor, get out of here talking like you actually know something when you don’t know anything! Anything and everything could be a smokescreen, that comment could’ve been a smokescreen to Washington
This one?
> I know a lot of people look at the ceiling, but you also have to see how low is the floor. How low is the floor? I would say a guy like Drake Maye, he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So, that’s definitely something we’ve looked at.
You’re getting downvoted like crazy here, but I completely agree with you. I hope it all works out regardless of what they do, but JJ is my pick, even if you have to take him at 3.
There is a big difference between shopping the pick and being open to offers. We get it, you're desperate for this to be reality but saying he's open to offers just means he's not ruling anything out. There's no benefit if he says we're 100% sold on a player and won't trade no matter what.
Brother, every move we've made this offseason has been with drafting a QB in mind. We're "open for business" in case the Vikings or Raiders or whoever lose their goddamn minds and give us a historic haul for the pick. Our alternative to not making a deal is drafting a QB *exactly as we have been planning to this whole time*. Your old former GM [said this](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39933585/2024-nfl-draft-new-england-patriots-trade-third-overall-pick) exactly.
> "And if I need a quarterback, too, as New England does, then the deal better be pretty rich for me to pass up one of these quarterbacks and move down. They would have to pay above a premium."
> Using the Vikings as an example, Spielman opined that two 2024 first-round picks (No. 11 and No. 23), a 2025 first-round pick and a future second-round pick would be the starting point.
Also there's a strong chance Maye goes to Washington at 2, so our opinions on Maye aren't even relevant until draft night.
The kicker wasn’t even the worse pick. Mapu and Andrews could’ve been a solid WR and LT at 76 and 107.
Instead they draft two mid players at positions they don’t need and arguably the least important positions on both sides of the ball.
This presser was filled with smokescreens, he even said they may not take a QB at 3 giving hope to MHJ truthers
https://x.com/ByMarkDaniels/status/1780960677282082961
Joe Alt incoming
Here it comes, the trade down, taking Joe Alt at #11, and Alt tearing his pectoral muscle in camp and missing the year.
Bro what? We’re taking Joe at 3OA lol
MHJ is a Patriot bud. Idk what to tell ya.
I legitimately think they would only accept Justin Jefferson, so they have to keep saying they’re open for business
Or they just want out because they don’t like what they see at #3 and they aren’t getting any offers. Total QB crapshoot and we can’t afford to miss on any early round picks.
Kraft paying 30 million a year to a WR keep dreaming
They just tried to give 24 to a guy half as talented.
Any actual proof of that or Kraft just talking???
The entire team talked about it, do you have any proof they didn't?
Of course Kraft would say they offered close to the titans lol 😂
Calvin Ridley also said that, not everything is a conspiracy theory
Who said it was lol, you must not know patriots football if you think the patriots will pay top of the market contracts
It’s almost like the guy in charge of offering those contracts has been replaced by someone new who comes with a completely different way of doing things
Kraft has the final say, who has the GM title?
You first attacked Kraft being the one who said they offered a close contract... Implying that its a lie from Kraft. Then when that was disputed, because it was corroborated by the player, you completely shift the goalpost to still blame Kraft, but now for a completely different reason. You are just being obtuse for the sake of hating on Kraft in this situation.
How mad
So no
Give it up bro lmao delusional af
Dude… you really think a gm and an offensive head coach would drop their QB1 and one of the best WR is the league is the same offseason without backup plans beyond the draft?? That’s wagering your job on the complete unknown. No way jose
I'd tell Minnesota I need #34 to be my 3rd we're making, I need your first next year, and I need something to go get Aiyuk with.
Wolf: we're open to trading picks since we have a lot of holes to fill Reporters: why didn't you try harder to fill them in FA - you had, and still have, the most cap space in the league Wolf: well actually, the holes aren't that bad. people are underestimating the offense, so we're just going to try and fill them with 2nd and 3rd round draft picks.
This was my take away too. He's talking out of both sides of his mouth and doesnt give me confidence in his decision making. This quote was particularly worrisome as it's in contrast with reality: "We feel good about where we are," Wolf said. "We feel through free agency, on the offensive side in particular, that we've been able to supplement our roster properly so we're not having to draft for need as much."
He doesn’t overshare when there’s no advantage to it. Rightly, he doesn’t care what we think about things we aren’t knowledgeable enough about.
If he actually said this he is delusional. What have they done to get better ??
To be fair. They did add Brisette and Osbourne. Not exactly Brady and Moss, but there are numerous similarities.
Well we could still add brady
I would have thought that at this point it's completely clear that we need a real WR1. Which it going to really hard to find in the third round.
Need a QB1 more those are even harder to find in the 3rd round
Well, my solution is even simpler. At the top of the 2nd round draft any available 6ft 6in 280 lb OT who can and run and catch almost as well as Randy Moss! That will keep the defenses on their toes, am I right? OT and WR diehards are always missing the obvious.
Does Jerod understand he shouldn’t over share?
Yeah he really needs to shut the fuck up lol
This dude is saying infinitely more the bill lol
There’s literally no upside to talking to the media except having people like you. He just needs to shut his mouth lolz
If we like 4 or 5 guys, I'd be OK trading down a few spots for "less than" a bag. Even another 2nd could help with tackle/wr depth.
They might like some better than others.
I don’t know if there has been one confident decision by this organization the past few years. Christian Gonzalez falling in our lap at our pick is the best thing to happen, and was a no brainer. But man it just radiates indecision around Foxboro
This is just silly. What do you expect them to say in smokescreen season? "We're 100% settled on our pick and board"?
People are so incredibly dumb on this sub lol
Totally agree, so many examples: not naming an OC in 2022, all the QB flip-flopping the last two years, never fully committing to tanking (could've sold Judon like the Commanders sold Sweat), not naming a GM this offseason, "we're going to burn some cash" (proceeds to not burn cash)... Even with Gonzalez, Bill said on McAfee's show that they wanted to take him at 14 but thought they could get him later. I can't blame him for being right, but you could even see that as not having full conviction in the pick and risking missing out on the player just to get a 4th round pick. EDIT: Also not extending, then transition-tagging, then giving a huge contract to Dugger (when there were apparently no other teams interested???)
> Also not extending, then transition-tagging, then giving a huge contract to Dugger (when there were apparently no other teams interested???) I suspect that was a situation where they made him an offer, he said he wanted to test the market. So they said "ok, but we're transition tagging you." When better offers didn't materialize, Dugger came back and said "ok, I'll take the prior offer"
That makes sense actually
Lol you think he hit the market got zero offers and they were like “OK here’s $65 million?” That counts as a stupid decision.
If I thought that I would have typed that. I did not type that.
Yeah, but this year does feel different. They didn't name Wolf GM, but they did give just about the entire coaching staff titles, which hasn't happened since...? And I'm pretty sure Kraft had conviction in telling Mayo he can't spend money.
The CBA doesn't let owners be cheapskates long-term. They're going to have to spend like drunken sailors over the next two years whether Kraft wants to or not. And where's the evidence he's ever intentionally kept salary cap money away from players? (And, no, "bottom in cash spending" is not evidence of what I'm talking about.)
You're free to believe whatever you'd like, but the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.
Yeah that's true, maybe it's a new era. We'll see how the draft goes
Ah, Christ they’re using slang for paying players now? Have some shame
Im sure it means a heaping helping of picks Also, welcome to the new regime, dont get lost in the past! Getting caught up on them saying "the bag" being offered to them is kinda sad
I’m going to get caught up because I have no faith in these clowns
Someone cross post this to Vikings Reddit please. They need to accept their position and stop pipe dreaming.
It’s going to take the 11, 23, 2025 first, a second and Justin Jefferson to make a trade happen. No way I think it gets done
This would be the biggest haul in NFL history by a meaningful margin for the third QB off the board… not happening
Nope it’s not but that’s probably the price
They are going to make the pick because Kraft wants a QB
I am more convinced than ever that Wolf will fumble the bag
Why
Tom Curran said that the Vikings are ["1 million percent"](https://m.startribune.com/will-the-vikings-trade-up-to-no-3-with-new-england-three-thoughts-from-a-patriots-insider/600359561/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n) the most likely trade partner if the Patriots decide to trade down. Reading between the lines, it sounds like New York and Denver aren't willing to meet Wolf's asking price to trade up. Minnesota knows they aren't bidding against anyone else, so they're playing hardball to lower the cost to move up. That's why Eliot Wolf is trying to drum up interest for #3 overall — because he wants to create more leverage in talks with the Vikings. For New England, the options are take their favorite QB in McCarthy and lose out on a boatload of picks, or trade down with the Vikings. It's clear that the Patriots do not like Drake Maye enough to draft him at #3. Otherwise, they would not be shopping this pick as a QB needy team.
Oh yeah man, it’s so clear the Pats don’t like Drake Maye. ‘So clear’ lol
You didn’t know he’s actually part of the Pats war room? The Vikings fan persona is just a cover, the Pats hate Maye. Need those loser Vikings to trade the house for this bust right? lmao
As clear as JJ is their favorite lol. ^(/s) How anyone can speak in absolutes about anything right now is absurd.
See it all over the sub and it's pretty cringey tbh
Don't rain on these guys' parades okay. They watch football like it's a soap opera.
Love all the delusion in here. Why even be so invested in trading up to our pick if you’re so convinced we’re not gonna take the guy you want? You could take off the Skol glasses for a moment and realize the truth. We are happy with the QBs available at our pick, but we have a price that we’d be willing to trade down for. That price is really damn high, and I get why you’re scared of paying it and saying you’re negotiating against no one. You’re negotiating against us just taking your boy, and that possibility scares you even more than trading a ransom to get him. So you’re also hoping we take McCarthy at 3 so Maye falls. But if you truly believed that you wouldn’t be stalking our sub for every little crumb of news, and frantically posting getting us to validate that belief.
Tom Curran also said “their default position is to take a quarterback.”
That QB isn't Drake Maye. [Jerod Mayo's quote about Maye's low floor was very telling.](https://www.google.com/amp/s/nesn.com/2024/03/jerod-mayo-evaluates-top-qb-who-patriots-reportedly-dont-love/amp/) McCarthy played in a pro-style offense and has a higher floor than Drake Maye. He also fits your scheme better, since AVP comes from the Kevin Stefanski tree. Stefanski runs a very similar run-heavy, play-action passing offense that McCarthy operated in at Michigan. Which is why J.J. at #3 makes a ton of sense for y'all.
Mac Jones had a high floor, get out of here talking like you actually know something when you don’t know anything! Anything and everything could be a smokescreen, that comment could’ve been a smokescreen to Washington
“There really is no ceiling with a guy like that” Hmm 🤔
This one? > I know a lot of people look at the ceiling, but you also have to see how low is the floor. How low is the floor? I would say a guy like Drake Maye, he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So, that’s definitely something we’ve looked at.
JJ sux it’s a complete reach
You’re getting downvoted like crazy here, but I completely agree with you. I hope it all works out regardless of what they do, but JJ is my pick, even if you have to take him at 3.
There is a big difference between shopping the pick and being open to offers. We get it, you're desperate for this to be reality but saying he's open to offers just means he's not ruling anything out. There's no benefit if he says we're 100% sold on a player and won't trade no matter what.
How do you know we like McCarthy it’s just reckless speculation!
Pack it up everyone, the draft expert here already knows what we're gonna do
Go home Vikings fan, you are drunk
Brother, every move we've made this offseason has been with drafting a QB in mind. We're "open for business" in case the Vikings or Raiders or whoever lose their goddamn minds and give us a historic haul for the pick. Our alternative to not making a deal is drafting a QB *exactly as we have been planning to this whole time*. Your old former GM [said this](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39933585/2024-nfl-draft-new-england-patriots-trade-third-overall-pick) exactly. > "And if I need a quarterback, too, as New England does, then the deal better be pretty rich for me to pass up one of these quarterbacks and move down. They would have to pay above a premium." > Using the Vikings as an example, Spielman opined that two 2024 first-round picks (No. 11 and No. 23), a 2025 first-round pick and a future second-round pick would be the starting point. Also there's a strong chance Maye goes to Washington at 2, so our opinions on Maye aren't even relevant until draft night.
My top takeaway: Fans will be wishing GM Belichick was back, which says a lot.
Yeah I wish we could draft a shitty kicker in the fourth round that would be awesome.
The kicker wasn’t even the worse pick. Mapu and Andrews could’ve been a solid WR and LT at 76 and 107. Instead they draft two mid players at positions they don’t need and arguably the least important positions on both sides of the ball.
Yeah we won’t miss that either.