Kraft chalks up last year as ‘horrible’
Didn’t mind opening wallet for ‘unique time’ in NFL free agency
Before Wednesday, the last time Patriots owner Robert Kraft met with local reporters was in the lead-up to the team’s last Super Bowl; a joyous time of celebration and anticipation.
Suffice to say, life has since changed in New England.
Asked about the Pats’ 2020 season, a miserable 7-9 campaign, Kraft cut right to the chase.
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
“When you say ‘how do I feel?’ I’m not going to use the word, but it was horrible,” Kraft said Wednesday via conference call. “After my family, the Patriots are the most important thing in my life.”
He later added: “The bottom line is we want to win, and when we don’t, we’re not happy.”
To reload an aging roster, Kraft signed off on the largest freeagent spending spree in NFL history two weeks ago. The Patriots guaranteed just shy of $160 million and committed themselves to more than $316 million worth of new contracts. Kraft reiterated his belief that the Pats seized on a unique market opportunity created by a decreased salary cap and the team’s excess of cap room.
He estimated the Patriots faced just two to three competitors for most free agents’ services, whereas in normal years 10-12 teams could be offering the best available players.
“This was a unique time,” Kraft said. “I think if there were ever a year to (spend), this would be the year.”
He also said he expects the team to contend every year, including this upcoming season. He maintained his working relationship with coach Bill Belichick is strong, and he trusts Belichick to build a winning football team. Last year marked the team’s first losing season since Belichick took over in 2000.
The Pats lost three of their last four, saddled with one of the worst passing offenses in the league and the NFL’s leakiest run defense. Their 22-12 loss at Miami in Week 15 eliminated them from playoff contention, which then led to a 38-9 steamrolling courtesy of the Bills the following week. The Patriots at least managed to end their season on a semi-high note, doubling up the Jets 28-14 in their regular-season finale.
Critical of recent drafts
Two of the Patriots’ highestprofile additions in free agency were essentially admissions of draft failures.
Tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry signed two of the richest contracts ever for players at their position less than 12 months after the team drafted two tight ends in the third round. Despite the additions of rookies Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene last season, Pats tight ends ranked dead last in receiving production; yet another example of a declining draft track record in New England.
Kraft addressed the team’s recent stretch of poor drafting.
“I don’t feel we’ve done the greatest job in the last few years. I hope and really believe I’ve seen a different approach this year,” Kraft said, “and in the end, it all comes out with what happens on the field.”
Entering last season, the Patriots’ drafts from 2016-2019 ranked sixth-worst in the NFL by career Approximate Value (AV), a metric that represents a player’s total career impact, while weighing his single-season peak performance (i.e. his numbers from a Pro Bowl year) against his long-term statistical production. After a decadeplus of nailing their high picks, who earned high AV marks, the Pats whiffed with their first selections in 2016 (Cyrus Jones), 2017 (Derek Rivers) and 2019 (N’Keal Harry), while receiving an underwhelming return from 2018 firstrounder Sony Michel.
Failing to hit on these picks shrink the Patriots’ margin for error when roster-building elsewhere because they wasted their most economic opportunities for player acquisition.
It also cost the front office potential trade assets and sent the team into free agency without much of a backup plan aside from the signing spree it recently executed.
“If you want to have a good, consistent, winning football team, you can’t do it in free agency. You have to do it through the draft,” Kraft said.
“Because that’s when you’re able to create, get people with great talent — whether it’s Willie McGinest or Tom Brady — to get them at price so you can build a team and be competitive.
“Once they get to their first contract, if they’re superstars, you can only balance so many of them. So really, the teams who draft well are the ones who will be consistently good.”
Kraft didn’t specify what changes he believes the front office has made to its draft process.
The 2021 NFL Draft will open on Thursday, April 29, at 8 p.m.
Kraft mum on Gilmore
It’s no secret Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore is entering the final year of his contract after spending the last several months as the centerpiece of trade rumors.
So could that end soon, perhaps with an extension? And where is the team in its contract talks with Gilmore?
Kraft wouldn’t say. “We’re lucky to have Stephon Gilmore. He’s a tremendous player for us, a great person. … And he’s just so gifted,” Kraft said Wednesday. “So he’s under contract with us, and we’ll see what happens.”
Gilmore, 30, is coming off his third straight Pro Bowl season in New England. He’s set to make $7 million this year, after the team agreed last year to move up a chunk of his 2021 base salary after the cornerback market was reset after a record deal during free agency and an extension for Rams’ All-Pro Jalen Ramsey in the summer. Gilmore is not expected to play for the Patriots under his current contract, though he will reportedly be back to full health in time for training camp after partially tearing his quad last December.