After Brandon Aiyuk snub, Patriots have no face left to save originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Patriots didn’t get out of the Brandon Aiyuk Sweepstakes to save face. By the time they pulled the ripcord, their face was already gone.
Aiyuk blew off half of it. Calvin Ridley took the other half during free agency.
The Patriots need full, reconstructive surgery, and until they look a whole lot better, they’ll find talented players with options just aren’t that into them.
The operation may prove a success. They have a very good defense, the No. 3 overall pick learning the ropes at quarterback, young wideouts (DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) who are sparking optimism and an offensive scheme that’s shown promise in the past week of camp (albeit behind a too-leaky offensive line).
But we won’t know for another six months until the bandages come off and the world gets to see what the first season A.B. (After Bill) looks like.
While watching the Patriots get spurned, it’s worth remembering it took five or six years of digging for the Patriots to get to the bottom of the hole they’re in. It’s going to take more than five or six months to dig out.
And as they call out of the chasm trying to get players like Aiyuk or Ridley to look down into the void, they must realize those guys aren’t going to climb down to join an unproven first-year head coach with a project quarterback in a cold climate with high taxes that’s just starting its second rebuild this decade.
The Patriots haven’t been this unattractive since 1992 — pre-Parcells and pre-Bledsoe. Belichick dug this hole. He may have kept on digging had the Krafts not gently pried the shovel away in January.
Since Belichick left, the team has spent some of the money he squirreled away on re-signing the good players left behind. Guys who want to be part of the resurrection.
All, except the deals given to Mike Onwenu and Kyle Dugger, were for reasonable money. Guys who have been here want to…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/brandon-aiyuk-snub-patriots-no-202050055.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-08-07 23:44:06
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