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“Number 7.”
That’s what Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters when, at the Merch Madness: Fan Gear Giveaway in Foxborough on Tuesday, he was asked by friend and business partner Michael Rubin about what will satisfy him heading into his 30th season as the owner of the New England Patriots.
But is this satisfaction truly the light at the end of the tunnel that drives the bus through the caves of mediocrity that New England has been stuck in ever since Tom Brady sailed to Tampa? Many are beginning to question their motives - and the curiosity is valid given that according to head coach Bill Belichick himself, the Patriots were 27th (!!) in cash spending over the last three seasons.
“But the Patriots always spend to the cap!”
Truth be told, the NFL’s salary cap can be manipulated as easily as a 4-year-old Mike Kadlick whose older cousins said that they would “time him” to go grab something for them in the other room.
And off he went.
Much like Robert Kraft went off when asked about Belichick’s comments on cash spending at the 2023 owner’s meetings:
“[Bill] has never come to me and not gotten everything he wanted from a cash-spending perspective. We have never set limits,” said Kraft, via Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard. “Money spending will never be the issue, I promise you, or I'll sell the team.”
NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran echoed these comments from Kraft to WEEI’s Jones and Mego on Thursday. He explained that Kraft has “no budget” for how Bill Belichick spends:
“I think that ownership is onboard... with anything Bill wants to do. [Kraft] just wants to see it work when he does it.” Curran continued, “Robert made it very clear, and summoned reporters, while we were at the owners' meetings to hear him out when he said ‘I would never put Bill on any kind of a budget. He has cart blanche to do what he wants with the roster and the spending.'”
The reasons the money questions are coming up are because of a) two recent Patriots transactions (which we’ll get to in a second) and b) New England’s potential pursuit of free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Curran went on to insinuate that the club should indeed go after Hopkins’ services for 2023:
“Just because you’ve made mistakes with N’Keal Harry or Antonio Brown or Mohammed Sanu or, you name the player, Nelson Agholor, now’s not the time to stop digging when you’re in a critical season.”
Jones and Mego: Tom e. curran joins the show
The Patriots signed both wide receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to contract extensions over the last several days, and it got many wondering whether these were “money moves” to get themselves in a better situation salary cap-wise to potentially fit Hopkins into the fold should he agree to the terms of New England’s contract offer.
As of right now, there’s no indication that they're tied into that action or decision one way or another.
Parker’s deal, a three-year contract worth a maximum of $33 million, “doesn't appear to be related to the team's decision-making process on Hopkins,” according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, meaning that it wasn’t done exclusively to free up money to sign the three-time All-Pro pass-catcher.
It apparently doesn't rule them out of the running either. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that “Parker's new contract will not dampen any optimism of bringing in Hopkins, who's not expected to sign with a club until just before training camps kick off in late July.”
Bentley’s deal on Thursday, a two-year extension worth a maximum of $18.75 million, doesn’t seem to be directly tied to a Hopkins deal either, however both he and Parker’s contracts are set to clear up some money on New England’s salary cap for 2023.
So what’s the hold up on a Hopkins deal? Why can’t Belichick just pay out the “you-know-what” for him to catch passes from Mac Jones?
Well, despite it’s ability to be easily manipulated, the NFL’s salary cap does in fact have some parameters (i.e. you can’t pay everybody) and as the Patriots de facto general manager, Belichick must play by said rules.
It won't be impossible, by any means, for the Patriots to fit Hopkins into their allotment for 2023 - especially if Kraft wants to hand over some real dollars upfront (which by his own words, would happen in a heartbeat if Belichick asked him for it). Wednesday and Thursday’s transactions would also make the bookkeeping of said deal that much easier.
Long story short, it’s not really in New England’s hands at this point. By all accounts, they have the offer they’re comfortable with on the table for Hopkins to sign. He’s simply in no rush to put his Hancock on it, and is likely waiting out his market until training camp approaches.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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