Does Robert Kraft believe his 2020 Patriots are a contender?
If available salary cap space is any indication, the answer is a resounding “No.”
Being in a group that includes the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Jacksonville Jaguars is never a good thing, yet there the Pats squat along with those three loser organizations atop the ‘NFL Teams With Most Available Cap Space’ category.
The Patriots are penny pinchers? Twenty-six million dollars under the cap? Bob, what gives?
Well, I’ve got one surefire way to convince the fan base that New England is yet again in it to win it: Re-sign Antonio Brown when his eight-game suspension lifts in two weeks.
Radical? Yes. But desperate times do call for desperate measures, and a 2-3 record for the Pats in October is alarm-sounding time.
Now, I still have the Patriots winning the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills have shown the past two weeks that they’re just a few things shy of a true contender: smart coaching, team discipline, quarterback accuracy, a strong running game, and ability to stop the run. Other than those weaknesses, the Bills are a threat.
But the Pats current chances to win the AFC? Everyone including Scott from Weymouth’s Mom knows that this crew of Patriots’ offensive weapons ain’t gonna cut it.
So if you’re in need of a weapon, you might as well go get the best, and one that’s already proven to pass the Foxboro test. Go get ‘AB’ back.
I know all about Brown’s troubled history as I covered his first five seasons in Pittsburgh up close as a Steelers reporter. Brown went from total unknown to emerging star to super-duper-star in what felt like record time. Then from afar, I watched that greatness turn to clown show and then to something from another planet. Brown’s life obviously went out of control on the field and off. He became toxic.
A year ago I was dead set against the Pats bringing him in and argued against it vehemently on The Greg Hill Show. Shortly therafter, news of Brown being accused of sexual assault surfaced and after just one game Brown sent “intimidating” text messages to a second woman who accused him of unwanted advances. Kraft then appeared to defy Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s wishes and cut Brown loose to “move in a different direction.”
It was the right thing to do at the time and I applauded Kraft for the move.
But now? To his credit Brown appears to have changed as he’s avoided further negative headlines for many months. Brown has served his NFL punishment, vowing to “show the fans my appreciation for this second chance by having the best season of my career.” He deserves another chance.
Would Brown want to return? We do know that on the field inside Gillette Stadium, Brown as a Patriot worked. Granted it was a cameo measured in days, but Brown and Belichick appeared to share a mutual respect. Brown also has a history of working out with Cam Newton, with ‘AB and Ace Boogie’ teaming up in Miami for ‘juice and swag’ social media posts in the summer of 2018.
Yes, Brown ripped Kraft after his release via Twitter, calling it a double-standard that he was cut while the Pats owner was “caught in the parlor.” It’s possible the bridge was burned beyond repair at that point, but it’s worth noting that Brown did attempt to apologize. And what better way to make good on that apology than by coming back to finish what was started in Foxboro.
And speaking of making good, Kraft can make good on the season by opening up the wallet and using some of that cap space to help Newton out. Actions always speak louder than words, and at this point Kraft’s actions speak more to using Cam for short-term buzz and jersey sales to wade through a Pandemic season with lost ticket revenue.
Meanwhile, Kraft’s fans probably gaze longingly to Tampa Bay where Brady’s team is within $1 million of the cap ceiling. The Bucs are going for it. The Pats? We’re not sure.
Is New England chasing a Lombardi, or is this a rebuild under Covid covers? Does the organization believe in Cam or do they just believe in a short term business arrangement? Well there’s one definite way to get that business boomin’ again, and his name is Antonio Brown. Sign him, and the Patriots are back on the contender track, with a white-knuckle ride sure to follow. At this point it’s worth a shot.
