*Cracks knuckles*
With training camp starting next week, the Patriots’ offseason has come to a close. Let’s dig in.
This year, I tried something new at the start of the offseason. Instead of covering each step incrementally, I laid out a 10-point plan for the Patriots to build themselves back up into a playoff team.
The goal at the time was to create and ambitious yet realistic step-by-step offseason for the Patriots to get them back to being a team over .500 and competing into late January. There was no “trade for Patrick Mahomes, Justin Jefferson, and Patrick Surtain II while also moving up in the draft to take Will Anderson” talk. It was about creating a realistic approach, factoring in the historical trends of the front office.
READ MORE:
— Where the Patriots fell short trying to sign DeAndre Hopkins
— Which Patriots are ready to lead?
— A look at the Gillette Stadium upgrades coming this fall
Even looking back on the original plan, I still believe that had the Patriots been able to follow it to a tee they would be positioned for a playoff run. In the end, they ended up completing some steps of what was laid out, but did have some crucial misses.
How much of the plan came to fruition? What got left behind? Let’s revisit that January 13 post and see how it turned out.