Patriots: Pat McAfee comments on possible free agency struggle ahead

The New England Patriots are preparing for their most important offseason in recent memory, and pressure will be on the front office to field a team that’s capable of getting back to the playoffs. That, of course, isn’t going to happen with the roster as presently constructed, so they’ll need to push the envelope as far as acquisitions are concerned.

Given that the Patriots are projected to have the fourth-most cap space ($68.66 million) in the league, you have to think they’ll be in the running to land the signatures of some of the biggest free agents on the open market at the start of the new league year.

However, it’s worth questioning if the Patriots boast the same appeal of years past, when they were rattling off championships left and right. With quarterback Tom Brady no longer around to attract potential signings and the team fresh off their worst finish in two decades, free agents might not be chomping at the bit to end up in Foxborough.

Former Colts punter Pat McAfee certainly feels that way. He proposed that the Patriots could endure serious struggles trying to convince star free agents to sign with them.

Pat McAfee made some salient points about why New England could struggle to attract free agents.

McAfee might not be taken seriously by some fan bases, but he’s far more insightful than folks give him credit for, and this pseudo-rant about the Patriots’ current lack of allure proves that. The former Pro Bowler wisely brought up Cam Newton being their most significant signing of the last few years, and the only reason he landed with them is because he had no other choice.

In a vacuum, it was either sign with the Patriots for the veteran minimum or hold out hope that a team would eventually sign him to be a backup, or, in the best-case scenario, bring him in to compete for the starting job. With this in mind, fans shouldn’t base their optimism heading into free agency on the premise that Newton signed last offseason amid a string player opt outs.

Perhaps nothing proves McAfee’s point better than Matthew Stafford’s recent comments about why he nixed the Patriots as a potential trade destination. Per the 33-year-old quarterback, his decision had nothing to do with former head coach Matt Patricia rejoining the Patriots’ staff and everything to do with the fact that New England isn’t close to being a championship contender.

We hate to dampen the mood ahead of what projects to be an “uncharacteristically aggressive” offseason for the Patriots. However, all we ask is that fans don’t set ridiculous expectations for the front office, because the organization doesn’t flaunt the same glitz and glamour it did when it was a perennial title favorite.

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