Could Bill Belichick win Coach and Executive of the Year awards in 2021?

Don’t look now, but the New England Patriots currently own the NFL’s longest winning streak at six games.

That alone is impressive given they have a rookie quarterback pulling the strings of the offense, but the real takeaway is how Bill Belichick has managed to turn a bottom-barrel roster into one of the league’s best in just one offseason.

We’ve spoken at great length about how Matt Judon deserves recognition as the best offseason addition of any team and that Mac Jones has vastly outperformed the four QBs taken ahead of him in the 2021 draft.

However, it might be time to start recognizing Belichick himself as the leading candidate for Executive of the Year. Check out this segment from ESPN’s Mina Kimes on “NFL Live,” and try being convinced otherwise. We dare you.

Patriots GM Bill Belichick should be the Executive of the Year

Kimes continues to prove she’s one of the brightest football minds around. The analyst brought up how spending like a drunken sailor in free agency typically doesn’t equate to winning. Leave it to Belichick to turn that narrative on its head.

Dominating the draft obviously helps. Jones is playing like one of the better quarterbacks in the AFC. Christian Barmore is a sneaky contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and fourth-rounder Rhamondre Stevenson shows flashes each week that suggest he could supplant Damien Harris as the starting RB.

However, Belichick’s real gamble came in free agency, where he doled out $163 million in guaranteed money to unrestricted free agents this offseason, smashing the Dolphins’ 2020 record of $147.2 million.

In doing so, the Patriots became the sixth team in NFL history to spend over $100 million in one offseason. How did the other five teams fare the next season? None of them won a playoff game, let a lone the Super Bowl.

• 2020 Dolphins ($147.2 million): 10-6, no playoffs
• 2019 Jets ($131.4 million): 7-9, no playoffs
• 2018 Jets ($100.5 million): 4-12, no playoffs
• 2018 Bears ($102 million): 12-4, lost in Wild Card Round
• 2016 Giants ($107 million): 11-5, lost in Wild Card Round

Sure, this year’s Patriots haven’t accomplished anything, but the fact they’re even in the position they are is a huge credit to Belichick.

In regard to the 2021 free agent class, the likes of Judon, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, Kyle Van Noy, Deatrich Wise, Nelson Agholor, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, David Andrews, Nick Folk (!) and Ted Karras have all contributed to the team’s success in some fashion.

The jury is still out on Jalen Mills and Jonnu Smith from a consistency standpoint, but they should come around eventually.

In other words, most of Belichick’s big money signings have panned out, which is crazy because, again, he’s NEVER spent like this. The longtime de facto GM entered uncharted waters and is lapping everyone else in the field.

It’s like Kimes said: Belichick has already cemented his case as a candidate for the Coach of the Year award. However, the fact be batted close to .1000 in free agency proves he should lead the polls when voting starts for the elusive Executive of the Year hardware, too.

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