It's the time of year in the NFL offseason when the annual NFLPA report cards are released for each team in the league. Players grade their team in several categories anonymously and detail what they find to be the best and worst parts of their experience with the organization.
The past few years have not been great for owner Robert Kraft in that regard, as the Patriots continue to rank near the bottom of the league overall, especially in a few categories. Unfortunately, that remains the case again this offseason, landing an overall ranking of 31st out of 32 teams.
It's another wake-up call for the front office and ownership that there is more work to do in Foxboro than just hiring a new head coach and spending a lot of money in free agency to drastically improve the roster. The players have made it very clear the facilities and staff also need upgrading, some of which the Krafts have already made efforts to accomplish.
Part of that was revealing plans to build a $50 million new training facility near the stadium to address some of the biggest concerns stemming from last year's report card. That project broke ground in December and is expected to be completed by next year.
While that is the kind of effort the players have voiced desiring, the latest report card proves more work needs to be done, forcing Kraft to reevaluate his priorities this offseason and what needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
The Patriots receive brutal feedback from the players about their overall experience with the team
CATEGORY | GRADE | RANK |
|---|---|---|
Treatment of families | C+ | 18th |
Food/dining area | C | 24th |
Nutritionist/dietician | B | 25th |
Locker room | C- | 22nd |
Training room | C- | 30th |
Training staff | C+ | 26th |
Weight room | F | 32nd |
Strength coaches | B | 26th |
Team travel | F | 31st |
Head coach | B+ | 24th |
Ownership | D | 29th |
For the most part, the grades are less than ideal, with the most favorable feedback tracing back to the nutritionist on hand and their experience with former head coach Jerod Mayo.
The rest, however, are not deemed acceptable by the players, which means big changes need to come from the Krafts, especially with the other significant moves they've made in hopes of improving the team's production on the field. Because they need to attract players to sign with them, it's crucial they make the necessary improvements to the facilities and staff in hopes of not deterring potential playmakers from making the move to New England.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway and most important upgrade they make is to the team's plane. The Patriots are one of the few teams in the league that offer a team plane for away games, but the players have made it abundantly clear that it's not exactly a perk anymore.
"Players want an upgraded team plane. The current plane is too small, there is no Wi-Fi available, and there are seats with ashtrays in the armrests. Players specifically responded that “our plane is the worst thing - size, space, safety.” and “it is not conducive to preparedness for athletic performance."
Considering how much time is spent traveling throughout a season, it might be the most important upgrade Kraft decides to make this offseason.