The New England Patriots offense hasn’t played up to their usual ability in 2019. So far, the unit ranks 10th in DVOA and 15th in Weighted DVOA, a metric that puts more emphasis on recent results. Tom Brady can still play at a high level, so most of the blame for the relatively underwhelming offense is being placed at the feet of his weapons. While Brady has certainly had better supporting casts in the past, some are blaming Bill Belichick for not doing enough to surround Brady with talent.
You can debate about the actual offensive talent, but claiming that Belichick has ignored the issue is just factually incorrect. Whether it’s through free agency, the draft, or trades, Belichick has made an active effort to give Brady the best supporting cast possible.
Debunking the Bill Belichick, Tom Brady Weapons Myth
The NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is arguably the most important part of the team-building process, and Bill Belichick has used a high percentage of his assets to bolster the offensive skill positions. New England held two first-round picks in 2018, and Belichick used both on the offense. With the 23rd overall pick, the Patriots selected left tackle Isaiah Wynn to serve as Brady’s blindside protector. With Brady entering his 40’s, one could easily argue that there is nothing more important making the offensive line as good as possible.
Belichick wasn’t done there, as he used the 31st overall pick to select running back Sony Michel. This was a questionable pick from a value standpoint, as even the best running back can’t make too much of an impact on a game. However, what isn’t up for debate is that this move was made with the short-term benefits of Tom Brady in mind.
Belichick doubled down on offense by selecting N’Keal Harry with the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Harry, of course, is the only wide receiver Bill Belichick ever selected in the first round, which speaks volumes about not only how he viewed Harry, but about how he wanted to improve life for his quarterback.
It’s too early to make any declarations about these picks, as they’ve played in a combined 32 games. However, the fact that Belichick has invested this much draft capital in offensive weapons shows that he’s trying to make life better for Brady. Of course, draft picks take time to develop, so Belichick has done his best to bring in talent through both free agency and trades.
Free Agency/Trades
The Patriots haven’t had the best luck in free agency, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Over the offseason, the Patriots reportedly offered Adam Humphries a four-year contract worth roughly $10 million per year. While we don’t know the structure, this contract’s maximum value exceeds what he signed with the Tennessee Titans. The team also pursued Cole Beasley and Golden Tate, but ultimately came up short.
Of course, the biggest free agent signing was wide receiver Antonio Brown. For all of his off-field antics, Brown is a ridiculously talented receiver when he’s on the field. Unfortunately, he’s also an idiot, and the team (wisely) moved on after a week.
Belichick is one of the NFL’s best team-builders and used every avenue available to add wide receiver talent. In 2018, New England traded for Josh Gordon and tried to acquire Golden Tate for a third-round pick at the trade deadline. Over the offseason, the Patriots reportedly outbid everyone for Antonio Brown and also tried to acquire Odell Beckham. While they couldn’t land either player, they managed to land Mohamed Sanu at the trade deadline for a second-round pick.
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