Are the Patriots “super cheap,” as Bill Simmons recently claimed?
You could make the case by looking strictly at the offense, which was rudderless last season as New England stumbled to a 4-13 finish.
Warren Sharp, an NFL analytics guru, on Friday listed each team according to the current salary cap space allotted to offense. The Patriots ranked 27th, ahead of only five organizations (Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers).
Most expensive offenses in 2024:
1. $188.8M – Browns
2. $178.1M – Rams
3. $158.3M – Cowboys
4. $152.8M – Chiefs
5. $151.1M – Broncos
6. $148.5M – Giants
7. $146.5M – Cardinals
8. $141.6M – Falcons
9. $138.5M – 49ers
10. $135.9M – Colts
11. $135.2M – Panthers
12. $133.0M – Saints…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 22, 2024
New England had $89.2 million in cap space allotted to the offense as of Friday morning, per Sharp. This isn’t exactly news for those who’ve followed the Patriots’ offseason, but it nevertheless paints an unsettling picture for anyone banking on New England to make an offensive splash in free agency and/or via trade before the 2024 season kicks off.
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Of course, there’s still time for the Patriots to augment their roster. And they hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which positions them to land a high-end quarterback who could change the franchise’s fortunes.
Plus, money spent isn’t a great indicator of success. Just look at the Packers, who boast an emerging offense under Jordan Love despite ranking 29th — below the Patriots — in this particular category. Or the Browns, who sit atop the rankings largely due to Deshaun Watson being paid handsomely to make a minimal impact in Cleveland thus far.
Still, the perception around the Patriots is they’re unwilling to spend the money necessary to rejuvenate their offense. (Take their failed pursuit of wide receiver Calvin Ridley, for instance.) And Sharp’s recent post on X will do little to dispel that narrative.
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For what it’s worth, the Patriots rank fourth in defensive spending, per Over The Cap, trailing only the Steelers, Packers and San Francisco 49ers. It’s just unclear whether that’ll be enough for New England to dramatically improve under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo following Bill Belichick’s departure.
