Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian joined Tom Curran on the Patriots Talk Podcast to discuss the future of Bill Belichick in New England
We haven't heard much from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft during what has been arguably the franchise's worst season since he bought the team nearly three decades ago.
The Patriots own a 2-7 record, and they entered Sunday's Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany at the bottom of the AFC standings. The offense has not improved much, if at all, from last season. The self-inflicted mistakes that doomed the team last season, such as penalties, turnovers and poor execution, have been an issue again in 2023.
What does Kraft think about what's unfolded with his team so far?
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“This our 30th year that I’ve had the privilege of owning this team,” Kraft told Rich Eisen of NFL Network on Sunday morning. "And I’ve never been 2-7. So, it’s really disappointing. I had hoped that things would be a lot better, as I know our fanbase did. And I hope today is a chance to reset and make this a much better year. This isn’t what we were expecting to happen this year.”
Kraft said he "very much" wants to win Sunday's game in Germany. He also revealed that he spoke to the team after a practice earlier this week and talked about the importance of these international matchups.
“I had fans come up on the street to me who had watched Matthew Slater’s dad, Jackie, play here 33 years ago,” Kraft said. “And they remembered plays he had made. I used that as an example to speak to the team after practice and say, except for the Super Bowl, I don’t know that there any other games that create the memories that these international games do where people get so little of them. It’s a great chance to make a mark and great memories.”
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The Patriots could turn things around, win a few games and maybe feel a little better about themselves going into the offseason.
But frankly, winning a couple more games doesn't really help the Patriots much, mostly because it will hurt the team's positioning in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Patriots are desperate for elite-level talent, especially on offense, and the best way to acquire those kinds of players is through the draft.
Bottoming out and resetting in the offseason with a top five pick and more than $90 million in salary cap space would probably be the best path for New England to return to contender status following some disappointing years post-Tom Brady.
