Anonymous Execs Rip Robert Kraft, Jerod Mayo Over Free Agency Results

After a poor 2023 season, the New England Patriots entered free agency with a ton of cap space, which led fans to believe that the team was going to spend in hopes of upgrading its roster.

However, the Patriots didn’t make a ton of huge splashes as their biggest signing in free agency was Mike Onwenu, who they re-signed to a three-year, $57 million deal. The Patriots were in the running for veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley but lost out to the Tennessee Titans.

NFL executives took notice of the Patriots’ moves during the free agency period and had a lot to say about owner Robert Kraft and first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

In a piece published by Mike Sando of The Athletic, an anonymous NFL exec hammered Kraft for the Patriots not getting Ridley and pointed the blame at the 82-year-old owner.

"“Kraft mentions the (state income) taxes, the quarterback, the player’s girlfriend and then he mentioned the money,” the anonymous exec said. “The reality is, if the dollar net taxes was higher in New England than in Tennessee, they would have gotten the player. It’s like Kraft can’t live in a world where he is looked at as the problem.”"

The anonymous NFL execs continued to pile on the Patriots, calling out Mayo, who commented earlier in the offseason, “We have a lot of money to spend, and we are going to spend it.”

"Mayo eventually walked back those comments not too long after, which drew ire from another NFL exec who said, “Then they lose out on the receiver after their GM says they have no speed on offense. So you have the two highest appointed people in the organization saying they are going to spend and they are going to prioritize speed, and then they do neither. What the hell?”"

Executives from around the league were puzzled by New England’s decisions in free agency as they still have the most cap space at $46 million, per OverTheCap.com. Patriots fans hope the team doesn’t take a modest approach in the NFL Draft as they still have holes at QB and WR, and have to figure out what to do with Kyle Dugger.

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