During the 2020 season, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said the team “didn’t have much flexibility at all” to build their roster as a result of their salary cap situation.
Others disputed that rationale for the makeup of the team’s roster and no one will be able to make that argument this offseason. The Patriots are set to have over $60 million in cap space once the new league year is underway.
Belichick will remain the lead personnel voice in New England, but he won’t have Nick Caserio beside him this offseason. Caserio is now the Texans’ General Manager and Dave Ziegler has taken on his role despite the lack of an official announcement about a promotion.
In a video for the team’s website, Ziegler discussed the advantages of the team’s cap position.
“I think having cap space gives you flexibility, and there aren’t a whole lot of teams at this point that maybe have a lot of cap space,” Ziegler said. “I think having that flexibility, it just opens up options for you. And I think that at the same time, there’s still a responsibility to spend those dollars wisely.”
One spot where some of those dollars will be allocated is the quarterback position and New England’s call at that spot will be a defining one for their offseason.