Trying to make sense of Patriots’ spending decisions

Trying to make sense of Patriots’ spending decisions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots‘ spending, or lack thereof, has been a head-scratcher over the last couple of years.

This summer has been especially puzzling. Despite needing a No. 1 wide receiver to help third-year quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots were outbid by the Tennessee Titans for DeAndre Hopkins. And even though they have the money to add a dynamic running back in Dalvin Cook, they have yet to bolster their depth at the position behind Rhamondre Stevenson.

Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh addressed the team’s pursuits of both players on Thursday. It sounds like there’s legitimate interest in Cook, and they have the cap space to get a deal done, so what gives?

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry try to make sense of the Patriots’ spending decisions on the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

🔊 Patriots Talk: Patriots spending decisions have become impossible to explain | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

“If Matt Groh believes a bargain is to be had with Dalvin Cook and understood there was a bargain to be had with DeAndre Hopkins, what the hell? You’ve got the money sitting there. It’s burning a hole in your pocket. Vomit that stuff at the guy,” Curran said.

Perry sarcastically brought up the notion that paying someone like Hopkins or Cook could rub players in the Pats locker room the wrong way.

“But Tom, don’t you know they have to keep in mind how the locker room is going to react to that kind of deal? And if it throws off the hierarchy in terms of how guys are paid, you can’t have it,” Perry said. “And if you’re sensing any sarcasm in my voice, you’re on your game.

“Because I just find it so hard to believe that you would actively choose to not improve your team because you’re concerned about how players in the locker room are going to view how they’re paid and they’re going to gauge against another guy’s pay. That’s going to happen regardless and it’s happened here for many, many years. And there have been many cases of very important players not being paid what the market suggests they’re worth, and those guys being unhappy with their deals. …

“So ‘what’s best for the team?’ I think is a fair question here,” Perry added. “Is it the impact on those players’ emotions or the overall impact to your, quote-unquote culture, which we could debate all day long what that even is right now. Or is it just getting a good player in the room who can make your offense better and help you win some games so that the culture that you’re hoping to establish might actually take hold?”

Also in this episode: