BOSTON — The Patriots’ lackluster free agency amid a conference-wide arms race has caused some to wonder whether the team can contend next season, despite making the playoffs last year with a rookie quarterback.
Team owner Robert Kraft is not among them.
“I expect it to happen as soon as this year,” Kraft told reporters Tuesday at the NFL’s annual meetings in Palm Beach, Fla.
At most major sportsbooks, the Patriots are projected to finish with a record around .500 next season. Their odds of winning with the division are well behind the Bills’, who are slated as AFC favorites, and only slightly ahead of or tied with the Dolphins’. Miami is expected to make a leap after solidifying its leaking offensive line and trading for All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill this offseason.
Kraft indicated his confidence in the team stems from longtime head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones, whom he’s “very high on.”
“We have a chance. Without a good coach and a good quarterback, no matter how good the other players are, I don’t think you can win consistently,” Kraft said, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston. “I believe we have both an outstanding coach and a good young quarterback.”
The 80-year-old owner also expressed disappointment in the team’s lack of recent postseason success. Since beating the Rams in Super Bowl LIII, the Patriots have gone 0-2 in the playoffs and failed to advance past the wild-card round. Between those defeats, they went 7-9 in 2020, the team’s worst season in 20 years.
“It bothers me that we haven’t been able to win a playoff game the last three years,” Kraft said.
He quickly followed those comments with remarks about the draft, praising the work Belichick and the front office did to land Jones and fellow impact rookies Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson. Kraft is hoping for similar success next month.
“I’m happy that we, I think, we had a great draft last year and it made up for what happened the previous four years or so,” he said. “And I look forward to hopefully having a great draft his year. That’s the only way you can build your team long-term and consistently.”
