Bill Belichick is probably the best head coach in the NFL. But he also has almost complete control over his roster, and that authority — which worked for a long time, though also used to have a better system of checks and balances before Scott Pioli went to the Chiefs in 2009 — is compromising his ability to effectively coach on the field.
This is becoming more evident this season, as the Patriots' roster gets worse and worse. Mike Sando from ESPN.com (Insider) broke down what most people can already see:
Four of the 21 offensive draft choices since 2010 are regular starters. That list includes Nate Solder, Marcus Cannon, Rob Gronkowski and Stevan Ridley, but only Gronkowski is a building-block player, and only if he can regain top form following yet another injury.
Solder, Gronkowski, Shane Vereen, Dobson, Ridley, Price, Ryan Mallett and Jimmy Garoppolo were the offensive players Belichick has selected in the first three rounds since 2010.
Hernandez should be headlining the offensive players New England has drafted in the middle rounds over those same five drafts, but he's in jail. That leaves Boyce, Bryan Stork, James White, Cannon, Cameron Fleming and Lee Smith as the offensive players New England has drafted in the fourth and fifth rounds. The late-round guys — Jon Halapio, Ted Larsen, Thomas Welch, Ebert, Gallon and Zac Robinson — aren't doing the Patriots any good right now.
A lack of talent catches up to you at a certain point, no matter how good your schemes and QB are. With Tom Brady aging and the players around him getting worse, it shouldn't be surprising to see New England lose in the fashion it did Monday.
