And on the fifth day, the Patriots markedly improved themselves.
For the first time since NFL started on Monday, the Patriots definitely improved their roster with the addition of former Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki on a one-year deal.
Jonnu Smith out, and Gesicki in is a huge upgrade. Of course, a lot of people would be an upgrade over Smith. But Gesicki is a good offensive weapon. He's 6-foot-6, slippery and athletic. Doesn't like to block, but the Patriots can work around that.
Belichick probably isn't thrilled it's just for one season, meaning both Gesicki and Hunter Henry are set to be free agents after this season — many of the other signings and re-signings have covered them one year out — but the Patriots can also worry about that later and will have the franchise tag at their disposal.
To me, how the Patriots have conducted this offseason to this point — when they still clearly have a need for No. 1 receiver and cornerback after the release Jalen Mills — clearly says a couple things about Bill Belichick and Mac Jones entering this season.
In terms of Belichick and his team-building, he has not changed one bit. While the rest of the league tries to find, and spends money to acquire, difference-makers on both sides of the ball, especially offense, Belichick continues to believe in a strong middle class and depth will win out.
Gesicki is a red chip player, leaving the Patriots still with just one bonafide blue chip player in Matthew Judon.
Belichick also believes Patriots coaching will make the difference if you accumulate enough good players, and the Patriots have that up and down the roster. Considering how little they've changed the offensive personnel, Belichick is further telling the public that he completely screwed up the offensive coaching last year and that prevented them from contending, even if Belichick will never speak the words.
The Patriots, at present, are counting on Bill O'Brien, Adrian Klemm and others to lift a good group on offense to great. Belichick, Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick will do the same on defense, while Belichick and Cam Achord get special teams right. Getting Belichick out of the offensive meeting room — where he was last season — and into the defensive and special teams rooms, will raise all ships.
And forget what your eyes and the numbers told you the last few seasons — Belichick feels they are just fine against good offenses and QBs (which now dot the 2023 roster with Aaron Rodgers going to the Jets), and that you should believe the overall defensive statistics.
For perhaps one more run, this is Old Man Belichick and his beliefs on how to form a three-unit team (he just made Joe Cardona the highest-paid long snapper in the league ... never change Bill) even in the modern game, against the rest of the NFL that clearly thinks you need to overload on offense to win. Belichick hasn't been on a heater of late, but he still deserves the benefit of the doubt, in my opinion.
And then there's the other thing it says about the Patriots at this point. (And for the record, I don't think the Patriots have to do anything on offense right now unless they get a workhorse No. 1. I'd rather wait to see how things go with a good group and possibly add a big piece at the trade deadline or later this summer, than add, say, a Brandin Cooks and not have the option of adding later.)
This is ultimately a Belichick vs. the modern game referendum, but Belichick is in a no-lose situation. If it doesn't work, Mac Jones will be the scapegoat. The reaction to this past season, when people saw the decline in coaching and still put it on Jones, told me that much.
Other NFL teams have gone one of two routes. Either you do everything in your power to get an elite quarterback who will lift all ships, or your surround a good QB with elite talent to lift the signal caller.
Of course, Belichick took a third route: surround a good QB with good talent so he can prove one way or the other if he can elevate himself and others.
DeVante Parker is a good X when he's on the field. Juju Smith-Schuster is a good slot. Kendrick Bourne is a good Z. Tyquan Thornton is a vertical threat. Hunter Henry is a good Y tight end. Gesicki is a good move TE with upside — he's like a poor man's Travis Kelce in that he's more WR than TE and a finesse player.
It's not a great set of weapons, but it's good and has depth. Other teams might have two elite guys and then some others, but Belichick has field a good group that stays true to their gameplan versatility. In his mind, I'm sure he thinks that is plenty of good enough for Jones. Now it's up to him, with a good coordinator, to find the open guy, move the ball and score touchdowns (and help his defense stay off the field more).
In some ways I agree with this, it's a true test of a QB's ability to be clutch and make plays when it matters. What the Eagles have done with Jalen Hurts and the Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa, to me, it's kind of false advertising. Sure, those guys can be really good surrounded by great talent, but how good are they really? How many years can you surround a QB with great talent, especially once they are off their rookie deals?
So Belichick's decision might be of sound thinking — even though it's exactly the same MO he had surrounding Tom Brady with talent — but if it doesn't work, what then? If Jones and the offense are just good in a rapidly improving and daunting AFC (the NFC is devoid of QB talent) and AFC East, and come up short of the postseason, is that an indictment on Jones or Belichick? And if it is Jones, what next at quarterback and the future of the Patriots beyond this season?
As always, it's never a straight line with Belichick. The Patriots are slightly better at slot receiver, big-time better at TE2 and running it back on defense, for now, heading into the draft.
Belichick thinks that's good enough because it's true to who he's always been. It's all he knows. But is that good enough in today's game, this conference and this division — and without an elite QB like Brady?
We're about to find out.