There were multiple factors contributing to the New England Patriots’ free agency shopping tour, but one of the more prominent was the club’s recent draft success; or better, the lack thereof. New England’s inability to consistently funnel playmakers to an aging team through the college player pipeline played a notable role in its issues over the last two seasons.
It also caught the eye of Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, the 79-year-old touched on a variety of topics. One statement that did raise some eyebrows was his acknowledgement that New England struggled in the draft the last few years.