INDIANAPOLIS — In the seasons forward, anticipate the Patriots to look sooner.
More athletic. More explosive. And probably … extra mistake-prone.
That is the price of enjoying youthful gamers within the NFL, a brand new emphasis for the franchise below head coach Jerod Mayo and personnel chief Eliot Wolf. Mayo and Wolf advised reporters individually this week that the Patriots will rely extra on inexperienced gamers below their management in comparison with previous years. Wolf highlighted that distinction when requested particularly how his roster-building philosophy will differ from Bill Belichick’s.
“I think there’s just going to be a little bit more reliance on playing young players,” Wolf mentioned Tuesday. “I believe it’s actually vital in immediately’s soccer to have the ability to play younger gamers and develop from inside.
On Wednesday, Mayo confirmed the Patriots will prioritize enjoying time for youthful gamers and supplied two causes behind the change.
“You want to play younger players because, I mean, first of all, they’re cheaper,” Mayo mentioned with a smile. “And then second of all, I want to say you want to have a good mix, though. You can’t have all 22-, 23-year-olds out there. You need that 30-year-old that can kind of settle everyone down that has that experience, too.”
During Belichick’s tenure, the Patriots yearly fielded one of many oldest rosters within the league, which frequently supplied constant benefits; fewer penalties, higher game-planning flexibility and the flexibility to enact in-game changes extra rapidly. Wolf’s feedback Tuesday adopted an admission that the Patriots’ protection should get sooner and extra explosive, although Mayo dismissed that as a “pretty general comment” on Wednesday.
Source: www.bostonherald.com