'I Misspoke!' Patriots’ Mayo Won't 'Burn Cash' in Free Agency After All?

As free agency nears, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walked back one of his previous comments about offseason strategy.

INDIANAPOLIS -- New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is inheriting a team that went 4-13 last season but has the financial capital to reload.

Stocked with over $75 million in cap space, New England can be as active as it wants when free agency begins March 13 - and Mayo initially forecasted as such.

On Jan. 22, Mayo said he and the Patriots were "ready to burn some cash" and bring in more talent ... but when speaking at the NFL Combine, Mayo walked back on his comment.

“You know, I kind of misspoke when I said, ‘burn some cash’ but I was excited when you see those numbers,” Mayo said, via MassLive. “But when you reflect on those numbers … you don’t have to spend all of it in one year.”

Jan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo addresses media at a press conference announcing his hiring as the team's head coach at a press conference at Gillette Stadium / Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

New England has a number of free agents, but Mayo is particularly intrigued by offensive lineman Michael Onwenu and safety Kyle Dugger.

Onwenu and Dugger are “humongous targets” who Mayo would “love to have back.”

But Mayo hasn't lost focus on New England's biggest priority, quarterback, saying it's the most important piece due to the leadership and play-to-play involvement that comes from the position.

The Patriots have been linked to several of the draft's top signal callers and are believed to be targeting a passer at No. 3 overall in the NFL Draft.

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But before April, New England has an integral free agency period - and Mayo feels much less strained to "burn some cash" than he did a month ago.

“This is going to be a process,” Mayo said. “So I don’t want people to think, ‘you got $60 million, $70 million, whatever, so let’s get this guy, that guy, that guy … it may work for a couple games, or maybe a season, but it won’t work long term.”