They do spend money. They just often decide its not worth spending it on their own. They signed Rosie Colvin a few years back and Corey Dilen as well.

Well when you say rare that's not true. All NFL teams have a minimum they have to spend. Keep in mind they have the stud QB. Tom Brady gets a shit load of their cap room. So they have to cut corners in other places and draft well.

But I'll bet if you look at their overall payroll its comprable to most of the playoff teams last year.

Corey Dilen was a trade but they still assumed his hefty salary either way.

Maybe they just don't like them. They've done pretty well so you can't argue with their results. They thought Ty Law, Layer Meloy, McGinnes were to old. But they've made nice playoff runs without them. 3 SB's as well.

You can't get sentimental with players. They are a well run franchise.

Maybe this year's off-season will destroy the theory that the Patriots are so much smarter than everyone else, and don't need to sign free agent's. Don't get me wrong, they do a great job, but they need outside help just like everyone else.

They were a 2nd half choke from making the SB this past year. After losing all of the players I mentioned. Yeah they need free agents.

They just pass on their own sometimes and they like others better. The ones they sign are younger then their own older players they pass on. Or sometimes thier guys are younger and they just don't like them.

Ya think. Most teams want to do the same but the good teams succeed in the draft and the bad teams obviously don't. If you have to sign too many free agents you probrally suck.

But make no mistake about it. Brady covers up alot of their flaws. All franchise QB's do that.