Signing free agents works in New England because there's already an established culture there. So when 2-3 new FAs come in each year, they assimilate into that culture.
But there's no established culture here. The only culture of winning football we had disappeared in 2011. Almost all of the veterans were released, as well as the coaches and most of the front office, and lots of FAs came in with a mercenary attitude and there was nothing here for them to assimilate into. It became a me-first culture full of mercenaries and losers.
Ballard knows he needs to home grow his own guys and create the right culture before bringing in too many FAs.
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