Pats pass on QB party
Waiting may be a losing gamble
FOXBORO — Day 1 of the NFL draft was certainly one for quarterbacks, as four were taken off the board in the first 10 picks.
With the Patriots owning two picks in the first round, and with all kinds of firepower to make a move, there was some thought Bill Belichick might get in the act and grab a quarterback.
Given all the hype surrounding the draft class, it wasn’t outlandish to think the Patriots might come away with Tom Brady’s heir last night.
Only, they left that to another day, conceivably today when Round 2 commences. While the Patriots certainly have holes to fill, and the need for more building blocks for their roster, there’s no more important mission than finding Brady’s successor.
He might not play right away, but he’s the future of the franchise. In the big picture, it’s a pick the Patriots need to get right whenever it’s made.
What we know is it won’t be UCLA’s Josh Rosen, and it won’t be Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, who were both linked to the Pats in recent days.
As the first round played out, Rosen fell down the draft board, as many had predicted. With Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield going first to the Browns, USC’s Sam Darnold third to the Jets, and Wyoming’s Josh Allen seventh to the Bills, who moved up to get him, Rosen dropped all the way to No. 10, which was the Raiders’ pick.
The Patriots were linked to Rosen, but it was the Cardinals who made the move up the board for him.
Jackson also was sitting in the green room a long time. There was a lot of talk about the former Heisman Trophy winner and the Patriots being a match. The Patriots, however, passed on him at 23 and at 31. He ultimately went to the Ravens at No. 32.
Josh McDaniels may have worked him out, and they may have had a pre-draft visit, but it still wasn’t enough to entice them to select Jackson on Day 1.
Instead, the Patriots filled needs, taking Georgia left tackle Isaiah Wynn and also getting great value with one of the best running backs, Sony Michel, also a Bulldog.
They have picks 43 and 63 in the second round. That means the door is open to other possibilities including Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph, Washington State’s Luke Falk and Richmond’s Kyle Lauletta. Chances are, the Patriots will strike today in the second or third round.
And if they go without a quarterback in this draft, it means they believe Brady, who turns 41 in August, is going to be good to go for several more years.
That’s a bit of a gamble, though, especially with Brady questioning his conviction to play.