Patriots facing many choices
Why trading down in draft could be bad move
There are two sides fighting to be heard ahead of the New England Patriots being on the clock at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
One side is sure the team needs to trade down from No. 3 and accumulate draft picks to help fill out one of the worst rosters in the NFL. The other side, however, wants the team to commit to taking one of the top quarterbacks on the draft board.
There are no right or wrong answers here considering the team doesn’t have a crystal ball to show them the results a year from now. Both roads are a roll of the dice that’ll either lead to good or bad consequences.
Today, we’re going to explain why taking the quarterback will give the Patriots the best chance of coming out on the good side of things.
Here are three reasons why trading down in the April 25 draft could prove to be catastrophic for New England:
Decision could cause early friction with ownership
When asked whether or not his expectations for the Patriots had changed a week ago, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he still expects the team to make the playoffs. That comment probably elicited more than a few chuckles from Patriots fans, but it still doesn’t change that the most influential man in the building wants immediate progress.
There’s no chance the Patriots are going to get that with Jacoby Brissett or Bailey Zappe under center.
They probably wouldn’t get there with a rookie quarterback under center, either. But there’s a different kind of hope and expectation when knowing the right guy is at quarterback. The Patriots haven’t had that level of comfort since Tom Brady was in the building.
“I guess, as a fan, I put my fan hat on and I definitely would, you know, in
the end — you can’t win in this league consistently unless you have a first-rate quarterback and a first-rate coach,” Kraft said last week during the NFL’s annual meeting.
De facto general manager Eliot Wolf might ruffle more than a few feathers with ownership if he passes on a quarterback that ends up as a great player.
Right and wrong might not matter as much as what Kraft wants at this point. His leash for patience is likely to be a little longer with the right quarterback, rather than a revolving door of long shots and game managers under center.
Patriots still might not be an attractive destination
One thing the Patriots have learned in the offseason is the power of influence that comes with having a franchise quarterback. No one was jumping with excitement to come play in the cold with state income taxes, while also catching passes from Bailey Zappe.
Imagine, however, if C.J. Stroud were the quarterback in New England. The reaction from free-agent, skill-position players would have been completely different.
Trading down for extra picks is great, but it doesn’t guarantee a franchise quarterback in the end. Granted, neither does drafting one at No. 3 overall, but it would also be the team’s best shot at getting one, unless someone is prepared to make the argument that Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. will be better than the top-four quarterbacks on the board.
The fear on this end would be the Patriots ending up with a decent roster and an average quarterback under center. Those teams typically win more than they lose and might even make the playoffs from time to time, but they are constantly held back by the factor that they don’t have the right quarterback under center.
They then either lose their skilled players and are forced to rebuild all over again, or they package a bunch of draft picks for the desperation trade-up to attempt to get their guy in the draft. Things are less muddy this time around. The Patriots could simply take their quarterback at No. 3, which is a spot they aren’t guaranteed to have again.
A misfire could affect the Patriots for years to come
Missing in this draft could set the franchise back for years to come. There is no foolproof approach to making a decision with the No. 3 pick. There is the fact, however, that it’s hard to be competitive in the NFL without the right No. 1 quarterback.
Throw in the fact that the Patriots are playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL and it’s going to be significantly harder.
With that said, it’s a much easier pill to swallow missing out on skilled players than missing a quarterback. If Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy end up working out in the NFL, it’s going to be a horrendous look for the Patriots’ front office if it doesn’t pull the trigger on one of them when they’re in a position to do so.
Last season was disastrous for the Pats, and they didn’t do much to improve that feeling in the offseason. They should be applauded for keeping some of their key in-house free agents, but so far, they have failed to bring in marquee outside talent to help improve the roster.
The team needs a major morale boost that can only come in the form of a promising quarterback prospect. Even if the rest of the roster isn’t ready for a rookie to lead, they could simply bench their young quarterback for the first year. Isn’t that why Zappe is still on the roster? Isn’t that why they brought in Brissett?
No one expects the Patriots to compete for a playoff spot this season, but it would feel like a win if they get a top quarterback prospect in-house to secure the most important position on the field. They could use the draft and all of next offseason to fill out the rest of the roster.