The Patriots could go a number of different directions in the first round of next month’s NFL draft.
New England has a few obvious needs that need to be addressed, including tight end, wide receiver and offensive line. We’ve also seen a few draft analysts project the Patriots will try to beef up their defense via the 23rd overall pick.
But what are the odds of New England going after a quarterback with its top pick?
There soon could be a major void at the QB position in Foxboro. Tom Brady’s future remains very much uncertain, and it’s unclear if the franchise believes Jarrett Stidham would be ready to take the reins in his sophomore season. Chris Simms could see the Patriots drafting a signal-caller, but if they do, he believes it won’t be until the later rounds.
‘I don’t expect them to make that type of move,” Simms said on NBS Sports. “I don’t. One, I think they do have confidence in Jarrett Stidham for the future to be that guy. I think they’re very happy with that pick. Would I be shocked if they took a quarterback somewhere in the draft? No, not necessarily. But in the first round, especially at pick 23, as it looks right now I don’t know if there’s going to be anybody there that’s close in the range at 23. They’re in kind of no man’s land there as far as getting that kind of guy. Now listen, if Justin Herbert fell and maybe was on the board at 17 or 18, maybe they do make a move for that kind of guy. I would think that would be the type of guy they would want in this. Maybe a Tua (Tagovailoa), but I have a hard time believing Tua gets out of the top, you know, six or seven picks.
“They don’t have a second-round pick and it’s going to be hard for them to — I just don’t imagine them trading up into the top 10 to go quarterback. I don’t see that happening.”
Should Brady depart in free agency, the Patriots might be best served by going after a veteran quarterback who could fill the gap to the next era. It was reported earlier this week New England could target Andy Dalton if Brady signs elsewhere, and at least one league analyst believes the Cincinnati Bengals QB could be a success story with the Patriots.
We probably shouldn’t bank on Herbert sliding in the draft either. Even outside of the Bengals and Miami Dolphins, a handful of quarterback-needy teams are set to pick before the Patriots including the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
