After a disappointing 2020 campaign, there is plenty of work to be done for the Patriots over the course of the offseason. And Boomer Esiason has identified a potential solution for New England’s most glaring need.
Addressing the quarterback position arguably should be the matter highest on New England’s to-do list.
The Cam Newton experiment in Foxboro wasn’t a home run. Newton, by all accounts, completely bought into the “Patriot Way” and clearly was well-liked in the locker room, but his play on the field was subpar for the majority of the season. As such, it would not be at all surprising if New England has a new starting signal-caller come the start of the 2021 campaign.
But how will the Patriots go about finding a potential new QB1? Esiason seems to believe the organization will take a deep dive into the veteran market.
“They’ll scour the league,” Esiason said Monday on “The Greg Hill Show,” as transcribed by WEEI. “I’m telling you, there will be a couple quarterbacks out there that will be available that we’re not even thinking about right now. It’s hard to project, but I’m sure guys like maybe Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford could be in play. Jimmy Garoppolo could be in play. Sam Darnold could be in play. Mitch Trubisky could be in play. I’m not sure if any of those excite anyone up there in New England. But at this point, I think it’s all hands on deck, and they have to look at everything. And that’s the most important position, so they have to figure it out.”
Going after a veteran quarterback probably would be the smartest approach this offseason. The Patriots could add depth at the position through the draft, but given where their picks fall, they might not be in a position to select their next franchise signal-caller. If the organization isn’t truly in love with one of this year’s prospects, there’s no sense in rolling the dice on a QB at 15th overall.
And considering how New England’s latest season panned out, Bill Belichick might not be keen on dealing with a quarterback going through growing pains in 2021.
