We're seemingly reaching the point of analysis paralysis with regards to the New England Patriots and how Bill Belichick will approach the 2021 NFL Draft.
We've heard it all -- trade up, trade down, stand pat, etc. -- and yet it doesn't feel like, collectively, we're any closer to knowing what's going on inside the walls in Foxboro.
Still, we press on. Why? Because it's draft season, and what's better than speculating about possible selections and concocting hypothetical scenarios for entertainment's sake?
ESPN NFL writer Bill Barnwell put an interesting twist on the draft Thursday when he proposed a trade for each of the 32 picks in the first round. That's right, a mock draft comprised entirely of trades, rather than trying to pinpoint where each prospect will land.
Barnwell's annual exercise, which takes into account team needs and team-building styles, is rooted in sound logic, no doubt, but nevertheless is for fun. And as he notes: "Each of the trades exists in its own universe, so you'll see a pick dealt more than once or a team move up or down in multiple deals."
So, what did Barnwell come up with for the Patriots' pick at No. 15 overall?
Well, he suggested the Patriots trade that selection along with a seventh-rounder (No. 242) to the Chicago Bears for the No. 20 pick, a second-rounder (No. 52) and a sixth-rounder (No. 204).
Here's his rationale:
Bill Belichick has changed his roster-building style in recent months out of necessity, but unless he's making a major move up to grab a quarterback, I still think he's going to lean toward amassing extra picks while taking advantage of desperate teams. He has hooked up with general manager Ryan Pace and the Bears in the past, with Chicago moving up in the second round to grab Anthony Miller in 2018.
This time, the Bears would be moving up ahead of the Cardinals for a cornerback such as South Carolina's Jaycee Horn. Chicago was forced by cap constraints to swap out Kyle Fuller for Desmond Trufant this offseason, and the former Falcons corner has been alternately injured and ineffective over the past few years. Horn would step in as the team's third corner before forming the team's starting duo of the future alongside promising 2020 second-rounder Jaylon Johnson. The Pats would move down and add an extra second-rounder, which would be helpful for a team that lost a second-rounder in 2020 to the Mohamed Sanu trade and a third-rounder in 2021 for filming the Bengals during a game.
From an intrigue standpoint, this certainly pales in comparison to some of the other blockbusters Barnwell proposed, including the trade he suggested for the Atlanta Falcons at No. 4 or the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 17.
Barnwell proposed the Falcons trade the No. 4 pick, a 2022 fourth-rounder and cornerback Isaiah Oliver to the Patriots for the No. 15 pick, a third-round pick (No. 96), a 2022 first-rounder and cornerback J.C. Jackson -- a move that would allow New England to select its quarterback of the future.
And he then proposed the Patriots get involved in the Raiders' wheeling and dealing at No. 17 to acquire QB Marcus Mariota.
But the reality is next week's draft theoretically could come and go without any major fireworks in New England. It certainly would be very Belichick-like to zig when everyone expects him to zag, especially on the heels of an extremely active free agency for the Patriots.
