When Devin McCourty played for the Patriots, everyone in New England looked ahead to early February.
Now, no one could blame folks around Foxboro, Mass. for thinking about late April.
The Patriots are not a Super Bowl LVIII contender. Most could have reached that conclusion after New England started the season 0-2, but its status in the NFL became abundantly clear after back-to-back losses of more than 30 points. Bill Belichick is overseeing a bad football team, one that might finish the regular season among the league's worst.
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Even McCourty, who played with the Patriots for over a decade, can't find any reasons for optimism in New England. As such, the retired safety suggested the white flag for the Patriots on Sunday night.
"If you're in the New England area, it's all about Super Bowls," McCourty said on NBC. "I played there 13 years. It was all about, 'I don't care how many playoff games you win. Are you going to win the Super Bowl?' This team now is, 'Are we going to win or are we going to just keep the game within two scores?' I think that's the struggle right now. I don't know where they turn to try to find answers to try to turn this season around. Their best bet might be 'tank it' or whatever you want to call it and get a great draft pick.'"
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As it stands, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft is a realistic outcome for the Patriots. If the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, New England will enter Week 6 as one of seven teams with one win or less on the season.
In-season draft talk was unheard of when Tom Brady was behind center for the Patriots. But times have changed in New England, and it might take an overhaul to get the franchise back on track.
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Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
