How Patriots Should Get House In Order Before Worrying About New QB

The New England Patriots are ready to begin a new chapter and start fresh in several areas for the 2024 season.

First-year head coach Jerod Mayo and personnel leader Eliot Wolf have plenty o00f work to do to improve a 4-13 team from a season ago. Most of those changes will be needed on the offensive side of the ball for the Patriots after having the lowest-scoring offense (13.9 PPG) in the sport.

The central change will likely come at quarterback after Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe watched their starting futures fade at season’s end. Whether the Patriots find their next signal-caller in the draft or in free agency, the unit has more needs than just one position. In reality, the Patriots will need to square away the rest of the offensive issues before picking the quarterback of the future.

Here are three tasks New England should address before bringing in the next franchise quarterback:

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1. Solidify Offensive Tackles
New England’s best options from each tackle position are headed to free agency in Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu.

Brown performed well, though injuries, among other aspects, made for a tumultuous season for the Super Bowl LIII champion. After a second stint in New England, both sides could operate in a new direction in 2024.

As a versatile contributor on the offensive line, Onwenu has been a staple for the Patriots and was exceptional after moving to right tackle last season. Retaining the 26-year-old would be Option A for the Patriots, though his market could get pricey rather quickly.

A path exists for the Patriots to take a talented tackle in the first round of the draft, potentially after trading back if the right deal presents itself for New England. Quality tackles can also be found in later rounds if the Patriots feel that addressing the quarterback is a greater first-round priority.

In free agency, there are plenty of capable tackles who would solidify a shaky offensive line, though Pro Football Focus ranked the 2023 starters in Brown and Onwenu as two of the top three options.

2. Prioritize Valuable Skill Players
Among the skill position players currently on the roster, Demario Douglas and Rhamondre Stevenson offer the greatest abilities for the Patriots.

Pending free agents Kendrick Bourne and Ezekiel Elliott each gave quality production during their New England tenures and would certainly be candidates the Patriots should consider re-signing.

Externally, New England still has options to add the No. 1 weapon the team has lacked for years, particularly at the wide receiver position.

Though it would require an alternative path to finding a quarterback, drafting Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. would instantly solve that issue for the Patriots as a generational pass-catching talent.

If the Patriots want to save that No. 3 pick for their quarterback, several elite options are available in free agency, though top candidates in Mike Evans and Tee Higgins face franchise-tag implications that could change their directions.

3. Lean On Vision Of New Coaching Voices
As Mayo’s coaching staff fills out, a number of new voices are entering the building at One Patriot Place. Alex Van Pelt comes to town as the offensive coordinator while quarterback evaluator and former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo provides veteran insight as an offensive assistant.

Once other personnel questions are answered on offense, these new voices should be heard when planning the Patriots’ future on offense. What schemes will Van Pelt look to centralize in New England? What will he ask from his quarterback? Does McAdoo see enough potential from any quarterbacks in the draft?

As the front office contemplates how to navigate the draft with the No. 3 overall pick, the new additions to the coaching staff should be heavily involved in considering the direction.