The Patriots face a pivotal offseason, the first in decades without either Tom Brady or Bill Belichick, and it's why every move Jerod Mayo, Eliot Wolf and company make will be heavily scrutinized.
New England has multiple internal free agents to decide on, and it has plenty of cap space to sign free agents or acquire high-end players. However, all eyes will be on the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Patriots own the No. 3 pick, their first top-three selection since 1993.
Analysts are mixed on what New England should do with the third overall pick. The Patriots have a lot of needs along with quarterback, and that might have been the mindset ESPN analyst Matt Miller had when he gave his opinion on what the Patriots should do at No. 3.
"Pre-Combine draft take... The Patriots should not draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall," Miller posted on X on Tuesday. "This roster isn't ready for a rookie QB and would just set his development back.
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"This isn't Houston with a HOF left tackle and solid supporting cast. This is closer to Carolina... and we saw how that worked out."
The NFL draft analyst's post blew up among Patriots fans. New England certainly can't run it back with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe after their putrid play in 2023, but should the Patriots have a quarterback-or-bust mindset with the No. 3 pick?
New England could trade the pick for a player like Justin Fields or trade back to acquire more assets and take a shot on Day 2 players like Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler or Michael Penix Jr. The Patriots could stay at No. 3 and draft either Marvin Harrison Jr. or Joe Alt.
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But passing on either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels could be a huge mistake. The Chicago Bears earning No. 1 picks in back-to-back drafts is an anomaly, not a trend. Teams rarely pick this high in the draft, and it's important to strike at the right time. The 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class doesn't project to be the greatest, so waiting for next year might not be a viable option.
Miller pointed out how weak the Patriots roster is, but he might have some revisionist history about the Texans. The ESPN analyst might have been higher on Houston than others, but the majority of NFL pundits slept on the Texans and didn't think C.J. Stroud would be a top-10 quarterback so soon. The only people who knew Nico Collins or Tank Dell were hardcore draft folks or fantasy football nerds.
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And are the Patriots as bad as the Carolina Panthers were in Bryce Young's first season? The offense sure is, and that should be the offseason focus because the defense is in good shape. There should be continuity with Mayo as head coach, and Christian Gonzalez's return should continue to make New England a formidable secondary.
There are question marks on the offensive line and with the receiving corps, but if Mayo and his staff are confident with one of the top quarterbacks, they should not hesitate and draft them. That doesn't mean they have to start right away, but the quarterback carousel around the league seen in recent years shows why it's important to take shots at quarterback. The Green Bay Packers showed how this can succeed when they drafted Jordan Love in the first round in 2020 even with Aaron Rodgers on the roster. In his first season as a starter, he's shown the tools to be a franchise quarterback.
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Credit to Green Bay, as it also nailed other parts of the draft to get to its upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, but quarterback is the most important position and must be addressed.
What do you think? Should the Patriots draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall? Make your voice heard in the comments.
Featured image via Stephen Lew/USA TODAY Sports Images
