NFL Insider Does Not See Patriots Locked Into Quarterback Selection

The New England Patriots have several needs on offense that will need to be addressed during the 2024 NFL Draft.

With the No. 3 overall pick, the Patriots hold an incredibly valuable asset. In recent weeks, rumors have swirled as to whether New England will select its next franchise quarterback or trade out of the slot to accumulate more picks and fill more holes on the roster.

With under a month until the draft starts, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini understands the logic for either direction, though one may have more sense for the Patriots.

“I don’t believe them to be a lock to take a quarterback,” Russini told FS1’s Colin Cowherd on “The Herd” on Friday. “You can go both ways with this. Are they going to go the avenue of that slow rebuild and use another free agency to continue to build? Maybe trade out of that spot to collect more picks? It would basically mirror what the Houston Texans have been doing for the last few seasons in having that New England mindset. It wouldn’t be that far-fetched to use that same blueprint.”

At the same time, the Patriots suffered from declining quarterback play throughout last season from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. While veteran Jacoby Brissett can hold down the spot in 2024, the urgency to find a star at the position seems prominent for the Patriots.

“The idea of them wanting to go get a quarterback and believing that that’s going to turn them around is certainly there,” Russini added.

As a whole, New England’s offense still needs an overhaul. In its current standing, a lack of talent and ability has hurt recruiting purposes to find upgrades at skill positions.

“They’re just not ready now,” Russini shared. “That’s why they had a hard time really pulling in top receivers during free agency.”

The Patriots take the next step in the rebuild when the NFL Draft begins in Detroit on April 25.

“They’ve got to make a decision,” “I think patience would probably be the better choice for them, but I’m not really sure that’s going to be the end game for them.”