Patriots Fans Will Have Bittersweet Feelings About This ESPN Projection

ESPN believes it will be a very long season for the New England Patriots, who will usher in a new era of the franchise in the 2024 NFL season.

And while wins could be tough to come by for Jerod Mayo's group in the upcoming campaign, there could prove to be a silver lining.

ESPN recently used its Football Power Index to deliver a series of 2024 predictions, including the likeliest Super Bowl LIX matchup and the AFC East division winner. The Patriots unsurprisingly weren't mentioned in either conversation, as the Worldwide Leader expects New England to be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft.

"New England's league-topping strength of schedule combined with the FPI's skepticism regarding its roster has the model believing the Patriots are the most likely team to pick first in the 2025 NFL draft, with a 22% chance," Seth Walder wrote. "The Panthers rate lower than the Patriots in the FPI, but their chance at picking No. 1 is slightly worse (21%)."

The four month-plus journey to the top pick could be tough for the Foxboro Faithful to stomach, but landing the highly coveted asset obviously would help accelerate New England's rebuild. The Patriots could take the best player in the class -- a potential addition to Drake Maye's supporting cast -- or trade the selection for a substantial return.

So yes, New England very well could be one of the worst teams in football this season. But the turnaround in Foxboro, Mass., might not be as far away as it currently appears.