The New England Patriots have the third overall pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. When it comes to this pick, many believe it is more important which quarterback the Patriots select and if the receiver they select.
Asked to rate the Patriots’ confidence in their ability to acquire a quarterback via trade or free agency, ESPN’s Mike Reiss said it was pretty much a slam dunk. My first hunch is that the Patriots will trust their top two quarterbacks in this draft. So the fact that 75% have no control over what happens in options 1 and 2 reflects reality.
When it comes to free agency and the trade market, the Patriots should have learned from 2023 that not signing an experienced quarterback is expensive. It would be shocking to repeat the same mistake. The New England Patriots could have an intriguing veteran who could kick the tires in free agency. Kirk Cousins is one of them.
There are also players like Ryan Tannehill, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Drew Lock, Baker Mayfield and Foxboro tight end Jacoby Brissett.It’s hard to imagine the New England Patriots are happy with the current state of their quarterback room. Especially after a season in which he ranked second in the NFL with 13.9 points per game and third with 276.2 total yards per outing.
Mac Jones continues to decline in 2023, making it difficult for the Patriots to trust him. After posting a 50.9 QBR in his rookie season in 2021 and also earning a Pro Bowl nod, Jones took a step back to a 38.4 QBR in 2022 and reached 36.5 QBR before retiring in 2023.
