There was a sure subset of Patriots followers upset to see rookie kicker Chad Ryland knock by way of a last-second subject aim towards the Broncos on Sunday night time.
Those are the followers who’ve been rooting for the Patriots to pick greater within the 2024 NFL Draft for the reason that group was eradicated from playoff competition. The win pushed the Patriots down from No. 2 general, the place they might have taken one of many prime two QBs within the draft, to No. 4.
So, what do the Patriots do now, because it seems troublesome to maneuver again as much as one of many prime two picks?
We’ll reply that and extra on this week’s mailbag.
@AndrewTurmer
Which path would you select for the rebuild now we’ve blown a prime 2 decide:
1. Trade up, hand over future picks however get the younger QB on an affordable contract.
2. Bring in a veteran QB, use our decide on Harrison or bettering the O-line and save future picks for the rebuild.
It’s a troublesome conundrum.
There’s extra danger in Option 1, as evidenced by how the Panthers are enjoying this season. They traded a future first-round decide to maneuver as much as take quarterback Bryce Young, who’s struggled.
So, now the Panthers don’t have a 2024 first-round decide, and they may not have their quarterback of the long run both. So, in the event you decide Option 1, you higher make sure that you’re taking the correct man.
But Option 2 seems like a recipe for treading water sooner or later. True Super Bowl contenders want an elite quarterback. And you’re not going to search out an elite quarterback taking the veteran route. And in the event you enhance sufficient to be a middle-of-the-road group, then it will likely be years earlier than you’re choosing excessive sufficient to be inside vary to take a prime QB.
In Option 2, you possibly can nonetheless take a quarterback within the second or third spherical. Washington’s Michael Penix, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix are potential candidates. But there’s much less of an opportunity to hit on a kind of gamers than with a top-two decide.
If you utilize Option 1, then even in the event you don’t discover hit on the quarterback, you then’ll no less than backside out and have one other probability at a prime QB in a number of years.
It does harm to lose a future first-round decide to construct round that prime quarterback, nevertheless.
If you utilize Option 2, then it might be preferrred to commerce down and attempt to purchase a future first-round decide simply in case you continue to must seize a quarterback in future years.
I’d nonetheless in all probability go along with Option 1 and hope you actually do get a franchise quarterback.
@dubreuil201
If Belichick returns subsequent season, do you assume he can be requested by Kraft to go the GM accountability onto an precise GM?
I don’t know. The solely individuals who actually is aware of that’s Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft.
But perhaps you arrange a system for Bill Belichick to rent a normal supervisor in order that the group can go the baton to Jerod Mayo and that GM in 2025.
The case for protecting Belichick as head coach is that his protection remains to be actually good, and the group is usually nonetheless enjoying arduous for him regardless of being out of playoff competition. Why would the group be dramatically higher if Mayo was head coach in 2024 slightly than Belichick?
That query leads us into the case towards protecting Belichick, and that’s a few of his personnel choices over the previous couple of years. And it’s solved if you may get extra assist in the entrance workplace.
@riraho5
Scoring lower than 20 ppg, turnovers each recreation, 3 and outs aplenty….isnt Bailey Zappe simply Mac Jones enjoying towards a better schedule?
Is the schedule actually simpler, although? The Patriots misplaced to the Saints, Raiders, Commanders and Giants and beat the Jets and Bills with Mac Jones at quarterback. They’ve misplaced to the Chargers and Chiefs and beat the Steelers and Broncos with Zappe.
Jones had some optimistic moments earlier this season, however I don’t assume something topped Zappe’s highs from Week 16’s win over the Broncos. Yes, there have been a ton of three-and-outs. But there have been additionally sufficient huge performs to safe a win, and Zappe was clutch down the stretch for a game-winning drive.
@Sruly23
If we stand pat at decide 4 or 5, who do you assume the decide can be or place more than likely to take ? #MailDoug
Wide receiver and offensive sort out are very apparent wants, and broad receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and offensive tackles Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu are all on the market.
I’d personally go along with the broad receiver.
Source: www.bostonherald.com