One of the biggest questions this offseason is what the New England Patriots plan on doing at the quarterback position.
They have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which guarantees them a crack at landing one of the top-three quarterback prospects—Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. The team is also projected to rank near the top of the NFL in available cap space, if they wanted to sign a veteran.
There’s also the option of keeping things exactly how they are with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe vying for top quarterback reps in training camp.
Literally, every option is on the table for the Patriots, but according to MassLive’s Karen Guregian and Chris Mason, the team might have a three-step plan already in place to deal with the quarterback position.
Firstly, the Patriots appear to be leaning towards taking a quarterback with the No. 3 draft pick. They also plan on signing a veteran quarterback that could potentially start for the team, depending on the development of the rookie signal-caller. As for Mac Jones, per Guregian and Mason, the former first-round pick out of the University of Alabama is likely done in New England.
A split at this point between the Patriots and Jones feels like the right move. He’d only fall further down the depth chart if the Patriots drafted a rookie first-round pick. A fresh start with an opportunity to truly reinvent himself and possibly even become a starter once again in the future makes the most sense for Jones.
As for the Patriots, they would be better off hitting the reboot button under center, while using a veteran quarterback as a bridge option. There’s no rush for the team to compete in 2024.
So they could bring in a veteran like Jacoby Brissett, Joe Flacco or even Kirk Cousins to take the reins until their rookie quarterback is up to speed and the offense is suitable enough to put a young player under center. The last thing the Patriots need is another Mac Jones situation.
It’s the perfect plan of drafting for the biggest need on the roster without ruining the player in the process.
