The New England Patriots fan-base is obviously split down the middle on the whole tanking topic.
Some would prefer for the team to lose football games and have a real shot at landing Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or at least Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL draft. Meanwhile, others would rather see the team go out on their shield and win as many games as possible.
The Patriots could potentially finish the season with six wins with their last two games being a road meeting with the Buffalo Bills and a home game against the New York Jets. They’ve beaten the Jets 15 straight times, and they upset Buffalo at Gillette Stadium earlier in the season.
The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New York Giants could all be teams looking to draft a quarterback. Does winning football games make sense for the Patriots if it means more Bailey Zappe at quarterback next season?
In that situation, the Patriots could use their draft picks to address other needs on the roster, such as wide receiver and offensive line. But they’d be skipping on adding a possible generational talent under center to help lead the way into the future.
Of course, there’s always the option of trading up, but it could take a massive haul to climb up the draft board. They’d also have to hope to find a willing trade partner.
There are no right or wrong answers for a team that’s just looking to compete. But their willingness to do so and whatever comes after could impact the future for years to come.
