In just a few days, the New England Patriots will be on the clock with the third overall pick and there has been speculation recently about what the franchise could do with this selection. De facto general manager Eliot Wolf fueled these curiosities last week during his pre-draft press conference when he noted that the club was “Open for business” and added that he had conversations about possibly trading out of the pick.
While anything is possible between now and the start of the draft, ESPN reports that barring an unexpected trade offer, the Patriots will remain at No. 3 and select a quarterback.
“You can’t win without a quarterback,” a Patriots source told ESPN.
This always seemed like the most logical path for New England, especially after trading former first-rounder Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The club signed Jacoby Brissett in free agency and also has Bailey Zappe on the roster, but doesn’t have a bona fide future at the position or a player with as huge a ceiling as someone it could draft at #3.
If this report is valid, the next question focuses on which quarterback the team will select. LSU’s Jayden Daniels, UNC’s Drake Maye or Michigan’s JJ McCarthy are all potential options for New England at this point in the draft, but their availability at No. 3 will depend on what Washington’s commanders do with the second overall choice. They’re also booked for a quarterback with their pick and most mock drafts, including the latest from CBS Sports senior NFL draft analyst Ryan Wilson, have them going with Daniels. So in this scenario, the Patriots would have a choice between Maye or McCarthy.
As for what they’ll actually do, we’ll find out by this time next week.