New England Patriots Should 'Stay Put' in NFL Draft: ESPN Expert Argues Against Trade Down

Despite still having a seemingly depleted roster, one expert doesn't believe the New England Patriots should use that as a reason to trade their No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick.

What should the New England Patriots do in the upcoming NFL Draft? After a disastrous 4-13 season, they are the holders of the No. 3 overall pick, which has many wanting them to take another swing at selecting a franchise quarterback. Meanwhile, others point to the Patriots' still-depleted roster and say they should trade it away in exchange for more picks and hold off on a quarterback.

While we’ve argued for what the Patriots should do in the draft, well-respected ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell has made his own in a recent article, making the case for the Patriots staying “put.” 

“If the Patriots feel confident about three (or more) quarterbacks -- or if the passer they want slips past the Bears and Commanders to No. 3 -- they have to stay put and take that quarterback, …” Barnwell writes. “Still, there is no guarantee they will be in position to take a quarterback again across the next few drafts. If the Pats like one of these passers and he is available at No. 3, they have to go for it.”

Clutchpoints

There's a certain unpredictability to the Patriots' situation. On one hand, their roster isn’t currently equipped to catapult them back into playoff contention. On the other, it's not a given that they'll have another shot at securing their quarterback in the near future. 

With Caleb Williams all but officially the No. 1 pick and the next Chicago Bears quarterback, one of the only outstanding questions for the Patriots will be what happens with the Washington Commanders. After coming into this past season as the near-consensus No. 2 pick behind Williams, Drake Maye finds his draft stock in flux, at least according to mock drafts. 

In recent weeks, it has been LSU’s Jayden Daniels who many see the Commanders making their next franchise quarterback. However, the increase in buzz surrounding Daniels hasn’t come without the mention of Michigan’s national championship winner, J.J. McCarthy. 

Any rumored interest in McCarthy would be shared with the Patriots, as a recent report revealed that new de facto general manager Eliot Wolf was “pushing hard” for the Michigan product. However, as with anything related to the draft, there is the possibility of a smoke-and-mirrors tactic being deployed to keep teams above and below them off-guard.

While it is unknown where exactly the Patriots are leaning toward regarding the draft, one thing has been made clear, and it is the fact that Wolf will make the “final decision.”