Analyst Offers Intriguing Draft Strategy for Patriots

The New England Patriots could employ a very interesting strategy in the NFL Draft.

August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo works from the sideline during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, which means they stand a pretty good chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

But here's the thing: the Patriots have already landed who they feel is their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, so having the top selection won't be that pressing for them unless they absolutely feel obligated to select Colorado Buffaloes superstar Travis Hunter.

So, could New England get creative with the pick?

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski thinks so, suggesting that the Pats could actually trade out of the top spot in April.

"Since Maye is already on the board and the Patriots need so much talent elsewhere, New England's front office can leverage this selection for a rather hefty return from a quarterback-needy squad looking to trade up for Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward," Sobleski wrote.

The Patriots would surely be able to land a king's ransom for the No. 1 selection, which Sobleski feels may be a great avenue to explore.

"A windfall of picks will be more beneficial to resupply the NFL's worst roster than it would be to take a single individual, even if that person is an elite talent," added Sobleski. "The Patriots need help everywhere, and they'd still get a top prospect by trading down a handful of spot."

Because New England has so many needs up and down the roster, trading one pick for a bunch of draft choices would definitely make sense.

An argument can be made that the Pats should simply take the best player available, but as Sobleski says, it may actually work more in their favor to collect as many assets as possible to give them more of a chance of improving the roster as a whole.

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