Should Patriots Trade Out of Third Overall Pick?
To draft a quarterback or to not draft a quarterback.
That is the question the New England Patriots have to answer.
When it comes to the future of the organization, new head coach Jerod Mayo and de-facto general manager Eliot Wolf have a decision to make regarding the organization's future. They could look to trade out of their current selection to accumulate more draft capital in April, or stay where they are with the third overall pick and select the best available player.
That decision was made even more complex following the Minnesota Vikings trade with the Houston Texans. Minnesota acquired a first-round pick - their second of the Draft - to add more ammo to a potential trade-up for a top quarterback.
Would the Patriots make a deal with Minnesota and give up a chance to take the best available quarterback?
For an organization that is in the first stages of a rebuild, it's certainly up for debate. New England isn't expected to be competitive in 2024 and has needs at every offensive position including quarterback. If the Patriots were to draft the best available quarterback, throw him into the fire of the weekly gameplans, and he crumbles under a lack of support, New England might be starting over again in a hurry.
It might be best for the organization to get several bites at the apple in the 2024 Draft with the rookie class considered one of the best in recent memory.
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That being said, franchise quarterbacks don't come around often. New England, with the signing of Jacoby Brissett, could allow their young signal-caller to sit behind a veteran and learn the game without major pressure.
If a quarterback is available, it wouldn't make sense for a needy team like the Pats to pass off on one simply because they have a lot of needs.
It's certainly a difficult decision they have to make, but the Patriots would be better off staying the course with the third-overall pick and building around him in the coming years.