The New England Patriots are in a new era and who they choose with the No. 3 pick could greatly impact their future success. The Patriots traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars after a very rocky season that ended with him benched and are in need of a replacement.
They added quarterback Jacoby Brissett for a second stint and he will likely back up whomever the team brings in, that is, if they use the pick to take a QB. First-year head coach Jerod Mayo says right now their focus is on a quarterback, but it is not a guarantee.
"It's the priority right now," Mayo said Sunday at the Annual League Meeting (via NFL Network). "But with that being said, you have to really be in love with the guy to take him at No. 3. So really all the options are still open for us."
This is the highest draft pick the Patriots have occupied since 1993, thanks to one of the worst season under former coach Bill Belichick, finishing 4-13. The season's biggest struggle came from an inconsistency at quarterback and with their needs across all three phases of the game, a solid quarterback is at the top of the list.
The Patriots did not bring in a starting quarterback during free agency, despite talks of Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield possibly coming in. Their next best option is to draft a quarterback early, but as we have seen in the past, that is not a fool-proof plan.
Top five quarterbacks do not always work out, so the Patriots need to be strategic and thoughtful about their choice. Another option is to trade down and take a quarterback lower, so until the draft actually comes around, there is no guarantee what they will do.
The Patriots quarterbacks are currently Brissett, who was drafted by the team in 2016, and Bailey Zappe who was drafted by the Patriots in 2022 and has been with them since.
Mayo had high praise for Brissett, saying, "A guy like Jacoby, he's a great leader. Everyone loves him."
"To get him back in the building is definitely helpful for us. And honestly, look, he could absolutely be our starter this year," Mayo continued. "We'll have to see. Like I said, we're not dead set at taking a quarterback at No. 3, but we do feel good having a guy like Jacoby ready to go."
The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.
