Patriots’ Radical Trade Proposal Lands a QB for Desired Draft Picks

admin | January 29, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Let’s face it.

We can get enthusiastic about the new guy, New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo.

We can be excited about the franchise’s cap room this offseason. After two years of terrible judgments by Bill Belichick, fans might be optimistic about the franchise’s new direction. However, the next Patriots quarterback will be the sole determinant of how swiftly this team recovers in the coming year.

The possibility of New England acquiring an asset from the Bears, who own the No. 1 pick and currently employ star quarterback Justin Fields, is a long shot that many Pats fans may not have considered until recently.

That’s how NBC Sports Chicago analyst Glynn Morgan sees things playing out, with the Patriots trading down from No. 3 to as part of a blockbuster trade that sends Fields to the Patriots while also returning the No. 9 pick.

Plenty of Patriots Quarterback Options

It will become a more prevalent theme in the coming months, as the Patriots have four quarterback options.

They may negotiate a deal with the Bears to secure the No. 1 pick and take Caleb Williams, potentially at a high cost. Given what the Bears were able to get from the Panthers for the No. 1 pick last year, such a deal would cost New England this year’s No. 3 pick, as well as next year’s first-round pick, plus additional draft assets, making this option unappealing.

Second, they may make a trade with the Bears for Fields. In Morgan’s fake trade, the Patriots would receive Fields, the No. 9 pick, and a 2025 sixth-rounder in exchange for the No. 3 pick, the Patriots’ fourth-rounder, and third- and fifth-round picks in 2025.

Third, the Patriots might abandon the concept of a draft-day deal and instead select whichever quarterback falls to them from the group of Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels. This is the most likely outcome.

Fourth, the Patriots might try to make a free-agent splash in the quarterback market by chasing players such as Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, or, if he is released, Russell Wilson. However, given the state of their offensive line and wide receiver rooms, the Patriots are unlikely to be able to sign a big-time quarterback on the open market.

Justin Fields Can Run, but Can He Pass?

None of the possibilities are infallible, and the Patriots may choose to pursue more than one this winter—for example, they might choose a quarterback at third overall while also signing a veteran in free agency.

However, regardless of what they do, the Patriots will be unable to return to the field in 2024 with either Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe at quarterback.

Fields, at the very least, is a fascinating and perhaps excellent choice for the Patriots’ next quarterback. He has tremendous running ability but has suffered as a drop-back passer, which he improved this season. Last season, he rushed for 1,157 yards on 10.7 carries per game. This season, he averaged 9.5 carries per game and gained 657 yards.

However, he improved as a passer, averaging 197.1 yards per game, the highest total of his three-year career. He completed 61.4% of his throws and had nine interceptions, resulting in a 2.4% interception rate. These were all career bests.

After starting the season 1-5, the Bears went 4-3 in their final seven games with Fields at quarterback. That reasonably successful finish called into question the team’s quarterback plans, which had seemed decided on Williams for much of the season. However, the quarterback skill at the top of the selection is too much to pass up, and the Bears will most likely shop Fields.

Fields is under contract for one more year and will be eligible for a megadeal after that. The Patriots’ quarterback search is ongoing, and Fields must be viewed at least as a possibility.