Report: Patriots are ‘heavily leaning’ toward taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick
The Patriots want a new quarterback "badly" and Mac Jones will "probably be elsewhere" next season according to The Athletic
The Patriots want a new quarterback “badly” and are strongly considering using the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft to select one, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
“There’s a strong sense around the NFL the Patriots are heavily leaning in the direction of drafting a QB with the No. 3 pick, per sources,” Howe tweeted.
New England’s front office “seems to be on the same page” that drafting a young quarterback would be the best move as the franchise goes through a rebuild, Howe reports.
“The Patriots look at it like this,” Howe wrote. “If you get the rare chance to draft one of the top prospects at the game’s most valuable position, it’s worth taking a big swing even if the surrounding roster isn’t great. The quarterback position is simply too important to risk passing on one in hopes of maybe landing one a year or two later.”
Howe reports that Caleb Williams is expected to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick and that it’s “unclear” whether the Commanders will go with Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels at No. 2.
One of those three quarterbacks will be available to the Patriots at No. 3.
There’s still a chance that the Patriots take a player other than a quarterback at No. 3, or end up trading the pick.
There’s a “growing buzz” that several of the next tier of quarterbacks outside of the top three, including JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix could be gone by the time the Patriots pick again at No. 34 should that happen, according to Howe.
If the Patriots take a quarterback at No. 3, it could signal the end of Mac Jones’s time in New England. He’s “probably headed elsewhere” according to Howe.
“People close to the team said Mac Jones could benefit from leaving the scar tissue that has built up with the Patriots over three offensive coordinators in three years, poor play and several benchings,” Howe wrote. “And the Patriots seem eager to begin a new chapter with a young quarterback who might be better served with an older, veteran backup who’s enthusiastic about helping the young quarterback understand the game and life as a professional.”
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