Former Patriot says 2024 NFL Draft ‘could be a home run’
Rob Ninkovich talked Patriots free agency and draft strategy in a recent interview with ESPN's Mike Reiss.
Just one week into NFL free agency — and two months after new head coach Jerod Mayo declared the Patriots were ready to “burn some cash” — New England fans already sound like they want to burn the house down.
Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich noticed it when he turned on the local sports radio station in Massachusetts, according to a recent interview with ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
“I hear people saying ‘they’re re-signing all these guys and they were 4-13 last year, so why would they do that,’” Ninkovich said.
“To me, the guys they targeted and brought back, I think they are key pieces. And they’re getting guys out of the building they think are the reason they were a four-win team,” he said.
Some notable players returning to Foxborough this fall include Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, Alex Austin, Mike Onwenu, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, and Jalen Reagor.
Ninkovich was schooled in the “Packer way” of developing home-grown talent and possesses years of scouting experience. The former Patriot says he still sees Wolf’s strategy in the post-Belichick rebuild as strong and believes that this is just the beginning if the Patriots play their cards right in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“But the biggest thing to me is that no matter what they did, it’s the draft that is going to make or break their offseason. This could be a home run,” he said. “At the same time, the scary part is that if they draft a quarterback at No. 3, and he’s not the guy, they’re in major trouble.”
The Patriots need not be reminded of the trauma that ensues when a first round QB doesn’t meet their expectations.
However, in a quarterback-loaded draft class — with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy projected to go early in the first round — they’ll likely take the gamble on a young signal-caller.
“I like the moves across the board, but it’s the draft, and what they decide at quarterback, that will ultimately determine how the team comes together and if they’re trending in the right direction,” Ninkovich said.
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