6 rings One-Off Wednesday: Does history matter when drafting a quarterback?
The latest example of an NFL franchise causing a seismic shift in the pass catcher market happened on Wednesday morning when the Texans sent a 2025 second-round pick to the Bills for a package that included wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs, a perennial All-Pro with six consecutive seasons of 1,000+ yards receiving, leaves Josh Allen’s side in Buffalo and joins Nico Collins and Tank Dell in 2023 Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud's growing arsenal in Houston. A major shakeup in the AFC.
With the way the game has changed (especially on offense) over the course of the last two decades, it’s easy to argue that wide receiver is the second-most important position on the field – only to the quarterback. It’s a passing league, and both the wide receiver and the passer have become the beneficiaries.
So what does this mean for the Patriots, you ask? It’s pretty simple. The time has come to right their wrongs in the pass catcher department. Get down to brass tacks, if you will.
Eliot Wolf, Matt Groh, Jerod Mayo, and the rest of the decision-makers with authority inside the walls of One Patriot Place need to go get New England a No. 1 wide receiver.
As I’m sure you’re all well aware: the Patriots hold the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and all signs point to them taking a quarterback to jumpstart their franchise. The last time they had a first-round pick as their starting quarterback? Oh yeah, at the start of last three seasons.
After drafting Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL Draft, the 2021 Patriots went 10-7 regular season and made the postseason while their rookie signal caller threw for 3,800 yards and 22 touchdowns. What New England did after that, however, read like a book titled: ‘How to Ruin your Franchise Quarterback For Dummies’.
With long-time defensive coach Matt Patricia as his offensive coordinator and a sub-par receiving corps around him, Jones struggled mightily in 2022. He threw 14 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, took 24 sacks, and dealt with a high-ankle sprain on top of it.
This last season? He hit rock bottom. Despite yet another change at offensive coordinator, Jones threw 12 interceptions to just 10 touchdowns over the Patriots’ first 11 games and was benched heading into Week 13 for backup Bailey Zappe. He notched a passer rating of just 77, his worst in three seasons, as well as a 36.7 QBR - just the 28th highest in football.
What was the common denominator of Jones’ struggles over his final two seasons in Foxborough? Sub-par talent at wide receiver.
But that’s enough about Jones. He’s a Jacksonville Jaguar now and both sides seem more than content with their decision to move on. However, it’s time to change the strategy for their next young quarterback.
Over the last several seasons, teams like the Bills, Dolphins, Eagles, Jaguars, and now the Texans and Bears have took to the trade market in order to pair their young quarterbacks with top-tier talent at wide receiver.
Josh Allen got Stefon Diggs.
Tua Tagovailoa got Tyreek Hill.
Jalen Hurts got A.J. Brown.
Trevor Lawrence got Calvin Ridley.
Caleb Williams gets Keenan Allen.
C.J. Stroud gets Stefon Diggs.
Currently, the Patriots’ wide receiver room consists of the newly-signed K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Jalen Reagor.
It’s simply not enough.
The Patriots have reportedly looked into the wide receiver trade market this offseason, according to Pro Football Network’s Adam Kaplan, so it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility for them to make a splash.
Two names that continue to come to mind? Tee Higgins, who is just 25 years old and requested a trade from the Bengals earlier this offseason following a fallout in contract extension talks, and Brandon Aiyuk who is also 25 and is entering a contract year with the salary cap-strung 49ers.
Either way, it would be wise for New England to get something close to a WR1 in the building prior to drafting their potential next franchise quarterback later this month.
Don’t make the same mistake twice.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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