The Patriots are clearly interested in the quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, but will they have the chance to get one of the best?
It's expected quarterbacks will be selected Nos. 1-3 overall and potentially at No. 4 as well. Selecting No. 15 overall, in order to land one of the top five players at the position, they may need to trade into the top 10. But, that will come with a cost.
The Patriots would likely need to give up pick No. 15, next year's first-rounder and potentially more, so is it worth it? That's a question the organization will be asking and is the topic of this week's Off Day debate.
Should the Patriots trade up to select a quarterback in the draft? (Vote in our poll at the end of the post.)
YES
The Patriots have already had an impressive offseason, aggressively adding potential impact talent on both sides of the ball via free agency. It was literally and figuratively a huge investment in the team both for the present and the future. Why not do the same at the quarterback position? Even if three QBs go off the board in the first three picks, there remains two perceived first-round options to go after. The draft starts at No. 4 with trade possibilities at this point. If the Patriots see elite potential in the would- be options like maybe Ohio State’s Justin Fields or North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, they shouldn’t be afraid to pounce. Continue to be “uncharacteristically aggressive” and go get a franchise QB to build around. Maybe he won’t be ready immediately, but that’s where the cost-effective options Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham come in. If the GM Bill Belichick wants to continue to provide the coach Bill Belichick with the talent to return to true success, the quarterback position is the last key, big-ticket item on the spring To-Do List! Swing for the fences, continue to aggressively invest in the team and do whatever it takes to get a young, developmental franchise QB. It’s what all the best NFL teams are doing these days! (Other than the Super Bowl Champion Bucs, but we all know the GOAT story that took place in Tampa and don’t need to go down that road any further.) Trade up, Bill. Do it, do it!
-- Andy Hart
NO
This would be different if the Patriots were going to be able to get one of the first three quarterbacks to come off the board, but it doesn't appear to be the case with Jacksonville, New York and San Francisco primed to take QBs at Nos. 1-3. If the Patriots do trade up, it would be for the fourth or fifth quarterbacks to be taken, and that's a big risk. Players who may be available are Justin Fields, Mac Jones and Trey Lance, and there are a lot of unknowns with all three of these players. They are not the "locks" that are Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson. Giving up multiple first-round picks where there are some questions just doesn't seem worth it. The way things are playing out makes sense for the Patriots to stay at No. 15 and select a player who likely will have top 10 talent. With quarterbacks going so high, this will slide players at other positions down and that sets up nicely for the Patriots. Relating to the quarterback position their eyes should be on Jimmy Garoppolo -- not only this offseason, but next offseason as well. Belichick is never one to overspend, especially in the draft, and trading into the top 10 to select the fourth or fifth QB to come off the board doesn't feel like a Belichick-type move.
-- Ryan Hannable
