As a result of their struggles in the 2023 season, the New England Patriots have earned the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a selection which brings both power and significant buzz with it.
Many predict the Patriots will use their highest pick since 1993 to draft a potential franchise quarterback, especially considering the talent at the position in this year’s class.
But it appears it wouldn’t be wise to make bold predictions this early, as Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche on Sunday at the Annual League Meeting that while quarterback is obviously a focus for the team going into the draft, it’s not a bygone conclusion that it's the only direction New England could go with their first pick.
“It’s the priority right now," Mayo said. "But with that being said, you have to really be in love with the guy to take him at No. 3. So really all the options are still open for us."
The Patriots are in need of stabilization at quarterback, which has overall remained a question since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020. But according to Mayo, using the No. 3 pick on a QB is not the only avenue available to them to find success at the position.
Of course, drafting a quarterback in the first round is not a guarantee of long-term success, as evidenced by Mac Jones’ up-and-down tenure in New England, which started with him being chosen 15th overall in 2021 and leading the team to a playoff appearance that year, but has ended with eight wins in the last two years and Jones traded to Jacksonville earlier this month.
So it’s not unreasonable for Mayo to keep his options open at this point in the process, doing his due diligence to ensure that any potential pick is a true fit for his team, regardless of the perceived need to draft that position.
If they do decide to go another direction besides QB early on, that opens the door for the Patriots possibly trading the pick to gain capital and either forgoing the position entirely or adding a QB later in the draft with one of their other seven picks.
In addition, Mayo could also choose to stay with the quarterbacks he already has on the roster, as he expressed confidence in the ability of the newly-signed Jacoby Brissett to lead the offense if the Patriots don't find their man through the draft. The 2016 Patriots draft pick has wound his way through the league over eight years with five teams before finding his way back to Foxborough.
“A guy like Jacoby, he’s a great leader. Everyone loves him," Mayo said. "To get him back in the building is definitely helpful for us. And honestly, look, he could absolutely be our starter this year. We’ll have to see. Like I said, we’re not dead set at taking a quarterback at No. 3, but we do feel good having a guy like Jacoby ready to go.”
All this talk of not choosing a quarterback could just be part of the pre-draft machinations to avoid giving other teams any clues, or the Patriots might truly believe they'd be best served by using the No. 3 pick to strengthen themselves at another position while riding with Brissett all the way.
Until the selection card is submitted on draft night on April 25, the speculation will continue, waiting to see who will lead the Patriots into a new era.