The New England Patriots have a lot of holes to fix, and it’s clearly going to take more than one offseason to do it, regardless of who is in charge.
First and foremost, the team must show a dramatic shift in philosophy when it comes to building an offensive roster. Coach Bill Belichick was spoiled with Tom Brady under center for so long that even he forgot what it was like to run a team without a legitimate franchise quarterback captaining the ship.
None of the problems in New England go away without the right quarterback in the system. They also have to do a better job of finding the right pieces on the offensive line and at the skilled positions to give the quarterback a chance for success,
This is where serious lessons need to be learned from the Mac Jones situation. The Patriots never put the former Alabama standout in a position to succeed, which ultimately led to the broken version of the once promising player we see today.
In this three-round mock 2024 NFL draft, we’re building the roster with the quarterback and offense in mind. Here’s who the Patriots landed with their first three picks:
Round 1, Pick No. 2: QB Caleb Williams, USC
Drafting Caleb Williams here was a no-brainer with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye being taken No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears. The Patriots need to go after one of the top-two quarterbacks on the board, if given an opportunity, because they aren’t promised to have another shot next year.
Williams and Maye have the sort of high ceilings that you can live with being wrong on. But let’s say the Patriots wait a bit longer down the draft board and bust on a player like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, it would be a much harder mistake to forgive.
There’s no sense in overthinking this one. Mac Jones is broken as a quarterback, and Bailey Zappe hasn’t been much better. It’s time to admit the 2021 rebuild was a failure and bring in a new era with Williams.
Round 2, Pick No. 34: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Tyler Guyton is a massive offensive tackle with ridiculous athleticism for a man his size. He stands at 6-foot-7 and 328 pounds with the sort of raw power to hold off or even pancake defenders.
The Patriots have a big need at offensive tackle, and Guyton could help get the team back on track of significantly improving the talent up front. There’s also real value here with some viewing Guyton as a first-round talent.
It’s time to stop drafting guards and moving them to offensive tackle. Guyton has proven he can play the position at a high level for an extended period of time.
Go get that guy.
Round 3, Pick No. 66: OT Patrick Paul, Houston
Patrick Paul doesn’t have Tyler Guyton’s athleticism, but he’s another behemoth offensive linemen that plays with great technique. He’s exactly the kind of player you need on a roster to keep Caleb Williams from getting pummeled under center.
Drafting Guyton and Paul back-to-back would be an opportunity for the Patriots to make the statement that the team is committing itself towards rebuilding the core of the offense. What better way to do that than doubling down at offensive tackle and coming away with two talented linemen?
Trent Brown is on an expiring deal, and Mike Onwenu, who has actually been decent at right tackle, is playing out of position. If the Patriots decide to extend Onwenu in the offseason, the thinking should be kicking him back inside at guard, while completely reworking the tackle positions.
They could also bring Brown back for another year as a bridge for younger talent. Yes, the team needs help at receiver as well, but that could be taken care of during free agency. Imagine the Patriots signing a player like Tee Higgins and following that move up with these first three draft picks.
That would be a strong start to a rebuild.
