The New England Patriots traded out of the first round for the third time in the Bill Belichick era, sending the 23rd overall pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for the 37th overall and 71st overall picks.
The second night of the draft starts on Friday night, and New England can do just about anything. With aging veterans and holes up and down the roster, the Patriots’ needs are pretty apparent.
With their five picks tonight, the Patriots can go after a tight end to finally replace the production of Rob Gronkowski that was missing last year, a linebacker to fill in for Jamie Collins’ role after his departure to Detroit, or a safety to groom under Devin McCourty and Pat Chung before they eventually retire.
While the options are endless for New England, there are a few things that they can do that would be pretty surprising on the second day of the 2020 draft.
1. Trade out of the second round
According to Adam Schefter during the first-round broadcast, the Patriots believe they are going to be able to draft the same target at No. 37 that they would’ve at No. 23. So, even if they have a couple guys in mind, they are going to be in prime position to get them.
New England could still move back in the second round if their target continues to fall. That way they can stockpile assets to build their team as competitive as possible for the 2020 season. However, it would be extremely surprising to see the team move out of the second round completely with all of the players at their positions of need that are available.
2. Draft a center
David Andrews announced that he’s been cleared to play in this upcoming season after missing all of last year with blood clots in his lungs. The impact of his absence was huge, and having him back will be very important. There are still questions, however, about his future in football and the shape he’s in.
The Patriots are definitely going to address some depth spots on the offensive line, but taking a center on the second day feels a bit high. The highest Belichick has drafted a center in New England was the fourth round of the 2014 draft when he selected Bryan Stork.
3. Draft a kicker
It’s not totally ludicrous that a kicker goes on the second day of the draft. In 2016, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo in the second round. 16 years before that, the Oakland Raiders took Sebastian Janikowski in the first round.
While the Patriots have a clear need at the position after releasing Stephen Gostkowski this offseason, it doesn’t make sense for them to do it now. It’s very likely that all of the top kicking prospects will be available on the third day of the draft. Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship or Georgia Southern’s Tyler Bass will probably be available in the sixth or seventh round.
4. Trade a pick for O.J. Howard
The need for a tight end is real. It’s by far the Patriots’ least-productive position. If they find that none of the draft’s tight ends are up to their standards, it still needs to be addressed.
Howard has come out and said that he wants to leave Tampa Bay after Gronkowski was traded there earlier this week. And, although GM Jason Licht has said that they want to keep Howard in Tampa, it would be enticing to move a player that doesn’t want to be there for a valuable pick.
Still, there are mid-round tight ends that can make an impact in New England. Harrison Bryant, Hunter Bryant, or Brycen Hopkins could find their way to the Patriots. They’d be younger options that are all under team control for longer than the one season that Howard is.
If Licht is truthful, it’s unlikely that Howard moves, and the Buccaneers offense will be powerful.
