The New England Patriots hold the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, giving them a prime opportunity to land a franchise-altering player. However, there’s also the possibility that they trade the pick in an effort to stockpile more draft assets and fill the numerous gaps on their roster.
That said, The Athletic’s Chad Graff points out that finding a trade partner won’t be easy.
“Their best hope is that a quarterback-needy team like the Jets—or another team picking in the teens—really falls in love with [QB] Sanders and makes an aggressive offer to move up,” Graff wrote. “But right now, that doesn’t seem particularly likely. It’s hard to imagine a team behind the Patriots being desperate enough to trade up for Sanders. So at this point, it looks like the Patriots may simply have to make their selection at No. 4.”
That’s not necessarily a bad outcome. There’s a solid chance that Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter will still be on the board, and if not, New England could target Will Campbell, a franchise-caliber left tackle. They could also opt for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, considered one of the best receivers in this draft outside of Hunter.
Regardless of what they do, the Patriots can’t afford to mess this up. The future of Drake Maye and the franchise as a whole could hinge on their decision in just a few weeks.
Leave a Reply