The New England Patriots could very much use a change of pace. Their disappointing last few seasons have been difficult to watch. Seeing teams like the Houston Texans, who got their franchise quarterback and immediately turned their organization around would be the best case scenario for the Patriots. New England holds the number three overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and if they use it correctly, could we see a huge breakout season? This year’s quarterback draft class is incredibly talented but very top heavy. The are three big time prospects in Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, but after that it really drops off. Will New England use their high pick to secure their future?
The Patriots have quite a few holes on the roster, specifically the offense, but with their incredibly talented defense, it is possible to have a big off-season and get right back to competing in the gauntlet of the AFC. By making some big signings in Free Agency, they could end up getting an incredibly talented quarterback in the Draft and immediately be a nightmare for opposing teams. The Patriots could turn into the type of underrated team in 2024, that nobody wants to play against. An aggressive, young team that plays full throttle every single play. A team that is desperate to prove themselves as a team to be feared in the AFC.
Patriots fans are notoriously loyal, but also very critical of the team when they don’t perform well. This has been the case the last few years, Gillette Stadium roaring with angry fans who want to see their team succeed. Gillette used to be known as a terrible place to play for opposing teams when Tom Brady was the quarterback and the Dynasty of New England was in all its glory. Thousands of electric New Englanders, all packed into that stadium on a freezing winter night to cheer on the Patriots in the playoffs. This is what every one of the Foxborough Faithful wants back. A team they can go to war with, a team they can look forward to watching, and a team that can bring back Lombardi number seven.
If the Patriots make a comeback in 2024 to being a competitive team, it will make the AFC even more entertaining to watch. Nailing the 2024 off-season and committing to the culture and mentality Jerod Mayo is rebuilding in New England could be exactly what it takes to see the Patriots turn things around. It is an achievable task, just look around the NFL at a team like the Bengals. They were a very bad team and once they used their number one pick on Joe Burrow, they are a team to be feared in the playoffs. Burrow is considered to be one of the few players who can go toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes and win. If the Patriots can hit on the quarterback position in April, the entire AFC could be in for a rude awakening when they roll into Patriot Place next season.
Is there too much expectation for a rookie quarterback?
Rookie quarterbacks are under a lot of pressure especially if they are a top three pick. If New England wants to make sure whoever they bring in doesn’t collapse from the pressure, they will need to take some steps to help him reach his best potential. Getting some weapons in Free Agency as well as the NFL Draft should be the number one priority when bringing in a rookie quarterback. Doing this will give him plenty of options to go to when a play breaks down. Giving a new quarterback the tools to succeed will be exactly what gets New England back into those cold winter playoff games at Gillette.