Looking ahead to the upcoming NFL offseason, the New England Patriots have a lot of work to do. Starting at head coach and quarterback, the franchise could move on from both Bill Belichick and Mac Jones. At the very least, the team seems destined to have a new starting quarterback to begin the 2024 season.
When talking about potential replacements at quarterback, the Patriots have been linked to two quarterbacks at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft. Those two quarterbacks are Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. If the season ended today, New England would have an opportunity to draft at least one of them.
Another option is pursuing a veteran quarterback to get things turned around quicker. Kirk Cousins has been a major name talked about if New England chooses to go that route.
NFL Analyst Shreds Patriots Potentially Pursuing Kirk Cousins
Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine took a look at the option of signing Cousins in free agency. He did not have nice words to say about the potential pairing.
He started by talking about the potential of the move for the Patriots, noting that Belichick could opt to look at a veteran like Cousins if he’s kept for another year and has the option to build the roster to his liking.
“He could talk himself into making a move for a guy like Kirk Cousins, though. Before the Achilles tear that ended his season and the Patriots started racking up too many losses, there was speculation that the two parties made sense for each other.”
However, after making those notes, Ballentine went on to say that Cousins doesn’t belong with a team that “isn’t close to contending” and even called the Patriots signing Cousins a nightmare scenario.
While Cousins may not be the best option for a team likely headed for a rebuild, he would be a massive upgrade. Prior to his injury this season for the Vikings, Cousins played in eight games and completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Those numbers placed him among the NFL’s elite quarterback group before he went down with a torn Achilles.
At 35 years of age, Cousins seems likely to head to a team more ready to compete. There are a few potential options for him. Those options include teams like the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Flacons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He could simply return to the Vikings as well.
Expect to hear a lot of rumors about Cousins and his NFL future as the offseason gets underway. The Patriots could be a potential suitor, but going for a young quarterback in the draft would make more sense.