MassLive’s Mark Daniels: Patriots’ ambitious plans unveiled for NFL Draft
According to Mark Daniels, Patriots’ ambitious plans for the NFL Draft includes a tackle and wide receiver, along with a quarterback.
During this morning’s Toucher & Hardy, Fred and MassLive’s Mark Daniels delved into the complexities and potential pitfalls of the New England Patriots’ draft strategies. Toucher highlighted scenarios where trading picks and selecting quarterbacks could result in immediate dismissals if the chosen players disappoint. Daniels added that the Patriots are not only seeking a franchise quarterback but also looking to bolster crucial positions like tackle and receiver in the draft. They discussed the pressure and significance of making successful picks at number three, acknowledging the uncertainties and challenges inherent in the draft process while noting the Patriots’ optimistic outlook.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Fred Toucher: Alright, let’s go through the machinations to see how ridiculous this would be. So, if Joe Douglas drafted Zach Wilson with the number two pick in the draft, and then Zach Wilson was just traded for a pick swap, and they agreed to pay half his salary. So, Joe Douglas is still the GM of the New York Jets. And it might be, it’s probably the worst pick in the history of the organization because of when they took him and who else was available. Maybe not who else was available, but when they took. Yeah, all those quarterbacks. Yeah, they’re all crap. Except for maybe the kid in Jacksonville. But say Wolfe trades down and then trades back up. So, he acquires assets, gives assets up in trades back up and takes a quarterback. The team that takes the quarterback at their spot. That kid ends up being okay, even just okay. But the guy the Patriots take sucks. You’re fired immediately. Like, you might get fired two years into the gig. Like, you’re gone. If you sit at three and take a quarterback, at least you have some time to hit on other picks and build a roster. You get a little leeway. You start screwing around and pass it on, guys and like, guys pass you to take your player. That’s when you’re really setting yourself up for failure.
Mark Daniels: Yeah, and if you think about it, if the Patriots mess this up, we might be here again in four years with a new GM, head coach, and looking for a quarterback. I mean, you’re talking about putting a lot of pressure on yourself for one draft. I mean, what I was told was that the Patriots not only want to find their franchise quarterback, but they’re also hoping to find a tackle and a receiver in this draft. They really want to find starters for those three extremely important positions. When I heard that, I was like, “Yeah, that would be great if the ideal scenario plays out and you find your franchise quarterback, starting left tackle, and starting receiver.” But how often does the board fall that way? And even if it does, does it actually happen? We all know this is a crapshoot. At number three, it’s going to be a crapshoot in the second and third rounds as well. But I’ve heard that the Patriots have really high hopes for this. Eliot Wolfe has said over the last week that this is a draft-and-develop team. But that means you have to hit on your picks and be really convicted at number three, which is by far the most important thing they’re going to do right now.
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NICK GEMELLI is a Producer on Toucher & Hardy, weekday mornings 6-10AM on 985 The Sports Hub. He is also a contributor on 985thesportshub.com. Follow Nick on X (formerly Twitter) at @NickGemelli.
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