10. What are the Pats’ plans?
Without a pick in each of the first two rounds, most figure the defending champs will not be busy come Thursday night. We are here to throw that whole idea out the window.
While it appears neither Jimmy Garoppolo or Malcolm Butler will be moved during the draft, that can change in a heartbeat. All it takes is one team panicking after the board doesn’t play out to its liking. What happens if there is a run of cornerbacks before teams like the Lions, Dolphins and Raiders pick in the 20’s? Could that force one of those teams to offer up a first and change to the Pats for Butler?
The same can pretty much be said for Garoppolo at quarterback. Working under a theory that Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and Pat Mahomes are all off the board after Arizona picks at 13. This would put the Texans (25th overall) in an unenviable position of having to decide between reaching for DeShone Kizer or Davis Webb. Why not then call up the Pats and see if Garoppolo could be had?
If we know one thing about the Patriots’ MO since they began their current dynasty, it’s that they have a forward-thinking mentality. Butler will become a free agent next March and is likely to demand top dollar. After signing fellow corner Stephon Gilmore to a massive free agent contract, it seems absurd to think New England will throw more cash at that position.
For his part, Garoppolo is also set to become a free agent after next season. Why in the world would New England turn down a first-round pick for him when it has Tom Brady dead set on playing for five-plus seasons?
With the Pats, it’s all about expecting the unexpected. As the first round plays out on Thursday, it would not be a surprise to see this team get in on the action.