The New England Patriots are back in the quarterback market for the first time since the 2021 offseason. As the franchise prepares to move on from former first-round pick Mac Jones, there appears to be a wide range of quarterbacks under consideration.
For weeks, the prevailing thought has been that the Patriots would trade down from the third overall pick and pass on a quarterback like Jayden Daniels. Moving down would supply New England with much-needed draft capital to start building out a better roster before finding a franchise quarterback.
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However, there was a buzz at the NFL Combine indicating the Patriots might keep the third pick and use it on either Daniels or North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake May. New England has also been recently connected to the veteran quarterback market in NFL free agency, including the soon-to-be-released passer Russell Wilson.
In recent days, however, another viable option has emerged. Appearing on NFL Network, Daniel Jeremiah shared that a conversation he had with someone in the league suggested Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield might be an option for New England. Jeremiah echoed the sentiment, noting that New England could get involved.
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That’s not the only connection of Mayfield to Foxborough. The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed reported from the NFL Combine that Mayfield has supporters within the Patriots’ organization and he could be an option for the club in NFL free agency.
- Baker Mayfield stats 2023: 4,044 passing yards, 7.1 yards per attempt, 28-10 TD-INT, 64.3% completion rate, 94.6 QB rating
The reported cost to sign Mayfield is significant, with an expectation that he will become one of the highest-paid NFL players in 2024. There’s also competition for him, with the Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons expected to be in the mix to sign him. If Mayfield does leave Tampa Bay, it’s very likely Mike Evans also leaves the club which adds credibility to NFL rumors that Mayfield and Evans could be a package deal.
