The New England Patriots beat the Denver Broncos on a game-winning 56-yard field goal by Chad Ryland in Week 16. It appears that victory could have a massive influence on what happens in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Heading into Week 16, the Patriots were well-positioned to at least secure a top-two pick in 2024. It meant in a draft class that had two perceived generational quarterback talents in Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, New England would have an opportunity to pick one of them.
Related: Latest New England Patriots coaching hire hints at FO structure, 2024 NFL Draft plans
However, similar to what happened to the New York Jets when they won two games in December 2020 and finished 2-14, dropping to the No. 2 overall pick and missing out on quarterback Trevor Lawrence. While the ramifications of falling from the second to the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft might not be as severe for New England, the Week 16 victory could influence a big move in Round 1.
Appearing on NBC Sports Boston’s Zolak and Bertrand, Albert Breer explained why there’s a higher possibility of the Patriots trading down from No. 3 overall in part because of what happened at the Senior Bowl.
“Something that happened at the Senior Bowl last week, I think actually puts them in a pretty decent position. I think the gap between the top three quarterbacks and the second three quarterbacks has grown over the last week. I feel pretty confident that quarterbacks are going 1-2…I think because of what happened last week, because of the gap widening between Williams, Maye, Daniels…I think what you have now if you’re picking third, you either love the guy there….take him. But if you don’t think he is, you’re probably going to have some other team that’s going to be willing to come up to get the pick so you don’t have to take the tackle at 3.”
Albert Breer on how the New England Patriots could approach the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
Who will the Patriots draft in 2024? Examining why they might trade down
If New England truly believes that quarterback Jayden Daniels is a franchise-caliber talent, he will likely be there with the third overall pick. However, Daniels also had two first-round talents around him with the LSU Tigers, whereas New England’s roster is a major work in progress.
Related: New England Patriots draft picks 2024
For the Patriots, this increases the odds of trading down. There are holes at wide receiver and along the offensive line that the new regime needs to address. While picking Daniels would bring a potential franchise quarterback to Foxborough, it would also be putting a rookie quarterback into a bad situation.
Instead of doing that, New England could field trade offers from teams like the Atlanta Falcons (8th overall pick) or Minnesota Vikings (11th overall pick). By sliding down, the Patriots would still be well-positioned to add one of the top offensive tackles in the 2024 NFL Draft and then have the draft capital to move up at the end of Round 1 for a quarterback they like or they can use those picks to address other needs.
