The New England Patriots will have the opportunity to select their potential franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. The question is, are they content waiting until the No. 3 pick?
USC's Caleb Williams, UNC's Drake Maye, and LSU's Jayden Daniels are the consensus top three QBs in this year's draft class. Williams is widely expected to be taken No. 1 overall with Maye, Daniels, and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. following in no certain order.
That No. 1 pick could be available via trade if the Chicago Bears, who own the selection, remain committed to their QB Justin Fields. With the Patriots in desperate need of a quarterback to help revive their ailing offense, it might be tempting to move up from No. 3 to No. 1 and draft a possibly generational talent in Williams. Would such an investment be worth the hefty price?
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"Yeah, I think it is," Boston Sports Journal's Mike Giardi said on Tuesday's episode of Arbella Early Edition. "You look at the playoffs right now, I know (Brock) Purdy is the guy who doesn't fit the mold but everybody else, they're first-round picks. These are guys that you built your team around, they're franchise guys, I think you need that. You just went through the process for the guy we thought was pretty good and it turned out the last two years he wasn't good at all. You don't wait.
"The cost is gonna be high, but at least you're at three. If you're going to two, it's probably not going to cost as much. If you're going to one, it's probably not going to cost as much. But if I believe that Caleb Williams is light years ahead of Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, I make the phone call."
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Our Phil Perry took the other side of the argument.
"If you believe that, then sure, I would support it. Go for it. Do it," Perry told Giardi. "I just don't think that's the case. I don't think there is a huge chasm that separates all three of these guys. I think they're all legitimate No. 1 overall types of quarterbacks had it been a different year. ...
"And so, to me, it's not just a few picks. You also have to look at where this team is. You're talking about giving up a future second, a future first, a current second potentially just to move up and get a guy who might be marginally better than the guy who gets to you at three. At that point, you have to play the game.
"There are way too many pieces on this roster that you need right now. If you can get a quarterback -- even if he's slightly worse than Caleb Williams -- but also get a tackle, hell yeah I'm keeping the picks. I ain't trading away that sort of capital."
While Harrison Jr. is an intriguing option at No. 3, Perry believes the Pats must take a QB with their first-round selection. He recently stated he'd take Daniels over Williams and Maye, which further explains his stance that trading up to the No. 1 pick would be unwise.
The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on April 25.