To be clear: I am NOT in favor of doing this. I just think, depending on where they are picking, who is available, and who is running the draft there is are several very real scenarios where they could convince themselves that it makes sense. Even if Belichick is out when the draft rolls around, are we SURE that whoever the GM is will be able to pass on some deal similar to what the Bears got last year?
Consider this scenario: Patriots are sitting there at #3. Williams goes #1, MHJ goes #2… and a team like Arizona comes along and offers pick #5-7, a 1st next year and a legit player, say like a Budda Baker. Or maybe they offer something even crazier like #5-7, a 3rd, and Kyler Murray. Might be hard to pass up on a deal like that given how many needs the team has, especially if it’s a situation where they’re getting a whole lot in return just for moving down a few spots in the draft.
Again, I’m not advocating for this, I’m just saying that I do think it’s a real possibility and am wondering: would you be upset if they passed on a top 3 pick? Is there another trade scenario you can think of that would make you consider doing this?
Agreed. They need to be looking at the next two years as building years, not just this coming offseason. WR, Edge, OT, TE are all going to be major areas of need (their current 2024 roster is literally empty at TE and OT) with lesser but still required depth needs at CB and RB. They’ll also need to figure out safety long-term as well, not sure Duggar is the long-term answer at FS. SS absolutely, but he still looks lost at times in coverage. Some teams definitely still target him in the red zone.