Should the Patriots Trade Up?

The Patriots are in a curious position and one that they've never been in under Bill Belichick's tenure as head coach. The team sits at 15 in the NFL draft and to top that, they don't have a starting quality passer. At least going by last year's production and analytics.

This leave the Patriots in a position where trading up is a real possibility. The question is, what is it going to cost them. Teams know the Patriots are going to wanna trade up. That puts the Patriots at the mercy of the teams ahead of them.

I have read many trade possibilities and the cheapest I see out there is 2 first and a second for the Falcon's number four. Most of the trades I have seen are still saying 3 firsts, with some saying 2 firsts, 2 seconds, and Gilmore.  

Mac Jones in my opinion is the most accurate quarterback in this draft and the best passer. Luckily for me, I'm in the company of Charlie Weiss and June Jones. Jones to me is worth trading up for, if the Patriots are going to run the "Brady offense." Jones I would give up two first and a second for to get the Falcon's number 4 pick.

On paper, the next best quarterback to me was Justin fields. Then I read and watched scouting reports on his play. This is where the old adage stats don't tell the whole story come into play. Statistically, he has what it takes to be a top quarterback in the NFL. On tape he has more red flags than 2020 Cam Newton. He's very high risk, high reward.

That's a scary thing because outside of running the football, I wouldn't trust Cam to game manage. Fields I would advise against trading up to pick four four. I would give up the 15th and the 96 to trade up to the number 10 spot with Dallas to acquire Fields, if and only if the Patriots think they can fix his flaws, and barring he can dink and dunk.

Trevor Lawrence and Zac Wilson are the only other quarterbacks  I see worthy of the Patriots Trading up for. Those were the rest of my top 4 passers. I said passers not quarterbacks before anyone comes at me.

Wilson maybe a better quarterback than Fields and Jones but I cannot shake how much he looks like Jim McMahon and apparently I'm not the only one to see it. I'm not the only one who sees it but I might be the only one who thinks it's a negative comparison.

I think Trevor Lawrence will be a good quarterback in the NFL. He might even be the best quarterback in the draft class but he has some red flags and I don't see him as the best passer. He's called a generational talent but that terms gets overused about as much as "the Goat." It's unfair pressure set upon him.

You know who else was supposed to be Generational? Ryan Leaf, the guy who was drafted after Peyton Manning. Tim Couch, David Carr, and Michael Vick, just to name a few. Vick missed a little bit of time in his prime, but out of all the players since the Manning draft that were slapped with the label "Generational Talent", only two maybe three have lived up to it. And I don't mean the guys that are looked back on as "Generational Talents" but the guys projected to be. 

Lawrence is going to Jacksonville, maybe New York. Honestly, neither franchise has had a clue since the 1990s. They're dysfunctional. Lawrence might be able to pull a Mark Sanchez or Blake Bortles but it will be short lived. Why because good players that go to the wrong teams lately always seem to fail. 

But again both Lawrence and Wilson are worth trading up for. Any other quarterback the Patriots should wait on unless they're truly in love with them. 

Sure the Patriots just built the team for a few years but they need to draft some marquis players to develop for when these new stars are out. Kraft was right, the draft, depth chart & practice squad are like baseball's farm club and the Patriots need to start stocking it with talent again. 

They cannot afford to mortgage the future because what happens when it's year four of the new quarterback's contract and you're just able to start getting quality players in the draft? Sure you got the fifth year option but are gonna be in a slump if the cupboard is as bare as it was this year before the mass free agent signings. 

I trust Belichick but am nervous about this draft. The Patriots must not over pay but must acquire the right guy. I liked Dustin Crum from Kent State and think he will get the development he needs in 2021. I would have Bill weight taking a quarterback like Crum next year if the guy or guys he loves are not obtainable this year, instead of just taking best quarterback available and rewriting the offense.