Everyone has been waiting for the New England Patriots to select a quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft but all signs point to them adding another veteran.
Whenever the New England Patriots have come up on the clock in the 2020 NFL Draft, especially when they’ve traded up a number of times, the buzz has started building — this is where they’re going to select a quarterback. But after three rounds and and two days of the draft, the Patriots still have only Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer at the position on the depth chart.
The Patriots had the opportunity to select Jordan Love at No. 23 but traded down. New England then had a shot at No. 37 to nab Jalen Hurts. They passed. And while two higher-end quarterback prospects in this class, Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm, are still on the board coming into Day 3, the signs aren’t pointing towards the franchise drafting Tom Brady‘s successor.
Every pick that New England has made through three rounds of the draft has indicated a team that’s going about business as usual in terms of being a contender. Taking Kyle Dugger at No. 37 or trading up for guys like Joshua Uche (No. 60) and two tight ends are moves an organization makes if they’re going to win now.
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The simple truth is that the Patriots’ options at quarterback on the roster with Stidham and Hoyer or the options in the draft are not win-now commodities. They are dart throws. Signing or trading for a veteran, however, could put Bill Belichick in position to stay atop the AFC East.
Cam Newton and Jameis Winston, a pair of No. 1 overall picks, are still available on the free-agent market. Furthermore, the Bengals have been open about wanting to trade Andy Dalton but, with Joe Burrow now officially on the roster, they may end up releasing him as well.
Though Newton has been injury-prone, Winston has been turnover-prone and Dalton has a mediocre ceiling, the fact is that all three players, especially with Belichick’s coaching, have enough talent to win at the helm of the Patriots offense.
At this point in Belichick’s career and with the level of talent New England has on defense, they don’t seem primed for a rebuild right now. They are largely constructed to be successful outside of quarterback. So it only stands to reason that they would bring in a player at the position who can accomplish that at the position.
Maybe the Patriots prove me wrong and draft Fromm, Eason or another prospect. But from what we’ve seen through two days of the draft and what you can see with the New England roster, it’s all pointing to them landing a veteran for the 2020 season.