Patriots Mailbag: WR trade targets and imagining an alternate draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2024 NFL Draft is finally in the rearview mirror. But the Patriots’ work has just begun.
Head coach Jerod Mayo‘s group of draft picks and undrafted free agents will be at Gillette Stadium later this week for rookie minicamp, with the veterans joining them for organized team activities later in the month.
And while No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye represents hope for the future, this team is very much still a work in progress. That was reflected in the questions you have about this team, which we’ll tackle in our first post-draft mailbag.
Let’s get to it…
So with the scrutiny of the Polk and Wallace picks. Would it have made more sense to just draft Patrick Paul an actual left tackle at 37 and then take Tez Walker in the 3rd? Instead of Polk at 37 and Wallace who is a massive project?
— Andrew Caraway (@Caraway6) May 3, 2024
Andrew, I see what you’re saying here. Not sure that would’ve been a better path, though. Patrick Paul is not a surefire starter at left tackle either, it’s my understanding. He has some incredible physical gifts, but he has his fair share of technical refining to do. And there were teams who had some injury concerns with him.
To me, getting a receiver like Polk who could end up being a security blanket of sorts — because of his hands and toughness — wasn’t a bad way to go at No. 37 overall.
I found it interesting when Brian Hoyer joined us on draft weekend and explained how it was more important to find Drake Maye a go-to receiver rather than a left tackle because tackles can, at the end of the day, be helped. Receivers need to be able to win one-on-one in critical situations. Only so many rub routes you can run to help a pass-catcher execute in a tight spot.
Polk probably isn’t a No. 1. And Caedan Wallace may not be a left tackle. But I think if you’d gone with Paul in the second round and a receiver in the third, your odds on filling those two needs — the top-flight receiver and protector — aren’t much better.
The Penn State draft pick, the kid who played RT in college, they can’t possibly be thinking he could be the solution at LT for this season? If they are, I am very much in favor of Maye taking the redshirt. LT in the 1st in 2025 draft, and then play Maye.
— HJ 🇺🇸 (@HallJoe15) May 3, 2024
The Patriots do, in fact, think they have a chance to find a left tackle in Wallace. He’s practiced there in the past. But it’s one thing to work on the opposite side of the line in a workout or an all-star game (as he did in the East-West Shrine Game). It’s another to try to keep a $30 million-per-year edge rusher off your starting quarterback.
This is one of the fair second-guesses of the draft for the Patriots.
One pick before theirs, TCU’s Brandon Coleman went off the board. He was a versatile player with NFL-caliber athleticism, who also happened to have 22 starts at left tackle to his name. Four picks before that, the Chiefs took Kingsley Suamataia. He was one of our seven Prototypical Patriots at tackle because of his length and movement skills, and he started all 11 games at left tackle last year for the Cougars.
New England was in move-up range for both and ended up with a player without legitimate left-tackle game experience.
Could patriots get Baktiari in the building as a potential 1 year LT (Bakt / guard / Andrews / Mike / Wallace left to right)? Or is it better to have Wallace play left and give him help all year with TE / RB with Mike at RT.
— Geoffrey_docket (@frizzaud) May 3, 2024
David Bakhtiari, when healthy, has been one of the best left tackles in football over the last decade. He has two First-Team All-Pros to his name and three Second-Teams. He just hasn’t been healthy.
He’s missed the bulk of the last three seasons with left knee issues since tearing his ACL late in the 2020 season. Last year, he had season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage issue.
Probably better for the Patriots to see what they have in a younger option and go from there.
Phil, the best Pats team in the past have had a reliable “3rd Down back.” Is there anyone on the roster that can fill that role this season?
— DCL (@TenaciousDCL) May 3, 2024
They don’t have that guy right now, DCL, although Antonio Gibson is a reliable pass-catcher out of the backfield. Both he and Rhamondre Stevenson can play in the passing game, and I think both will be used across situations in order to ensure that Stevenson isn’t overworked as the team’s top option at the position.
what prospect that wasn’t selected by the Patriots are you looking forward to following along the most this year?
— Jassa (@_j4ssa) May 3, 2024
The easiest answer for me would be Xavier Legette. The Panthers ended up taking him at the end of the first round. I believe the Patriots would’ve liked to move up to the end of the first round and taken him themselves.
If Legette can go to a down-on-its-luck franchise and look like he has the chops to be a No. 1 receiver in the near future, that would have to sting at One Patriot Place. Even though they weren’t able to scoot up the board to take Legette — a potential game-changer for their passing attack — would the Patriots ever tell themselves they should’ve offered more to guarantee they’d have a crack at him?
Near misses on players who went off the board just before the Patriots picked — whether it’s Legette, Suamataia or receiver Keon Coleman — will be good players for us to follow moving forward.
Do you see the Patriots pursuing another WR and/or OT (via trade) prior to the start of the season?
— Chewin’ gum with Lloyd Braun (@CelticsPride86) May 3, 2024
They shouldn’t be opposed to the idea, CGWLB. One name I’ve got my eye on right now? Bucs receiver Chris Godwin.
Tampa Bay is in a tight spot financially having just paid Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield. Godwin is going into the last year of his contract, and the team risks losing him for nothing more than a compensatory pick if they don’t plan to re-sign him.
He may not be exactly what the Patriots need — there’s some overlap between his game and Polk’s — but he’d be another professional wideout to add to a room that could use as many guaranteed contributors as it can get.
It’ll also be interesting to see if Seattle hangs onto both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Both their deals take them through the 2025 season.
The Patriots clearly have too many WR in the building right now. How many do you think get roster spots, and do you have any predictions on who gets cut/traded?
— Harrison Owens (@harrisonowens) May 3, 2024
Have a 53-man roster projection — with a completely reshaped receiver room — for you right here, Harrison.
With the reset at coach, atmosphere, etc., how would you rate Tyquan Thornton‘s chances at turning things around and becoming the burner he was supposed to be? I’ve heard that the talent is there, but perhaps the environment of the last regime didn’t allow him to flourish.
— John Donlon (@B2BJD) May 3, 2024
Maybe a different atmosphere will do Tyquan Thornton some good. He will still be only 24 years old this year, and clearly he has one quality (speed) that is elite. But in 224 snaps offensively last year he recorded 0.66 yards per route run, which ranked 166th among wideouts.
There are elements to his game that need to be more consistent in order for him to make good on that second-round pick that was invested in him in 2022. We’ll see if a change in the environment will be able to squeeze those out of him.
Which of the young corners do you see as having the best chance to carve out a role next year? A few of them showed promise last year!
— Boom80517 (@boom80517) May 3, 2024
The Patriots have a few young guys at that spot who should be real contributors. Christian Gonzalez is the obvious one. Alex Austin showed he could hang during stretches of last season.
Don’t forget about Marcus Jones, though. He’s a next-level athlete who performed well as a rookie — in all three phases — and should be right back into the mix as a potential starter in the secondary this season.
Thanks for great draft coverage!
Do you think WR and OT are still the greatest needs for the 2025 draft as of today? I liked the players coming in, but struggle to see Polk or Baker as WR1s— Trygve Johannes Lereim Sævareid (@LereimTrygve) May 3, 2024
Sure do, Trygve. Unless Caedan Wallace ends up being the left tackle this team needs moving forward, I could see that spot being an early target in next year’s draft.
Hard to find those guys, because the physical demands of the job are so taxing, outside the first round. They might have a better shot at striking gold on a receiver — even though, as Hoyer mentioned, that position is harder to help out — either with a lower-level pick or a trade.
High-end tackles just don’t seem to become available unless you’re able to get one from the college ranks in the spring. Not true at wideout.
Clearly Wolf drafted for need. Outside of Maye, can you make the argument for BPA. If they reached at tackle and WR, could this compound the issue?
— KL Sportzfan (@wpgsportzfan21) May 3, 2024
Here’s what I think the Patriots draft class might’ve looked like had the Patriots rolled with a strict best-player-available approach…
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Round 2, No. 34 overall: Illinois DT Johnny Newton
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Round 3, No. 68 overall: Michigan WR Roman Wilson
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Round 4, No. 103 overall: Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa
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Round 4, No. 110 overall: Kansas ED Austin Booker
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Round 6, No. 180 overall: Virginia WR Malik Washington
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Round 6, No. 193 overall: Boston College OL Christian Mahogany
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Round 7, No. 231 overall: Louisiana OT Nathan Thomas
As you can see, you end up with a greater emphasis on the defensive side of the ball with this approach. But you still nab a couple of wideouts and a couple of linemen. They all just come a little later than they did on draft weekend for the Patriots.
It’s a good exercise, and there’s always an argument for going with best player available. But that’s a particularly effective strategy, seemingly, when a team’s roster is already fairly well filled out. We know that wasn’t the case for the Patriots.
Phil, I want your honest opinion about what you think will be the look of the quarterback room in the fall… it has to be Maye, Milton, and Brissett…. But is there a possibility Milton competes to be the starter and Maye sits this year?
— andrew stewart (@perfectionitz) May 4, 2024
I don’t think so, Andrew. My guess at this stage is that Jacoby Brissett will start and both rookie quarterbacks will be allowed to develop behind the scenes.
If either rookie has a chance at starting, my guess is it would be Drake Maye, not Joe Milton. Maye is more polished when it comes to understanding defenses and throwing with anticipation than some have been willing to admit.
Phil,
the Caedan Wallace to LT move is certainly a project that requires lofty expectations but I have my hopes. Is there currently any entrenched starter(s) in the league at LT, who exclusively played RT in college? Couldn’t think of anyone off the top there.
Thanks,
Sai (Cy)
— Sai Thao (@Nex_Gen25) May 3, 2024
Great question, Sai. One of the best examples for that kind of shift is Tyron Smith, now with the Jets. The longtime Cowboys left tackle — an eight-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro at left tackle — was a right tackle at USC. Smith actually began his pro career at right tackle and quickly made the switch in Year 2.
Others that come to mind are Jedrick Wills, who has been a bit of a disappointment as the No. 10 overall pick in 2020, but he’s started 53 games at left tackle for Cleveland after playing strictly on the right side in college.
Tristan Wirfs is another interesting example. He played mostly on the right side in college but did get some left-tackle experience at Iowa. Then he spent the first three years of his NFL career at right tackle before shifting to the left side last year. Despite the change, he graded out as the fifth-best tackle in the game in 2023, per Pro Football Focus.
Couldn’t have enjoyed your pre & post draft coverage any more than I did. Well done!
Does it sound to you that next year’s defense is going to be more aggressive as opposed to read and react?
— Used to be Chico, now I’m the Man (@JoSpence22) May 3, 2024
Thanks, UTBC. The Patriots were actually pretty aggressive last year in terms of their willingness to add bodies to their pass-rush. They had a 35.2 percent blitz rate that was fourth-highest in the league, according to Pro Football Reference.
My guess is the Patriots defense this year will look very similar to the way it’s looked in the last few years. Though Bill and Steve Belichick are gone, both Jerod Mayo and DeMarcus Covington had real input in how the defense was deployed on a weekly basis. Not anticipating drastic changes in that regard… but we’ll see how it looks in camp.
Does the draft say or scream anything about Cole Strange?
— Patrick (@ThePatrickRollo) May 3, 2024
Patrick, hard to look at the selection of Layden Robinson and not wonder what it means for Cole Strange. Unfortunately for the 2022 first-rounder, Strange finished last season injured and it seems as though he’s still recuperating. Taking a guard-only prospect in the fourth round, as the Patriots did with Robinson, is a sure sign that player is viewed as having the ability to contribute and contribute early.
Have they done enough to fill out the running back room after Rhamondre? Do they expect Gibson to get significant carries?
— New Royal Rooters (@NewRoyalRooters) May 3, 2024
Still looks thin to me, NRR. They’re one injury away from a real problem, in my opinion.
Perhaps Kevin Harris can take a step forward in a new offense. Perhaps undrafted rookie DeShaun Fenwick — who looks like the kind of good-sized back (220 pounds) the Patriots have long liked on early downs — can win a roster spot. This group isn’t without a few real question marks, though.
I would consider 8 wins and Maye finishing the year as the starter a successful season in 24, followed by making the playoffs in 25. Do you agree with these benchmarks?
— Aaron S (@Aaron563S) May 3, 2024
If they win eight games with anyone as a starter, I’d say that’s exceeding expectations. Of course, if Maye gives Patriots fans any reason whatsoever to be optimistic about the future, that’d qualify as a success as well.
Patience with him could be key, though. Once he’s thrust into the starting lineup, it could be hard to ever pull him out without doing some damage to his psyche.
With the drafting of Robinson, Sow and Mafi, the OL has recruited wide heavy guards not particularly suited to a fast outside zone blocking scheme,
What is likely to be the OL philosophy in 2024 and do you think coaching and recruitment are aligned?— Qualitysmoke (@qualitysmoke) May 5, 2024
Wrote about this last week, QS. And it’s a fair question. Do they have the right players in place for the kind of offensive scheme they’re looking to run?
They may answer those questions emphatically if the outside-zone running game looks effective early on. But if they can’t, there’s no question folks will come back to how the roster was built and wonder if the front office was on the same page as the coaching staff during the team-building phase.