New England Patriots: 3 Takeaways from a successful 2021 NFL Draft
No. 1: New England Patriots got their QB of the future without having to do anything
Ever since Tom Brady fled south to Tampa Bay last offseason, everyone has been wondering who his eventual replacement would be.
Cam Newton showed last season he should be viewed as nothing more than a bridge QB, and Jarrett Stidham didn’t display anything to make anyone believe he could fill those big shoes. In a year with five quarterbacks who were viewed as first round talents, everyone wondered if the Patriots would strike, and they did by picking up Mac Jones in the first round.
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I’ve gone more in depth about why Jones is the perfect fit for the Patriots, so I’ll keep this limited to the key points.
When highlighting potential targets for the Patriots at the number 15 overall pick, it was clear that if one of the top five quarterbacks was still available, the Patriots had to take them. Bill Belichick did just that when Jones fell to them at 15, and probably ended up getting the guy they wanted in the process.
Think about it; if Belichick really wanted to make a move up for Justin Fields or Trey Lance, he probably would have. From the sounds of it, he was testing the waters to see what it would take to make a move up the boards, but ultimately ended up staying put. When considering that, it’s no surprise that they ended up with Jones.
In the process, New England didn’t sell their souls just to move up a couple of spots in the first round, which is something the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears most certainly cannot say.
Even if Jones doesn’t end up panning out for New England, it’s not as if they gave up tons of picks to take a chance on him, which makes this deal even more of a win than it should be.
Next. Ranking the Patriots o-line personnel. dark
Regardless, Jones has all the tools to become the Patriots quarterback of the future. His pocket passer style is a perfect fit for a Josh McDaniels style offense, and he will probably get to spend most of the upcoming season as Cam Newton’s understudy.
The Patriots stayed patient when other teams panicked, and they still ended up with their quarterback of the future.