The possibilities for the New England Patriots regarding what they can do with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft are seemingly endless. They could stand pat and take a quarterback, do the same but look elsewhere, or make a trade, whether it's up or down the board.
Everyone will likely have a different opinion on what the Patriots should do, including their star edge rusher, Matthew Judon. During his recent appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football," Judon put on his general manager hat and proposed a draft strategy for the Patriots.
“Let’s get more picks. Let’s get more offensive weapons,” Judon said. “Both of our tight ends might be leaving. Let’s get the tight end from Georgia. Come on. And then, maybe we get two picks in the first round. Get some offensive linemen, protect our quarterback.
” … I don’t know what they are thinking. I’m just saying, get some guards, tackles, centers, some offensive pieces, some pass catchers, running backs. Let’s do it.”
Judon's proposed plan isn't an uncommon one, especially in today's NFL, where multiple teams could be looking for a quarterback each offseason. However, only a few true franchise options are available in the draft or free agency.
While it seems like conventional wisdom for the Patriots to kick off their rebuild by finding their franchise quarterback, the team can always build the roster first. To compare it to the building of a house, the Patriots could build the foundation by improving their offensive line and weaponry, setting things up for their next quarterback.
This plan that Judon advocates for is one that the Atlanta Falcons have done over the last few years since moving on from former league MVP Matt Ryan.
Instead of immediately replacing Ryan with a then-rookie quarterback like Justin Fields in the 2021 draft, the Falcons opted to sign a more experienced option in Marcus Mariota, who effectively was their "bridge" quarterback.
While the plan of having Mariota be the bridge to former third-round pick Desmond Ridder didn't work out the way they wanted this past season, they are now in a position this offseason to find their franchise quarterback in free agency or the draft while already having a talented roster.
Trading down and picking a potential weapon like Brock Bowers, the tight end out of Georgia, or even staying put at No. 3 and selecting Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., could be the beginning of a similar plan for the Patriots.
As Judon explains, the more picks, the better, as it would allow the Patriots to fill more holes on their roster. If they don't select a quarterback, the Patriots will likely pivot to other needs, like a receiver or offensive tackle.
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