Patriots trade back, acquire QB and massive weapon in latest mock draft

The Patriots main focus this offseason should be improving their offense, which averaged the least points per game (13.9) in the league this season. CBS Sports' Josh Edwards agrees and has New England landing two key players at positions of need in his latest mock draft.

First, Edwards believes the Patriots will strike a deal with the Bears for QB Justin Fields, who has been subject to trade talks. 

Chicago owns the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and it will reportedly take a "historic haul" to trade for it with USC QB Caleb Williams the favorite to hear his name called first.

If the Bears plan to draft Williams, Fields becomes expendable, and Edwards thinks it will be New England acquiring him.

Although Fields' 10-28 record as a starter is unimpressive, he brings much more upside to the position than Mac Jones after throwing for 4,804 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushing for 1,800 yards and 12 touchdowns from 2022-23.

Now that the Patriots have their next quarterback on the roster, they can trade out of the No. 3 pick to gain back the draft compensation they lost in the Fields trade.

Edwards believes it will be the Vikings looking to trade up for the No. 3 pick in hopes of landing UNC QB Drake Maye. While New England then moves back and selects Georgia TE Brock Bowers with the No. 11 pick.

"New England trades back almost 10 spots and still gets a player who may have been considered at No. 3 overall," Edwards writes. "If the Patriots are the landing spot for Justin Fields, then suddenly this offense gets a lot more interesting."

That it would be. Adding Bowers to Fields' new arsenal of weapons would give the Patriots one of the more intriguing offenses heading into the 2024 season.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end has drawn comparisons to future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski after posting 175 catches for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns from 2021-23.

That's some serious company before even playing a snap in the league. But it proves New England is set up to make a huge splash this offseason with the hope of getting back to its winning ways. 

Finding a way to add Fields and Bowers to the roster could certainly help with that.