Recently Pro Football Focus named the biggest question for all 32 teams this offseason. What was it for the New England Patriots?
With the NFL Combine underway and free agency right around the corner, the New England Patriots are very busy preparing for the next season. Even though the Patriots lost in the Super Bowl, there is still a lot of talent on the team for next season, and they of course still have Tom Brady under center.
While Brady is coming off an MVP season, he is over 40-years-old, which means his playing career will eventually be coming to an end. Since Brady wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down this season, the Patriots made the decision to trade Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers.
Since the Patriots couldn’t afford to pay Garoppolo, moving him was necessary. However, trading Garoppolo has left the Patriots without a quarterback for the future. While Brian Hoyer is a solid backup for Brady at this point, the Patriots are going to likely be trying to find themselves the next Jimmy G in the draft this year.
Recently, Pro Football Focus said that the biggest question mark for the Patriots this offseason would be finding a young quarterback to groom as the heir to Brady. Here’s what they had to say.
"The Patriots are unlikely to go after a quarterback in the first round of the draft given that they pick 31st, so they will again be looking to the mid rounds for Brady’s backup and successor. Richmond’s Kyle Lauletta would make a lot of sense, as would Western Kentucky’s Mike White, who posted two solid seasons of PFF grades despite adjusting to a new offense in 2017."
As of now, the Patriots do have the 31st pick in the first round. However, seeing them trade this pick would not surprise anyone. With some options in the second round, this could be where the Patriots decide to use a pick on a quarterback.
Next: Ranking Top 5 playoff performers from 2017
Even though the Patriots certainly have hopes and expectations of reaching the Super Bowl next season, they have to have plan for the future. With some talented quarterbacks in this class, the Patriots should be able to find some nice players to groom in the later rounds. While it is no guarantee that the Patriots will take a quarterback, it certainly seems likely given the needs they have.