Patriots: Ranking the likelihood of NE landing these QBs for 2021 season
By Jerry Trotta
2. Matthew Stafford
The Patriots have been linked as a trade destination Matthew Stafford.
It’s admittedly frustrating not knowing what age group fancies the Patriots at the quarterback position. If they want a superstar just entering his prime, then Watson is the obvious answer. If they want to begin developing a young stud with the hope that he could one day be a franchise guy, then drafting somebody like Wilson or Fields would be the way to go.
However, if the Patriots would prefer deploying a veteran who could potentially orchestrate a deep playoff run after roster upgrades are made, then trading for Matthew Stafford should be a no-brainer. After spending the first 12 years of his career in Detroit, the 32-year-old (he’ll turn 33 next month) deserves to play for a competent franchise.
Because of his age, Stafford (unlike Watson) will come at a reasonable price. If we’re talking about a first-rounder, two seconds and a third, the Patriots shouldn’t think twice about pulling the trigger. We can definitely picture a scenario that sees him land in NE, but the uncertainty in terms of whether the Lions make him available made it impossible for us to put him No.1.