The Patriots are at that point in the NFL season when they have lost far too many games and have long been eliminated from playoff contention, and the focus for most fans has shifted to the 2025 NFL Draft. It's become an even more prioritized topic of conversation since it appears they will hold a top-5 pick again, as they did earlier this year.
It was a great time to land that kind of draft capital, given their need for a rookie quarterback and an impressive class to choose from. That means they can look elsewhere this time around and either bulk up their pass rush attack by selecting an EDGE player or build around Drake Maye by adding a top wide receiver or left tackle prospect.
Of course, the new regime can also decide to trade down and acquire more picks. But what will work in their favor best is their near guarantee of having a top-3 pick, which seems to be the most likely case given the difficulty of their remaining schedule.
Patriots have a good chance to lock up a top-3 pick in next year's draft over the next three games
With the Bills on the docket twice in the last three weeks of the season and the Chargers in between, the Patriots losing out is a far more likely scenario than sneaking out a win to finish the year.
The Bills are on a tear right now, as quarterback Josh Allen continues to add more reason to make him this season's MVP, and the Chargers are motivated to solidify a spot in the playoffs, even if their record playing New England on the road isn't great.
As Patriots reporter Dakota Randall shared, the Patriots' higher chance of losing their final three games guarantees them a top-3 pick next year.
At this point, there's virtually zero chance of the #Patriots losing the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker to any team in the top 10 of the NFL draft order. If they lose out, they're practically guaranteed to finish with no worse than the No. 3 pick. pic.twitter.com/JWyop9XcFg
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) December 16, 2024
Although it's possible the Bills could rest their starters in Week 18, it's not set in stone yet that they will. They are still competing for the first overall seed in the AFC playoff picture, and we won't know when that will be locked up just yet. If it's still on the table when they come to Foxboro, it's almost impossible to believe the Patriots will have a chance to end the season with a win.
The Chargers are a much less intense opponent than Buffalo, but they are in a similar position of trying to make the playoffs. That is added motivation for them to take the win in Week 17 and could be disastrous for the Patriots' hopes of sneaking out a win.
Fortunately, the silver lining is being awarded a high draft pick, as much as it's not fun to watch how they got there. The next draft can dictate the immediate and long-term future of the Patriots organization, so it's crucial they get it right, especially when building around Drake Maye.