The Patriots did plenty of good in their first NFL Draft since Bill Belichick's departure. There were a lot of expectations put on Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf to put together a great draft class and from the initial analysis and reactions, they seemed to have achieved that.
At the same time, there were a few missteps they should have maybe reconsidered before the draft weekend was over.
It's hard to say if what they did or didn't do will end up being significant problems down the road since we have yet to see any of the rookies take the field. But some criticisms based on how they navigated the draft feel more than fair to send the Patriots' way.
4 decisions the Patriots might live to regret from 2024 NFL Draft
1. Not drafting a true left tackle
One of the most prominent needs the Patriots needed to address in this year's draft was the offensive line, particularly left tackle. The unit had been problematic during the 2023 season, with inconsistent protection of the quarterbacks and an inability to create lanes for the running backs to get through.
Despite the talent of many of the linemen, they remained a weaker unit on the team. Because it was clear Mayo and Wolf intended to draft a quarterback this year, it was even more critical that the line was prioritized in free agency and the other rounds of the draft.
However, a clear starting left tackle wasn't signed, and instead of taking advantage of a deep tackle class, the team chose to take a right tackle in the third round in hopes of moving him to the left side.
When they drafted Caedan Wallace with pick No. 68, left tackles Kiran Amegadjie, Javon Foster, and Dominick Puni were still available.
Banking on Wallace to successfully switch from right to left tackle could come back to haunt the Patriots, which will look even worse knowing the proven talent that was still on the board to take instead.
2. Waiting until Round 7 to select a tight end
Finding a suitable replacement for Rob Gronkowski since he first "retired" has been a struggle for the last several years. It took Bill Belichick signing Hunter Henry in 2021 to finally get the right one in the door, and luckily, the new regime re-signed him for three more years.
He has had his best seasons since arriving in Foxboro and is expected to be utilized even more this upcoming season. But he remains the only real contributor of the tight ends on the roster, which doesn't exactly make a recipe for success.
Henry will need help, and a guy like Austin Hooper is not the one to do it. Although the journeyman is a solid blocker and has had some pretty good seasons during his eight-year career, his addition to the team won't necessarily benefit Henry.
Sure, he'll be able to be an extra body on the offensive line to allow Henry to get open for some plays, but what the team really needs is a productive tight end. That's likely why they selected Jaheim Bell in this year's draft, hoping their seventh-round pick will fit the role they need.
Because he's considered the opposite of Hooper, not a good blocker but a great playmaker, he could be a solid part of the offense moving forward. But there are not many expectations placed on a late-round pick, so if it doesn't pan out, then it's like the pick never happened.
That might become an issue in the long run since there were other tight ends available throughout the draft that the Patriots could have drafted instead. Bell might be exactly what they need, which would be incredible.
However, the position should've been prioritized higher during the draft weekend to ensure there was far less worry about how the player would work out.
3. Passing on a running back in a stacked class
Although adding another running back to the team might not be near the top of priorities, it is a position the Patriots probably should have addressed with this year's deep class.
Rhamondre Stevenson will be playing on the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, meaning he will hit free agency for the first time in his career next year. Antonio Gibson will still be under contract since he signed a three-year deal earlier this offseason, but he's not expected to be the starter this fall; Stevenson is.
If the decision is made to move on from the Oklahoma alum, it would've better served them to have selected his replacement this year. That would allow him to learn for a year before being thrown into the offensive game plan rather than drafting him next year and making him a starter right away.
They may intend to bring Stevenson back for more years, which is what he has claimed he wants. In that case, holding off on adding another running back isn't such a bad idea.
But if that's still not decided, it could be a big mistake at this point next year.
4. Not trading for a clear WR1 the offense still needs
Focusing on improving the offense was expected for this year's draft, which Mayo and Wolf did with seven of their eight total picks. They even double-dipped at two of the weakest positions, quarterback and wide receiver, instantly making both much better than what they were last season.
But even with the two receivers they drafted, Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk, the roster is still missing a clear-cut WR1. There had been rumblings of the Patriots making a trade at some point during the draft, with Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins at the top of the list.
No trade happened, and the latest gossip suggests neither player will end up with the Patriots any time soon, so that puts them in a better, perhaps only slightly, situation than the 2023 season.
It's known that Wolf lives by drafting and developing talent for the team rather than making big-time trades. However, because they didn't manage to snag one of the top three receiver prospects of the class, like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze, trading for a proven veteran would've been the way to go.
Hopefully, the team's current roster will work out better than many are already projecting. But there is still time to make a trade if they want to really elevate the offense and make Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye's jobs a bit easier.