Patriots writer lists 5 reasons why they need to trade up to the first overall pick

When discussing the best course of action for the Patriots regarding their third overall pick in the upcoming draft, who they should draft or the position they should prioritize continues to be a hot debate.

Fans and media seem to be split on whether they should take advantage of their high selection and take one of the best quarterbacks of the class or if they should focus on improving the offense in another way by choosing a game-changing wide receiver, which many fans feel more comfortable with now that Bill Belichick is gone.

But what if they went all in this year and decided to trade up to the number one pick to ensure they got the best quarterback in the draft?

That's a scenario the Patriots Wire explored in a recent article published last week, and they gave five reasons why it may be the best route for the team to take, especially under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

Because the Patriots offense needs so much help, maybe trading up should be the plan

Although having the third overall pick is not a bad position, the two teams ahead of them on the board could take players the Patriots really want, or they could be the ones to turn the team around completely.

That may not be a risk they're willing to take, especially if they will be prioritizing becoming a winning team again, as Mayo and Robert Kraft have emphasized on multiple occasions. That's the basis for the first reason Patriots Wire listed in their piece.

1. No guarantee they'll have another shot at a potential franchise QB

This is a fair argument, given no team wants to pick in the top 5 because that means they played badly the previous year. In the Patriots case, it's taken them nearly 30 years to reach a pick as high as the third overall, which has stripped them of many chances of getting some of the most touted players available.

Recognizing that taking a quarterback now may be their only opportunity to get the player they want, trading up makes the most sense at this point in time.

2. Another team might beat them to the punch

Because only three quarterbacks are considered true contenders to go in the top ten, if not in the first round entirely, New England can't afford to wait or convince themselves the quarterback they want will fall to them. There aren't many to choose from, and the two teams ahead of them, the Bears and Commanders, could be looking at the same players they are.

If they feel there's a massive difference between the top three players at the position, then trading up is the only way they are guaranteed to get the one they want.

3. Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe are not the answer

This seems evident to nearly everyone, but some have speculated that either could be a bridge quarterback for the 2024 season if the Patriots forgo a quarterback in the first and take a receiver instead.

But if that is off the table entirely, which it could and possibly should be, then trading up to the first pick rids the offense of any concern surrounding the quarterback situation for the 2024 season.

4. A veteran addition would be a perennial Band-Aid

Some aren't opposed to the idea of a bridge quarterback, especially if wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is still available for the Patriots to take when they're on the clock, and the receiving corps has needed major upgrading over the years. But even with that in mind, a veteran quarterback signed on a short contract is just a Band-Aid, similar to the year with Cam Newton.

They aren't the answer, and they never will be, so choosing to address the position through the draft at a later date seems like a mistake.

5. No time like the present to go all-in

As previously said, this feels like the year to do the most to get the most in return. It would be quite a start to the new era in Foxboro to trade up to the first overall pick, and maybe Kraft and Mayo will be willing to do that if it gets them closer to winning games again.