Bean: Five players I want to see on Pats when NFL Draft is over

Share

The big weekend of moving and shaking for the New England Patriots is finally here. You ready? Me neither. It's impossible to be. We're all just hanging on for dear life.After months and months of throwing different names around for different purposes, the bosses asked me to put together a list of five players I’d like to see on the Patriots by the end of the 2021 NFL Draft.It was tougher than expected, because there are so many first-rounders I like, but this is supposed to be a cumulative thing. I’d be happy with anyone from Justin Fields (via a trade up) to Zaven Collins (off a trade down) in the first round, so I’ll keep the list of early guys short: Give me either one of these scenarios for the first-round guy:

5 photos
1/5

These are the best-case scenarios in the first round. I’d also be happy with Trey Lance, Rashod Bateman or a number of others in the first round, but Fields and Waddle top the (realistic) list. 

Both scenarios would likely include the Patriots moving up, and the price depends on the player. 

For Fields, I’d give up as much as No. 15, No. 96 and next year’s first. Ideally it doesn’t take that big a leap and the cost isn’t as much, but if they think he’s a star QB — and one they’d control for five years, but really seven when you factor in the franchise tag — he’s worth two first-rounders and more. 

If Fields doesn’t fall and the Pats can’t move up, I’d be thrilled with Waddle. Remember, the Patriots have three fourth-rounders, so if Waddle slips out of the top 10 — the over/under for him on some draft books is 10.5 — and the quarterbacks are gone, I’d love for New England to move up.

Remember, for all their business in free agency, they didn’t do anything major at wide receiver. Nelson Agholor is at best a fringe No. 2 receiver and Kendrick Bourne only finished second in receiving yards for San Francisco because George Kittle and Deebo Samuel both missed at least half the season. 

I much prefer Waddle to his teammate and Heisman winner DeVonta Smith. In addition to his elite speed, he’s versatile; Josh McDaniels will be able to move him around and Bill Belichick will happily use him as a return man. 

 

Final NBC Sports Boston mock draft: First-round trade for Pats?
2/5

I’ll be honest: I only included him here because I want to talk about his situation. I’m actually OK with the Pats moving Gilmore if they get something decent back, but it would be disappointing if this offseason of spending included dumping Gilmore because they didn’t want to pay him. 

So what’s an acceptable price? A third-round pick or better. I might even do a third-round pick for Gilmore and one the Patriots’ fourths. He’d get them maybe a fifth-round comp pick if he left after next year, so if there’s a team out there that believes he’s still got another great year or two in him, do it. Having a proper third-round pick (the Pats lost theirs for you-know-what-ing again) would make it easier for them to move up in the first round if they’re going after a quarterback. 

They could also just use Gilmore to get from No. 15 to No. 10 with the Cowboys, who badly need a cornerback. Most of us assume Dallas will just draft Patrick Surtain, but what if Justin Fields is somehow there at 10 and they can get a top cornerback while still being able to make a first-round pick?

The difference between the 10th pick and the 15th pick is a high third-round pick, per Rich Hill’s trade chart, so maybe Gilmore could get it done. 

3/5

I don’t have faith in the Patriots drafting receivers and neither should you, so why do I want them to draft a late-rounder out of North Texas? Because it’s a flier on a boom-or-bust prospect.

Darden is undersized, but shifty. He’s got some of the concerns you’d have with a DeVonta Smith, except you wouldn’t have your entire draft riding on his selection. I’d rather spend a fourth or fifth-rounder on the 174-pounder than spend my first-rounder on Smith.

4/5

A kicker who declared early?! This I’ve gotta see! 

The Patriots brought back Nick Folk on a one-year deal and they’ve still got Roberto Aguayo hanging around after spending last year on the practice squad. That’s enough to get by for now, but what if they — and hear me out on this one — just drafted the best kicking prospect?

That’s a shot at last year, when they made Justin Rohrwasser the first kicker selected when he wasn't considered the top prospect at the position by seemingly anyone outside Foxboro. Having a good, reliable kicker for a long time is something the Pats were spoiled by for years. I’d rather them keep that going than just go year-to-year.

5/5

It feels like the price for Garoppolo is only dropping, especially after Teddy Bridgewater — who is definitely worse, but still falls into the category of quarterback getting pushed out — went for just a sixth-round pick. 

Ideally, the Pats get their QB of the future in the first round (Fields? Lance? Eh, I could live with Mac Jones. Maybe even Kyle Trask, Kellen Mond or Davis Mills if they move back). If that doesn’t happen, solving the starting QB problem for now without having to give up much is a very good consolation prize. I’d give up a third to get it done.

 

Curran: The Jimmy G homecoming seems almost inevitable now
Contact Us