Every thread about potential QBs is going to be full of naysaying, of course.
Who are the options? And seriously, after Brady, how many NFL QBs are going to cut it with NE fans out of the gate?
I mean, face it, the cupboard isn't overflowing.
Watson is the only blue-shipper who might be on the black - and it's going to cost a TON. A ton. And if Caserio isn't just blowing smoke and really would deal him, which I doubt there are teams with a lot more of that capital to pay than the Pats (Jets, for example).
Green Bay isn't moving Rogers. Stafford and Goff are off the board.
Mariotta and Jimmy and maybe Alex Smith are possibilities via trade or being cut. After that: Winston, Newton, Brissett, Trubisky, Fitzpatrick and who? Maybe Darnold gets dealt, but to he Pats? Highly doubt it, and there's no reason for the Jets to cut him even if they acquired Winston.
So after that, we're down to players like Minshew or Josh Rosen...
As for the draft, people say trade up, but man, that's going to be a lot of capital. if you go buy the point rating system, the Pats should be able to swap 15 and a mid-rounder to get up for one of the higher-rated QBs, but that's in theory - you have to believe that the true blue-chip prospects are all going to be gone when Carolina picks at what, 8?, if not before.
With all that in mind, figuring they aren't getting Watson, the best options to me look like:
1. Jimmy G (if they don't have to trade too much and can rework that contract, or via FA)
2. Trubisky, but he's going to be costing more than he's shown to be worth, likely, as other teams are supposedly showing interest.
3. Brissett
4. Fitzpatrick as a stopgap, whereas the first three could develop into more than that. Same with Smith, probably even less so.
5. Mariotta or Winston or Cam
Am I missing someone?
So, unless there's a QB in the draft they really love...I'd go with: try to get one of the top 3, draft a developmental guy in the second (Mac Jones if he's there, which I doubt) or 3rd/4th. If I had to bet on it, this is where I'd lean.
And this is all assuming they don't want Stidham, which I'm not as certain of as some posters here. There were plenty of other reasons they might have held him back this year, both involving a handshake deal with Cam Newton and/or a fear of throwing him in when he isn't ready - he's still only had one camp, after all.