QB Strategy to Replace Mac

[sb1]

Mayfield was horrible in his last game in Foxboro. One of the worst games by an opposing QB that I can remember. If he is an option they better build up something close to what he had in Tampa… playmakers and protected well.

 

[Real fan 02]

NFL insider believes Mac Jones' cause is lost in New England

I agree with Breer, so I want to explore what the options might be for finding Mac a new home, and the Patriots a new QB. If you disagree that Mac needs to go please discuss that point of view too. Particularly whether Mac has any whiff of hope to be the starter, or is his only future in Foxboro as backup to some QB who isn’t even on the roster yet?

Same question applies to other teams. Do they still see him as a potential starter, or is he now viewed only as a backup?

it seems to me that the best possible scenario would be trading Mac like for like, for another rookie prospect who flamed out on the big stage. But I don’t follow the rest of the NFL closely enough to know if there are any likely trading partners for such a move. Any ideas?

if not a player for player swap, what teams might be in the market, and what would a fair trade look like? I’m sure we Pats fans will have our usual inflated sense of trade value, how strong his market is. Is there even any market for him at all? If there’s no market does he just get cut, to finish getting the toxic residue of the past couple of seasons out of the building?

I think the Pats need to make at least three, or oossibly four moves to address the QB need.

First I‘d like to see Mac traded, ideally for a QB with some NFL experience. A like for like trade for a rookie who failed to live up to expectations seems ideal, to give them both a chance at a fresh start. A good outcome would be getting a serviceable backup, with upside as potential starter. If no player trade can be found take the best draft pick offered. If none keep Mac on the 90 and cut him before the season starts even if it’s just to keep Zappe (more on him in a moment).

Second, sign a free agent veteran QB. Same expected outcome, a serviceable backup, with upside as potential starter. Not sure who I’d prefer but there are certainly a fair number of good candidates. Plenty of room for discussion here.

Third, assuming the first two moves yield two players with NFL experience at QB, draft an OT at #3 and the best available QB as soon after as possible, trading up if necessary to do so. If Mac doesn’t get traded for another QB consider reversing my preferences, taking a QB at #3 and OT as soon as possible thereafter. Trading up to get good players at both positions would be great. I hope other folks were learning from watching Bill concoct draft day trades! To me OT is priority, as was said in another thread a bad LT can ruin a rookie QB, but not the other way round.

Fourth, double dip at QB in the draft. Take the best available prospect early, then later draft for value with a solid but raw developmental prospect.

Zappe might be worth keeping as backup, but I don’t think he’ll ever be a solid starter and I think the backup has to be able to start a few games over a season so as much as I like Zappe I’d prefer to see an upgrade.

That‘s how I see it, what are your thoughts?

Great post. Thank you for this very interesting.
I feel that under AVP everyone will be starting at ground zero in the offense. Mac will likely be gone by or pre- draft. I've pitched the scenario of Mac & a 6th for fields. Fields, draft pick and veteran will all be on level ground in the offseason. Zap to me is a guy however nothing special he should be on the PS with the opportunity to be called up in case of injury. He's best suited in that role. He's no good to the draft pick as far as helping out a rookie he thinks he should be a starting QB in the NFL. Just my thoughts.

 

[50-yard-line]

I don’t think Kraft is going to sell out his stadium with Mac back.
He knows he need a franchise QB.
If we don’t walk away with in no particular order Fields, Mayfield, Willams.Maye,Daniels,McCarthy,Nix, Pennix, Cousins, it’s going to be empty in Gillette and we are setting up the new regime for failure.
Path to respect is easy, Go after Pittman and Gabe Davis, trade down with Atlanta so then can get Daniel’s, getting a first a second and Kyle Pitts,
Take the pick you got from Atlanta moving back up
For McCarthy or Nix if you can or setllr
For Fields.
option 2 instead of trading with Atlanta trade with Chicago so they get Harrison Jr and you get their first Fields and a Third.
Option 3 is you take Harrison JR at 3 then trade resources to move up for
One of Maye, McCarthy, Nix, or trade for Fields.
Option 4 you blow Mayfield away with an offer and get him one of Pittman or Gabe Davis and you draft Marvin Harrison at 3.
Option 5 you trade pick 3 with a team in the 20s and get a treasure trove or resources.
Trading with a team such as Denver also could
Net you Their first and second Surtain one
Of the 2 WRs and Stidham which is a better bridge QB than anything on our current roster. A lot of fun possibilities.
You really can’t screw this up.

Gabe Davis is a JAG. Decent WR but not an upgrade. Benefits from scramblin' Allen and Diggs. Pittman or Ridley (who's a risk, sure, but is at least explosive).
Or trade for Jeudy.

I'm warming to the idea of Mayfield, but prying him away won't be easy. I always liked him and thought he just needed a bit of maturity, which he seems to have found. Maybe AVP has some inside leverage and knowledge.

 

[Love The Drake]

Gabe Davis is a JAG. Decent WR but not an upgrade. Benefits from scramblin' Allen and Diggs. Pittman or Ridley (who's a risk, sure, but is at least explosive).
Or trade for Jeudy.

I'm warming to the idea of Mayfield, but prying him away won't be easy. I always liked him and thought he just needed a bit of maturity, which he seems to have found. Maybe AVP has some inside leverage and knowledge.

Gabe can get deep when it matters most and shouldn’t cost a ton and Diggs has hyped him up as being better than him.

Would you rather have Davis? Or Parker or Jui Ju?

If we can walk in 2024 with Bourne, Davis, Pittman, Douglas, Thornton and a Rookie, that’s a real good look.

 

[Real fan 02]

Gabe can get deep when it matters most and shouldn’t cost a ton and Diggs has hyped him up as being better than him.

Would you rather have Davis? Or Parker or Jui Ju?

If we can walk in 2024 with Bourne, Davis, Pittman, Thornton and a Rookie, that’s a real good look.

I Chuckle when I see people call teams WRs jags lol.. like we have all pros.. Davis would almost be a number 1a next to pop in this offense.... I absolutely agree.. KB, Davis, pop,Pittman or Ridley... yeah... we'd have something!

 

[50-yard-line]

Gabe can get deep when it matters most and shouldn’t cost a ton and Diggs has hyped him up as being better than him.

Would you rather have Davis? Or Parker or Jui Ju?

If we can walk in 2024 with Bourne, Davis, Pittman, Douglas, Thornton and a Rookie, that’s a real good look.

We already have Parker and Juju, whether you like it or not. Cutting them costs money, particularly Juju.

If you can move them (I don't see how), Davis might be an option. As it stands, he's redundant.
At WR, we just have to hope that JJSS is better recovered from that knee issue and Parker can stay healthy (although they could, technically cut him and not eat too much $$$).

 

[Love The Drake]

We already have Parker and Juju, whether you like it or not. Cutting them costs money, particularly Juju.

If you can move them (I don't see how), Davis might be an option. As it stands, he's redundant.
At WR, we just have to hope that JJSS is better recovered from that knee issue and Parker can stay healthy (although they could, technically cut him and not eat too much $$$).

I think Ju Ju could restructure to go back to KC.
Parker is interesting he’s a big physical receiver how much of the issue was hik
Vs the QB or play Design.
Im guessing they cut their losses and move him for a conditional or late round pick.

 

[JohnJH]

Would the Bears swap Fields for Jones, maybe with a pick thrown in as sweetener?

Choose Your Patriots QB: Is a Justin Fields trade the right move?

I'd do a straight up trade, but wouldn't throw in anything else. Because if Chicago drafts a QB with their 1st pick, just getting Mac as a bridge or backup is good enough for a straight up swap.

 

[JohnJH]

Unfortunately, spoons are all the Patriots have in their war chest. And I would much rather drive Jones into the ground than risk starting the future of the franchise before he is ready.

Although cold, it would be practical. I could live with that.

 

[JohnJH]

I think a major component of the QB strategy to replace Mac Jones depends on the team's evaluation of the Top 3 rookie QB prospects. Specifically, will the Patriots be content to draft whichever of those three is still available? If so then the roster building at QB whittles down to a veteran bridge/backup - probably a free agent signing. Trading Mac for another reclamation project would fill the role of QB3, not QB2.

If on the other hand the Pats decide that one or more of Williams/Maye/Daniels is not worthy of the #3 pick, the team has to have a Plan B and Plan C in place. What are you going to do with that #3 pick? Draft MJH Jr? Draft Alt at OT? Try to trade down and maybe draft an OT, and then a QB with the next pick? In that scenario the veteran FA QB that you sign becomes even more important.

If you draft MJH Jr at #3, what is the plan for OT and QB?
If you draft OT Alt at #3, what is the plan for QB and WR?

If you plan to trade down, you have to figure out a realistic return with each of several potential trade partners.
You also have to have contingency plans if that team lowballs you, or is simply not interested in trading up.


All of this makes your free agency decisions that much more important. The draft may be the key, but it happens after free agency.
You don't want to back yourself into a corner based on what you were not able to achieve in free agency, resulting in having to reach for a player based on poistional need.

No way they should take an OT (even if he becomes a 1st Ballot HOF Player. That would be a trade down and get the same guy scenario. You take a QB at #3. Then you have him sit a year while the rest of the offense is built up around him.

 

[JohnJH]

A round 3 draft pick from any team would be gold!

Agreed. But we'd be lucky to get a 5th at best.

 

[JohnJH]

The right move is easy, you have the 3rd pick in the draft so you take one there. The hard part is it working out, you just never know. But it’s a risk the team has no choice but to take.

Fortune sometimes favors the bold. So, yes!

 

[JohnJH]

I think Ju Ju could restructure to go back to KC.
Parker is interesting he’s a big physical receiver how much of the issue was hik
Vs the QB or play Design.
Im guessing they cut their losses and move him for a conditional or late round pick.

If we can unload JSS and Parker (although we'd eat cap money), we'd still have some money left to spend after what we eat.

 

[Real fan 02]

If we can unload JSS and Parker (although we'd eat cap money), we'd still have some money left to spend after what we eat.

Here's what I'll say.. under AVP in the west coast system.. every one will be starting from ground 0. The draft pick of course, FA veteran QB, and Fields. Sign a game changer Ridley, Pittman Jr, one of the 2. Parker, juju all then can be slotted into thier respective roles in the offense. They both got new contracts so probably they are on the roster unless a trade intrigues mayo.

 

[Love The Drake]

Here's what I'll say.. under AVP in the west coast system.. every one will be starting from ground 0. The draft pick of course, FA veteran QB, and Fields. Sign a game changer Ridley, Pittman Jr, one of the 2. Parker, juju all then can be slotted into thier respective roles in the offense. They both got new contracts so probably they are on the roster unless a trade intrigues mayo.

I think the Patriots will stay away from Ridley due to gambling they won’t want to repeat a similar situation to Boutte.

 

[Real fan 02]

I think the Patriots will stay away from Ridley due to gambling they won’t want to repeat a similar situation to Boutte.

Yeah forgot about that.. Boutte would have been a nice WR for us to bad his career is likely over before it began.

 

[JohnJH]

Here's what I'll say.. under AVP in the west coast system.. every one will be starting from ground 0. The draft pick of course, FA veteran QB, and Fields. Sign a game changer Ridley, Pittman Jr, one of the 2. Parker, juju all then can be slotted into thier respective roles in the offense. They both got new contracts so probably they are on the roster unless a trade intrigues mayo.

If given a preference, I'd prefer Pittman Jr. Although, if by some miracle Higgins isn't tagged, he'd be my 1st choice for FA WR. Then, hopefully draft a kid in whatever round after the 2nd that turns out to be a steal (like a Metcalf/Brown/Samuel/Higgins/Pittman Jr.). Xavier Leggette is almost the same size as A.J. Brown, but is expected to run a sub 4.0 40 (whereas Brown ran a 4.5 something). Best case scenario: Maye at #3, an OT in the 2nd Round, and if there's a WR that could be stud (Leggette or similar) who won't make it past the 2nd, trade a pick from next year to move back into the 2nd Round, so that we can still address RB and TE in later rounds, and would love Maason Smith at DT (6'6 and 310-315).

 

[DarrylS]

I think the Patriots will stay away from Ridley due to gambling they won’t want to repeat a similar situation to Boutte.

Aren't Boutte's allegations from when he was at college??
I find the whole gambling thing incredibly duplicitous.. Draft Kings, Fan Duel etc are in bed with the NFL and their lines of demarcation have gotten completely blurred. Personally never thought I would see the day that this type of thing is happening..

 

[Love The Drake]

Aren't Boutte's allegations from when he was at college??
I find the whole gambling thing incredibly duplicitous.. Draft Kings, Fan Duel etc are in bed with the NFL and their lines of demarcation have gotten completely blurred. Personally never thought I would see the day that this type of thing is happening..

Agree but Ridley is one infraction away from a lifetime ban the Pats aren’t going to be the ones to shed out good money for him.
I wouldn’t even consider it.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

2024 qb room

Minshew or brisset (free agent)
Zappe (holdover)
Hart (2024 draft pick)