'No Juice!' Can 'Bad, Boring' Patriots Improve in NFL Draft?
The New England Patriots are aiming to start fresh.
Bill Belichick's out, Jerod Mayo's in, and the No. 3 overall pick in April's NFL Draft presents an opportunity to revitalize the quarterback position after Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe led New England to a dismal 4-13 record.
But in their pursuit for new beginnings, the Patriots are hopeful to get back to their past - which featured six Super Bowl titles in two decades and an oft-rocking Gillette Stadium.
New England's home atmosphere was lackluster in 2023, largely due to the on-field product. Getting back to relevancy is crucial to dodging apathy.
And for NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, adding an exciting flavor should be a top priority for the Patriots this offseason.
"Just being in the stadium last year, I didn't recognize it," Jeremiah said Thursday on a conference call. "Obviously the team wasn't good, but there has been so much and energy and juice in that building every other time I've been in there, and it was just so flat.
"And it wasn't just a bad team - it was a boring team. There's just no juice, no excitement whatsoever."
So, how does New England go about fixing this?
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has a decision to make - keep quarterback Mac Jones, or draft a potential replacement in either North Carolina's Drake Maye or LSU's Jayden Daniels.
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In Jeremiah's most recent mock draft, the Patriots selected Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., spurning the quarterback spot to add the draft's top offensive weapon.
Still, Jeremiah anticipates New England to be heavily linked with signal callers throughout the pre-draft process.
"I think obviously they'll do their homework on all of the different options there," Jeremiah said. "To me, it would be tough to pass on a quarterback. You're not guaranteed to be up here again. There's no guarantee of what future years, what it looks like at the position.
"I think you've got three guys that are worthy of consideration there."
Those three are USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels.
It's probable the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders will select quarterbacks at No. 1 and 2, respectively, with Williams and Maye the favorites in those slots.
Yet regardless of who, the Patriots' chance to draft a new face of the franchise under center is more about what - the chance to start Mayo's tenure by reviving a fanbase that fell silent last season.
"Whichever one is there, if it's any of those top three quarterbacks, those guys that bring so much energy and life to your franchise," Jeremiah said. "It just feels right."
