Mayo: Patriots' rebuild 'not only about the quarterback'
The quarterback-needy New England Patriots are heading into the 2024 NFL Draft trying to replicate the Houston Texans, who selected star passer C.J. Stroud and made a stunning last-to-first turnaround in the AFC South. However, head coach Jerod Mayo doesn't think fixing the issue at the sport's most important position will instantly put New England back on the right track.
"Remember, (Texans general manager Nick) Caserio had been building that team for (two) years before they got C.J. Stroud in that position," Mayo recently told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "So when you look at our team, I'm not asking for patience, but I kind of am. It's a process. It's not only about the quarterback. Obviously, you want to have that QB1 and build around him, but it doesn't always happen when you want it."
The Patriots hired Mayo to replace Bill Belichick after they went 4-13 in 2023. New England, which traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is now in a position to draft one of this year's top quarterback prospects at No. 3 overall.
Mayo's outfit also signed Jacoby Brissett, adding the veteran signal-caller to a quarterback depth chart that also features Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke.
"We could bring a QB in here, and he may not be ready to play, realistically," Mayo added. "That's why we have a guy like Jacoby coming along. Jacoby is great. He can still play football and also mentor someone in that room, and he has a connection to that offense with (offensive coordinator Alex) Van Pelt, so he can always be that teacher. That's how we're looking at it."
The Patriots have lacked consistency at quarterback since Tom Brady left the team. Jones was solid as a first-round rookie in 2021 but couldn't replicate that success over the last two seasons. He started 11 games in 2023, while Zappe posted six starts. New England's combined 73.8 passer rating ranked 30th in the NFL last year.
Three quarterbacks - Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels - headline the 2024 draft. The Chicago Bears are widely expected to take Williams first overall, while the Washington Commanders are also projected to select a passer with the No. 2 pick. New England is scheduled to meet with Maye, Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy, whose draft stock has been rising lately.
Aside from picking a quarterback, the Patriots could choose to address other roster needs at No. 3. Top receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has also been linked to the club.
In the latest edition of theScore's NFL mock draft, New England lands offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu at No. 13 after trading the third overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.