Curran: Pats must create ‘stable and organized' situation for next QB
Curran: Pats must create ‘stable and organized' situation for next QB originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Later this month, the New England Patriots will make one of the most critical draft decisions in franchise history. They'll have a chance to select their next franchise quarterback with the third overall pick -- their highest since 1993 when they took QB Drew Bledsoe No. 1.
All signs point toward the Patriots picking either UNC's Drake Maye or Michigan's J.J. McCarthy if they stay at No. 3. While there's widespread debate over which signal-caller they should choose, our Tom E. Curran believes it's irrelevant if the situation around their next QB isn't up to par. If the next Patriots quarterback isn't set up for success, we could be headed toward Mac Jones Pt. 2 in New England.
Curran argues this is especially true for McCarthy, whose profile is eerily similar to Jones'.
"The Patriots will be taking the third overall quarterback and the argument for J.J. McCarthy is this: He won a national championship, played at a big program, he's got a high floor, he's smart, accurate, and a terrific leader," Curran said.
"And you say, 'I just watched the accurate quarterback with big program pedigree and a high floor movie for the past three years! ... No flippin' thank you!' You, my friend, you have trauma.
"Eliot Wolf better understand that if McCarthy is the choice, the region will recoil. And McCarthy better understand that like Mac, he'll be joining an NFL offense that's literally less talented than the one he left in college, with an offensive system in Year 1 under a brand new staff that will not be as polished and efficient as Jim Harbaugh's was at Michigan."
Jones excelled as a rookie but took a significant step back in his second season. Much of the blame for his sophomore slump can be placed on the Patriots' perplexing decision to put Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in charge of the offense.
By the time Bill O'Brien took over in Jones' third year, the damage was already done. Jones continued to regress before being replaced midseason by backup QB Bailey Zappe. He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this offseason.
As Curran says, the Patriots must improve the situation around their QB to avoid going through this dreadful cycle again.
"When you draft a high-floor player who is a 'win with, not because of' type player -- basically Mac -- you have to make sure the situation around said player is stable and organized," Curran added. "The Patriots failed to provide that for Mac. Hence, this is where they are right now. And if they fail again, they could just start scouting the high school seniors right now in the class of 2028 because they're gonna be right back in the quarterback vortex."
Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25.
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