Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots endured a tough outing in the NFL last season. The Robert Kraft-owned franchise finished 3rd in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins. They suffered in the absence of veteran Tom Brady who joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Cam Newton did a decent enough job on his return from injury. The former Carolina Panthers man recorded 2,657 yards with 8 passing TDs against 10 interceptions.
He finished with a 7-8 record but coach Belichick saw enough to hand him a 1-year extension.
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via Getty
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 25: Cam Newton #1 of the New England Patriots walks on the sidelines during their NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium on October 25, 2020, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
However, the Patriots are still looking to draft a young quarterback from the talented 2021 NFL Draft class. With the New York Giants open to a draft trade, will New England snap at the opportunity?
Also Read- 2021 NFL Draft: Why Kyle Pitts is the Perfect Fit for Atlanta Falcons
New York Giants ready to trade down from #11 overall
The #Giants are slated to pick No. 11 in the NFL Draft, and trading back is already something they are internally considering, I’m told. That spot will have real value. … How rare would a trade down be? GM Dave Gettleman has never traded down in the 1st round in 8 drafts as a GM
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2021
The Miami Dolphins were one of the first teams to give up their draft pick this year. The AFC East old boys traded their #3 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in a blockbuster trade.
The Dolphins then traded up again. They acquired the #6th overall pick from Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles.
The latest team to trade up this year could be coach Belichick’s New England Patriots. They could trade up from #15 to #11 if New York Giants are willing to give up their position in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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The Patriots could use this pick to bring in someone like Mac Jones or Kyle Trask who we expect to be the only 2 quarterbacks left in the draft at that point.
Both these players had standout seasons with their respective NCAA teams. But it was Jones who was crowned CFP National Champion in 2021.
The Nick Saban-led Alabama defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the final to win the national title for the 6th time. Following that triumph, Jones is reportedly being considered a top 1st-round prospect at QB.
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Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons scouts attended Mac’s Pro Day. So it will be interesting to see if the Patriots can manage to draft him later this month.
Also Read- Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers: Who is Tom Brady Putting More Pressure On?
