This year’s quarterback draft class isn’t the most impressive, and it seems like teams are trying to do whatever they can to avoid selecting one of them.
The Los Angeles Rams announced Friday that Matthew Stafford would return to the franchise after the quarterback reportedly spoke to the New York Giants and Raiders. Trade rumors revolved around Las Vegas due to the Tom Brady connections, a story (or lack thereof, perhaps) that caused a pair of NFL insiders to confront each other.
However, the important part for the Patriots was the Giants’ involvement in those Stafford discussions. For whatever reason, a deal couldn’t be reached, and that’s good news for New England because it increases the probability that New York selects a QB, a key positional need, with the third overall pick. If the Tennessee Titans or Cleveland Browns also draft a signal-caller, that means the Patriots would have a chance to draft either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter, who they seem to be very high on.
But not so fast. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on Friday, the Giants have shifted their focus to Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to be released by the New York Jets when free agency begins. The All-Pro quarterback reportedly also reached out to the G-Men to gauge interest, so there’s a chance an agreement could be reached.
That’s bad news for the Patriots. They should hope that New York sours on Rodgers or vice versa. New England could find itself in a vulnerable position with the fourth pick. If they want to draft Carter or Hunter, they should hope teams in front of them that need quarterbacks fail in free agency and are forced to go to the draft for answers.
It’s all still very early in the process, but it seems teams want to get their situations squared away as soon as possible.
