Which teams will Patriots compete with for No. 1 pick in 2025 draft? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Week 1 of a new NFL season always brings a little bit of hope to every franchise.
But it’s also important to be realistic.
So let’s face it: The New England Patriots aren’t going to be very good this season. This isn’t breaking news, of course. Anyone who’s followed this team and understands the roster knows it’s probably going to be a tough year for the six-time Super Bowl champs.
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Patriots. This roster is still devoid of elite talent, and finishing with anothe top-three draft pick would be a great way to add a franchise cornerstone left tackle or wide receiver to the mix, especially if Drake Maye looks like the real deal at quarterback.
There’s always a chance that the Patriots surprise. The Houston Texans were expected to be awful last season, but rookie QB C.J. Stroud led them to a division title and a playoff win. New England is unlikely to pull off a similar feat, especially with a brutally tough schedule.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando recently polled five team executives to see how they thought the AFC standings will unfold in 2024. Four of the five picked the Patriots to finish last (16th) in the AFC, while the other predicted a 13th-place finish.
“I tried,” one voter told Sando. “There is not a lot to get fired up about. Ja’Lynn Polk is a very good rookie receiver, but I don’t see him having a Puka Nacua-type impact.”
So if the Patriots are one of the teams expected to compete for the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, who are the others?
Here’s a list of teams Patriots fans might want to keep an eye on during the upcoming campaign.
Aug 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) warms up before a preseason game against the Buffalo Billsat Highmark Stadium.
The Panthers finished with the worst record last season at 2-15. Making matters worse for the Panthers was the fact…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/teams-patriots-compete-no-1-192901141.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-09-04 19:29:01
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