NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
What should Patriots fans be watching in Week 16 as it relates to the team’s draft order position and scenarios?
Let’s break it down.
Patriots have good chance to move up to No. 2
The easiest way for the Patriots to move up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the first round draft order is by losing to the Buffalo Bills on the road Sunday and having the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
The Patriots are heavy underdogs to the Bills, and given how amazing Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has been playing, it would be pretty shocking if New England pulled off the upset. The Raiders aren’t very good, but they have a favorable matchup versus Mac Jones and the Jaguars. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) model gives the Raiders a 55.9 percent chance of beating the Jaguars.
The Patriots could also move up to No. 2 if the Raiders lost but the Giants won their game against the Falcons. Even though the Falcons are giving rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. his first career start, ESPN’s FPI still gives Atlanta a 63.4 percent chance of defeating New York.
It’s possible for the Patriots to move up to the No. 1 pick, but that would require them losing to the Bills, combined with the Raiders and Giants both winning.
Giants at Falcons: Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
Patriots at Bills: Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Jaguars at Raiders: Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Why a top-two pick is important
There could be a pretty big difference in the value between the No. 2 and No. 3 picks this year, and that’s because the 2025 class only has two quarterback prospects — Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shadeur Sanders — worth taking with a top-five pick. That could change in the coming months, but right now, it’s a pretty weak QB class.
The Patriots don’t need a quarterback because it appears they’ve already hit a home run with the Maye pick. But in terms of trade value, it’s much better to have one of those two picks and be able to offer another team a chance at a franchise QB. The No. 3…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-move-2025-first-round-184301258.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-12-20 18:43:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
