The Chicago Bears have the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, with the Washington Commanders having the second pick. These are the frontrunners to land USC’s Caleb Williams, so naturally, most of our coverage in the past 24 hours has focused on those two NFL organizations.
Yet, if we’re being honest about the best landing spot for Caleb, it’s the team with the No. 3 pick in the draft: the New England Patriots.
Significant news has emerged from Foxborough, too. Per Patriots Wire, coach Bill Belichick has said he would be willing to give up his general manager role if the Patriots will keep him as head coach. Most people in the NFL were skeptical that Belichick would do that. The inside read was that Belichick would insist on maintaining total autonomy in the organization. Belichick’s concession should be enough to keep him aboard, but we’ll see what happens.
If we assume Belichick is staying, Caleb Williams to New England would give him a very good situation. The Patriots have a strong defense. They don’t need their quarterback to be a superstar, just a generally competent quarterback. The Patriots don’t have a good offensive line but will obviously devote their offseason to shoring up that position group. They’re set at most other positions. Quarterback and offensive line are the team’s two biggest needs by far. Caleb Williams would meet Belichick’s needs at quarterback. That leaves the offensive line. Give Caleb an upgrade there, and he has a lot of tools to step right into the NFL and make a difference.
Let’s absorb this point: The Patriots’ defense is so good that if their offense can score merely 24 points per game — not 30, not 35, not 40 — they are going to be very hard to beat most days. Caleb Williams wouldn’t have to score in the 40s the way he often did — and needed to — at USC.
We will see if the Pats keep Belichick, and we will then see if New England is willing to trade up to No. 1 to get Caleb Williams a home in Foxborough.
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