Strong considerations
14. Jake Fromm Georgia: (Draft) He certainly fits the profile of Tom Brady, even if, of course, comparisons to the G.O.A.T. are unfair. Fromm’s mentality and IQ are ideal for the Patriots’ system, if they don’t feel inclined to change it much. His limitations, however, are physical. He doesn’t have the ideal arm strength. But if he falls to the Patriots in the third round, it’s easy to imagine them drafting him with hopes of developing him into a starter as early as his rookie year.
13. Teddy Bridgewater, Saints: (Free agency) Bridgewater’s return to relevancy has been an impressive testament to his determination. His knee injury could have ended his career, but as we head into free agency, he might find himself atop lists as the best free-agent option. He’s 27 and younger than Tannehill. He’s a game-manager, who is careful with the football. The Saints’ system got the most out of him. Can another team get that same level of production? The Patriots will definitely be interested in Bridgewater, but they likely won’t be able to afford him.
12. Andy Dalton, Bengals: (Trade) Dalton’s salary and trade costs aren’t exactly appealing. He’s been a media-favorite for the Patriots, but I don’t think they take an interest in him unless the Bengals release him. He’s due to make $16 million in 2019, a decent chunk of the salary cap. And how much better is Dalton than Bortles, Keenum, Fitzpatrick or Marcus Mariota, all of whom are likely to cost a fraction of that? Cincinnati would be wise to release Dalton. New England would be wise to sign him if he hits the open market.
11. Matthew Stafford, Lions: (Trade) This would be a stunner. Stafford, after all, had one of his best seasons in the NFL in 2019. But if Detroit decides to draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall, the Patriots would badly want Stafford. Even so, he’s a long shot, with the Lions likely to hold onto their franchise quarterback. Because of the cost on the trade market, Stafford probably isn’t worth bringing in.
10. Derek Carr, Raiders: (Trade) The Raiders are open to the idea of upgrading every position on their roster, according to general manager Mike Mayock. He said he was pleased with how Carr operated Jon Gruden’s system, but Mayock also said he wasn’t happy with the total points scored. If Las Vegas is looking to upgrade their quarterback position, you can bet Belichick will want to send picks to the Raiders in exchange for Carr.
9. Josh Rosen, Dolphins: (Trade) Some players just have bad luck in the NFL. Rosen spent his rookie season in one of the worst offenses in recent memory with the Arizona Cardinals, who then abandoned Rosen in favor of Kyler Murray. The Dolphins, who acquired Rosen, elected to start Fitzpatrick for most of the 2019 season. And now, Miami might just draft Tua Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft. So if that happened, the Patriots seem like the right team for Rosen to find stability and fight for a starting job.