The New England Patriots have already made one major move this offseason, moving on from future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick as the team’s head coach. They moved quickly to replace him, naming defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo his successor.
It will certainly take some time to adjust to seeing someone other than Belichick running the show for the Patriots, as he was their head coach for 24 seasons. One of the first orders of business for Mayo, after filling out his staff, will be figuring things out at the quarterback position.
The Patriots haven’t been able to fill the massive void left by Tom Brady, who departed in 2020 when signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. The team used a first-round pick on Mac Jones in 2021 but he has not shown that he is the long-term answer at the position.
NFL News & Rumors: Ryan Tannehill, 2024 NFL Free Agency, New England Patriots Updates
Many people believe the Patriots will try their hand with a quarterback prospect again in the 2024 NFL Draft. Currently, in the No. 3 spot, New England could try to strike a deal with the Chicago Bears for the No.1 pick to ensure they get their preference at quarterback, as that pick and the No. 2 pick, owned by the Washington Commanders, are expected to be quarterbacks.
The Patriots could also opt to go with a bridge quarterback or stopgap option. If that is the route they choose to go, Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report believes that veteran Ryan Tannehill would be the perfect fit for the franchise.
“The Patriots could take a new face of the franchise with the No. 3 overall pick. But if they opt to go to the veteran route or eye Tannehill as a wily vet with some spot-start ability, this could be a nice landing spot,” Fowler wrote.
Tannehill could be the perfect bridge quarterback for the Patriots if they want to bring a rookie along slowly and allow them to develop. He has playoff experience and was successful as a starter with the Tennessee Titans, compiling a record of 39-24.
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The Patriots know first-hand what Tannehill is capable of doing as he led the Titans into Gillette Stadium in 2020 and defeated them during Wild Card Weekend. The following season, Tennessee was the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Alas, this is all spitballing and guesses on what the Patriots will do. With Belichick no longer in the fold, the evaluation and throughout process of how to build the roster could change in New England. At the very least, the person doing the evaluation will change as Belichick was their general manager as well.
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