The New England Patriots own the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft next month, and there has been rampant speculation regarding how they will handle the selection.
Unlike last year, the Patriots no longer need a quarterback, so they don't need to worry about finding a way to nab Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. So, what will New England do?
Well, Pats executive Eliot Wolf revealed the team's strategy at the team's annual draft party for season ticket holders, and essentially, he said the Patriots aren't going to just be looking to fill holes.
“No, we don’t (feel compelled to draft for need)," Wolf said, via Karen Guregian of Mass Live. "The best player available is going to be the way it its. Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year. Obviously that culminated in us drafting Drake Maye, so it wasn’t all bad. But, just moving forward, it’s taking the best player, and understanding that we’ve filled a lot of needs already in free agency.”
Here's the thing, though: New England actually hasn't filled its biggest needs in free agency. The Pats entered the offseason with massive holes at wide receiver and along their offensive line, but they really haven't rectified those needs. Not completely, anyway.
The Patriots did sign wide out Mack Hollins and added tackle Morgan Moses, but they should be far from done addressing those areas. New England is interested in Stefon Diggs, which is nice, but the Pats should also be looking to draft some more weapons while also aiming to repair an offensive line that was the worst in football this past season.
Obviously, Wolf is not going to unveil a play-by-play of the Pats' draft plans, but they may very well just look to draft best player available regardless of position, which is usually not the best way to build a team. Anyway, we will see what happens.
