D+
New England Patriots
The Patriots got the worse of every deal, and it shows in the D+.
by 0987 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 4 steals
· 2 reaches
You can hear the double-takes from here. The Patriots took Jaheim Bell at the 68th pick, roughly 72 spots before his name belonged. A D+ that will need time and luck to look better.
They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it.
Speights at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, edge rusher very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 5th overall pick they get a go-to option on the outside. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A reach for J.J. McCarthy in slot 34; a little patience would have been rewarded. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Fair-plus on Tyler Guyton, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Jaheim Bell in pick No. 68 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Blake Fisher at No. 104 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. The roster fit checks out.
They took Luke McCaffrey at par in Round 4, Pick 36, which is nothing to complain about. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Frank Gore Jr. at pick 182 is money in the bank, a running back taken below his worth. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A slide stopped in the 222nd overall pick, with Jared Wiley worth more than the price. It fills a real need, too.
They let Jha'Quan Jackson come to them and pounced at slot 224. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Somehow Omar Speights was still sitting there in Round 7, Pick 9, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. It adds depth where they could use a little.