The New England Patriots have done a lot more trading down in the NFL Draft than trading up during the Bill Belichick era, but they could make an exception this year as they search for the heir apparent to their 40-year-old quarterback.
On Tuesday, the Patriots traded Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams and landed a first-round draft pick in return. With that move, New England now has two first-round picks and two second-rounders — Nos. 23, 31, 43 and 63 overall. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, it is very possible — if not likely — that Belichick could use some of those assets to trade up in the first round.
La Canfora spoke with a member of the Patriots organization about the possibility of the team trading up.
When I asked a member of the Pats organization in the know if they would be shocked if Belichick moved well into the first half of the first round to land a quarterback, he responded: “Certainly not.” This individual is convinced that this Cooks trade was a mere cog in the overall machine and a piece that will end up with one of the top three-or-four rated passers in this draft landing in New England. History — recent and dating back to guys like Richard Seymour — has revealed that Belichick is rarely averse to dealing current players for future assets, and he could move another veteran plus the three picks the Patriots now hold between picks 23 and 43 to do so.
While he admitted it is a “total hunch,” La Canfora speculates that Belichick could be enamored with Baker Mayfield. Here’s more on that:
Total hunch here, but I’m thinking Baker Mayfield could be the guy Belichick targets. He’s been all about mobile quarterbacks the last few years – Tim Tebow love affair, dabbling with Johnny Football, drafting Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett before dealing them both. Belichick can handle the kid’s attitude and curb his wayward tendencies and he could be the best value play – especially if three quarterbacks are drafted ahead of him – and Josh McDaniels could coach him up and scheme him up and put him in positions to replicate what he did best at Oklahoma.
Mayfield is probably the biggest wild card of all the first-round talents in this year’s draft. Some analysts have him going as high as No. 3 to the New York Jets, while others see him lasting into the middle of the round. The Patriots almost certainly won’t trade into the top-five, but they could move into the top 15 if they’re in love with one of the many QB prospects in the draft.
There was some speculation that the Patriots may have traded Cooks to make room for another star wide receiver, but that does not sound likely. Neither does Belichick trading up in the first round (especially for a QB), but you never know what The Hoodie’s next move is going to be.
