There was a certain subset of Patriots fans upset to see rookie kicker Chad Ryland knock through a last-second field goal against the Broncos on Sunday night.

Those are the fans who have been rooting for the Patriots to select higher in the 2024 NFL Draft since the team was eliminated from playoff contention. The win pushed the Patriots down from No. 2 overall, where they could have taken one of the top two QBs in the draft, to No. 4.

So, what do the Patriots do now, since it looks difficult to move back up to one of the top two picks?

We’ll answer that and more in this week’s mailbag.

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@AndrewTurmer
Which path would you choose for the rebuild now we’ve blown a top 2 pick:

1. Trade up, give up future picks but get the young QB on a cheap contract.
2. Bring in a veteran QB, use our pick on Harrison or improving the O-line and save future picks for the rebuild.

It’s a difficult conundrum.

There’s more risk in Option 1, as evidenced by how the Panthers are playing this season. They traded a future first-round pick to move up to take quarterback Bryce Young, who’s struggled.

So, now the Panthers don’t have a 2024 first-round pick, and they might not have their quarterback of the future either. So, if you pick Option 1, you better be sure that you’re taking the right guy.

But Option 2 looks like a recipe for treading water in the future. True Super Bowl contenders need an elite quarterback. And you’re not going to find an elite quarterback taking the veteran route. And if you improve enough to be a middle-of-the-road team, then it will be years before you’re picking high enough to be within range to take a top QB.

In Option 2, you can still take a quarterback in the second or third round. Washington’s Michael Penix, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix are potential candidates. But there’s less of a chance to hit on one of those players than with a top-two pick.

If you use Option 1, then even if you don’t find hit on the quarterback, then you’ll at least bottom out and have another chance at a top QB in a few years.

It does hurt to lose a future first-round pick to build around that top quarterback, however.

If you use Option 2, then it would be ideal to trade down and try to acquire a future first-round pick just in case you still need to grab a quarterback in future years.

I’d still probably go with Option 1 and hope you really do get a franchise quarterback.

@dubreuil201
If Belichick returns next season, do you think he would be asked by Kraft to pass the GM responsibility onto an actual GM?

I don’t know. The only people who really knows that is Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft.

But maybe you set up a system for Bill Belichick to hire a general manager so that the team can pass the baton to Jerod Mayo and that GM in 2025.

The case for keeping Belichick as head coach is that his defense is still really good, and the team is mostly still playing hard for him despite being out of playoff contention. Why would the team be dramatically better if Mayo was head coach in 2024 rather than Belichick?

That question leads us into the case against keeping Belichick, and that’s some of his personnel decisions over the last few years. And it’s solved if you can get more help in the front office.

@riraho5
Scoring less than 20 ppg, turnovers every game, 3 and outs aplenty….isnt Bailey Zappe just Mac Jones playing against an easier schedule?

Is the schedule really easier, though? The Patriots lost to the Saints, Raiders, Commanders and Giants and beat the Jets and Bills with Mac Jones at quarterback. They’ve lost to the Chargers and Chiefs and beat the Steelers and Broncos with Zappe.

Jones had some positive moments earlier this season, but I don’t think anything topped Zappe’s highs from Week 16’s win over the Broncos. Yes, there were a ton of three-and-outs. But there were also enough big plays to secure a win, and Zappe was clutch down the stretch for a game-winning drive.

@Sruly23
If we stand pat at pick 4 or 5, who do you think the pick would be or position most likely to take ? #MailDoug

Wide receiver and offensive tackle are very obvious needs, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and offensive tackles Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu are all out there.

I’d personally go with the wide receiver.