All signs currently point to the New England Patriots adding a quarterback this season.
Clearly, everyone wants to know on whom Bill Belichick will be the new signal caller of his team. Just as important, however, is when the Patriots will pull the trigger to sign or trade a quarter.
ESPN reporter Mike Reiss gave insight into New England’s planning on Monday morning. According to Reiss, the Patriots want to place a quarterback before March 17 (the start of the NFL-free agency) to help their recruitment of passers-by.
Here is what Reiss said during the “Get Up” section of Monday morning:
‘There is one more thought of people around the situation: the timing is important for them to get a quarterback for starting the free agency, so if they are looking to recruit a top receiver or a top-end, the player knows who they are throwing the football at. ”
Patriots fans can therefore probably expect Belichick to welcome his new QB somewhere within the next month. In addition, Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal identified the Patriots’ goal in a recent podcast in the first week of March.
About whom the Patriots are going to land, your guess is just as good as ours. Apparently, everyone had a potential reunion with Jimmy Garoppolo on his neck if the San Francisco 49ers were to go in a new direction. There is also the 2021 NFL draft to consider, but it is difficult to envision a rookie quarterback who attracts many free agents.
And then there is the question of whether any quarterback wants to join the Patriots. Matthew Stafford’s apparent rejection of New England relates to, as well as the current, unimpressive status of Belichick’s list. At the end of this off-season we will find out how attractive a destination the Patriots are without Tom Brady.
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