21 November 2023 , 16:21
1280
0
The New England Patriots could be closing in on acquiring the first overall pick for the first time in 21 years with head coach Bill Belichick's job seemingly on the line.
The Patriots are having their worst-ever season under the legendary head coach and have a number of huge decisions to make as they will already be turning their attentions to the 2024 season.
Quarterback Mac Jones was benched in their loss to the Indianapolis Colts after another disappointing performance with Bailey Zappe coming in on a defining drive in the final moments of the game.
Should they continue to struggle this season, they could land the top spot in the draft which is set to feature two quarterbacks seen as generational prospects in Caleb Williams (University of Southern California) and Drake Maye (University of North Carolina).
READ MORE: 'There's a lot of mediocrity' - Tom Brady pulls no punches with scathing NFL assessment
Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl
READ MORE: New York Jets have extravagant trade plan to help Aaron Rodgers
Williams and Maye have both struggled with their respective colleges, but are almost certain to be drafted within the top five places after showing incredible traits in their college careers.
Maye has made improvements throughout the season with UNC, while playing in a struggling offense and has traits that many have compared to Buffalo Bills superstar Josh Allen. Williams, meanwhile, has been compared to Patrick Mahomes due to his ability to avoid pressure and make throws from seemingly impossible angles.
The Patriots could have a chance at selecting one of those two, having not drafted with the first overall pick since 1993. With that selection, they picked Drew Bledsoe as their future quarterback who would later lose his place to Tom Brady seven years later.
Bill Belichick is under pressure as head coach (Chris Unger/Getty Images)It's a position that the team will not have envisioned themselves picking in after recent years - with the Patriots being a dominant force in the AFC over the past two decades, but they have struggled since Brady left the team in 2020.
And by drafting a new franchise quarterback, the Patriots front office could move on from Belichick as well as Jones at quarterback.
Multiple reports have suggested that this could be Belichick's last season with the team, with him potentially being traded at the end of the season or reaching an agreement to leave as the team will look to rebuild and rebrand themselves after an incredible era comes to it's end.
The Patriots currently have a 2-8 record with seven games left in the season with a difficult schedule coming up and how they finish the season could shape their future.
New England Patriots remaining schedule
Nov 26: @ New York Giants
Dec 3: v Los Angeles Chargers
Tom Brady announces retirement from NFL "for good" after 23 seasons
Dec 8: @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec 19: v Kansas City Chiefs
Dec 25: @ Denver Broncos
Dec 31: @ Buffalo Bills
Jan 7: v New York Jets