NFL Draft Rumors: Chiefs eye Kelce replacement, Commanders surprise, Patriots waffling

The 2024 NFL Draft is a few short weeks away. For many, it will serve as an introduction to the next generation of football stars. Each team has its own complex lattice of intersecting, cumulative goals entering the draft. Some — especially those located near the top — will search for franchise cornerstones, real building blocks. Others, par
ticularly those in the realm of contention, are searching for talent that complements an established core.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87)

With all 32 teams in the mix, there isn’t a more hectic transaction period during the NFL calendar year. Naturally, this is prime time for rumors to percolate. Let’s see what reports are floating around the NFL Draft sphere these days.

NFL Draft rumors: Patriots undecided on plan with No. 3 pick
The New England Patriots own the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, which could end up as a pivotal position on the board. We don’t know exactly how the first two picks will go, but we generally know Chicago at No. 1 and Washington at No. 2 will select quarterbacks. Common sense would suggest that New England, freshly reprieved of Mac Jones, will follow suit.
The thing is, the Patriots aren’t 100 percent sold on that game plan. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, New England is still pondering the idea of trading back.
“My sense is the New England Patriots haven’t made up their minds yet on trading or sticking at 3. So, yes, personnel chief Eliot Wolf’s going to take phone calls on the pick. And one really interesting piece of information I’ve gathered over the past week is that New England, to this point at least, has only allotted three of its 30 visits to quarterbacks.”
New England has only officially hosted Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy at the QB position, with Caleb Williams out of reach as the projected No. 1 pick. While the P
ats sent representatives to Michael Penix’s Pro Day in Seattle, the Patriots are not thoroughly planning — at least on the surface — to trade back a select a QB outside the consensus top-four on most mock drafts.

So, there are a couple possible avenues, as Breer posits. New England can trade back and address another area of need, such as WR or left guard, while handing the reins to Jacoby Brissett. The Patriots can also trade back, then trade back up to land McCarthy, Maye, or whichever QB slips past the No. 3 spot. Or, easiest of all, New England can stay put and select their favorite QB at No. 3.
All options have merit, and new Pats de facto GM Eliot Wolf figures to consider each one carefully. New England has to nail this draft. The Bill Belichick era is over, which means it’s time to establish a winning culture under new head coach Jerod Mayo. New England’s roster seriously lacks talent — especially proven talent. A strong draft can solve issues and set the Patriots on the right path. A botched draft could set the franchise back for the next decade.
NFL Draft rumors: J.J. McCarthy not ruled out as potential Commanders pick at No. 2
The Washington Commanders have long been pegged as the expected landing spot for LSU QB and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. New Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury has a track record of working with mobile QBs, from Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, to Kyler Murray in Arizona and Caleb Williams at USC. Daniels obviously fits the trend.
According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, however, we cannot pencil Daniels’ name into the Commanders depth chart
just yet. While Washington will almost definitely pick a quarterback, another option has
gained steam in NFL circles: Michigan champ J.J. McCarthy.