The New England Patriots are still trying to rekindle some magic from the glory days. Despite the friction between Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick, it’s almost as if every big move the former makes is a tentacle from the latter’s time in Foxborough. His successor was an ex-Pats player in Jerrod Mayo, and his successor is another in Mike Vrabel. Who comes in as a messiah seeking to reinvigorate their defense-centric culture. So now that it seems the Pats will miss out on Travis Hunter in the NFL Draft, it’s only right they draft somebody on that side of the football.
There’s been credible reporting from the likes of Adam Schefter that the Browns are trending towards picking 2-way unicorn Travis Hunter with the 2nd overall pick. A contingency plan for the Pats, sitting at #4, is requisite regardless. The ultimate plan B for Mike Vrabel and co. is seemingly LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell. Who’s a great prospect in his own right, but not quite a blue-chip guy akin to a Hunter. Which segues into, according to the analysts and evaluators’ hiveminds, the only other blue-chip prospect in this draft class.
The defensive coach that Vrabel is probably salivating at the prospect of Abdul Carter coming off the EDGE. The Penn State alum and St1x C1ty descendant is arguably the number one player on the board. Naturally, he’s not expected to remain available when the Pats are on the clock. However, there is a palpable scenario in which he is. One where a second quarterback, apart from Cam Ward, gets drafted to the Browns or the Giants at #3. The latest revelation around Carter and the Patriots has fanned the flames of this hypothetical transpiring into reality.
The aforementioned Adam Schefter reports that Abdul Carter is due to visit the Patriots’ facility today i.e, April 14th. He also added this is the player’s last visit before draft night and that no team drafting beyond 4th overall received one. The cut-off being that number makes sense and does give Vrabel and co. a faint bit of hope he slides down to them. While the Giants have added 2 serviceable vets in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to the QB room, neither is the long-term answer. They have been heavily linked with Shedeur Sanders throughout the process and he remains a possibility for them. The Browns, meanwhile, are in more dire straits. Deshaun Watson hasn’t reciprocated the value of that infamous contract whatsoever. To avoid slipping into purgatory amid their horrible cap situation, the franchise needs to hit on a rookie-scale quarterback. Which could come via that 2nd pick.
Mike Vrabel and the front office have their fingers crossed that one of these two teams drafts a QB. It’s essentially the only way Abdul Carter, or Travis Hunter for that matter, becomes a Patriot.
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