Even if the Patriots are dead-set on drafting a quarterback at No. 3 in late April, it still might be smart for New England to add a veteran at the position.
Sure, the backup spot could be filled by homegrown talents Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe. But after back-to-back horrendous seasons in Foxboro, Mass., it probably would be wise for the Patriots to start completely fresh behind center and establish an entirely new room.
A good addition to that group could be Joe Flacco, who worked with new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in Cleveland last season. Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot thought Flacco and Van Pelt were a “match made in heaven” and that it would make sense for the two to work together again in New England.
“I was thinking it would probably be smart for the Patriots to sign Joe Flacco,” Cabot said on the “Eye On Foxborough” podcast, as transcribed by MassLive. “He’s looking for an opportunity to go somewhere where he can compete for the starting job, or to start.
“Alex Van Pelt knows what he’s all about and what he can do. And if you have a really good receiver that can go down field, and catch these deep passes from Joe Flacco, you can get a lot of mileage out of that.”
Flacco has a history of being around highly drafted QBs, first with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and then with Zach Wilson in New York. So even if Flacco never saw the field in New England, he still could be beneficial to an incoming rookie and in turn the team as a whole.
Plus, as we saw last season, the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year is capable of entering the fray on short notice and making a positive on-field impact.
