NFL Draft Cut Day Highlights Patriots’ Horrible Outperformance at Skill Positions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots used to be among the league leaders in points scored per year, and Tom Brady was obviously a big reason for that success on offense.
But the Patriots’ precipitous decline in scoring output in recent years — they were tied for 13.9 points per game last season — goes beyond Brady’s departure in 2020. Poor free-agent decisions haven’t helped. A lack of impactful trades has also been a problem.
But the biggest problem is the draft law.
The Patriots have been terrible at drafting and developing players at the skill positions on offense (quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end). It’s not a recent development. It’s been a weakness for over a decade.
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Tuesday is NFL roster cut day, with all 32 teams required to trim their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET.
The Patriots reportedly released quarterback Bailey Zappe and running back Kevin Harris on Tuesday. New England drafted four skill position players in 2022, but with Zappe and Harris gone, only wide receiver Tyquan Thornton remains.
But the 2022 draft class is no exception. In fact, it’s the norm for the Patriots. Since 2013, the only skill position players they’ve drafted who are still on the roster are Thornton and running back Rhamondre Stevenson. The Pats drafted Stevenson in the fourth round in 2021. Thornton was a second-round pick in 2022. Jacoby Brissett was a 2016 draft pick and is on the current roster, but he spent the 2017-2023 seasons elsewhere.
Below is a list of the players drafted by the Patriots over the 10-year period, from 2013 to 2022 (courtesy of The 33rd Team).
2022
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QB Bailey Zappe
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WR Tyquan Thornton
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RB Pierre Sterk
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RB Kevin Harris
2021
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QB Mac Jones
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RB Rhamondre Stevenson
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WR Tre Nixon
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Seven players on this list drafted between 2018 and 2022 were selected in the first three rounds. Only one of those players, Thornton, is still on the team. That’s a terrible hit rate on high draft picks. Two of those picks were first-rounders, quarterback Mac Jones (No. 15, 2021) and wideout N’Keal Harry (No. 32, 2019).
The Patriots drafted two skill position players in 2023: wide receivers Kayshon Boutte and DeMario “Pop” Douglas in the sixth round. Douglas is arguably the team’s best wide receiver. The Patriots made an early push in the 2024 draft, selecting UNC quarterback Drake Maye at No. 3 overall and Washington wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round. They also selected UCF wideout Javon Baker in the fourth round.
The good news for Patriots fans is that there is now a new regime in power. Bill Belichick is gone and Eliot Wolf is the general manager. Recent draft classes have been pretty bad when it comes to skill position players, but if the 2024 class is a great one, a lot of those past failures can be forgotten.
