NFL roster cut day highlights awful Patriots drafting at skill positions

NFL roster cut day highlights awful Patriots drafting at skill positions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots used to be among the leaders in points scored on an annual basis, and Tom Brady obviously was a huge reason for that success on offense.

But the steep drop-off in the Patriots’ scoring output over the last several years — they were tied for last at 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 been an issue as well.

But the primary problem is the draft.

The Patriots have been awful 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 more than a decade.

Tuesday is NFL roster cut down day. All 32 teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET.

The Patriots reportedly waived 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 isn’t an outlier. It’s actually the norm for the Patriots. Since 2013, the only skill position players they’ve drafted who are still on the roster today include Thornton and running back Rhamondre Stevenson. The Pats drafted Stevenson in the fourth round in 2021. Thornton was a second-rounder in 2022. Jacoby Brissett was a 2016 draft pick and is on the current roster, but he spent the 2017 through 2023 seasons elsewhere.

Here’s a list of the skill position players drafted by the Patriots during a 10-year period from 2013 to 2022 (h/t to The 33rd Team).

2022

• QB Bailey Zappe

• WR Tyquan Thornton

• RB Pierre Strong

• RB Kevin Harris

2021

• QB Mac Jones

• RB Rhamondre Stevenson

• 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 horrendous 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 went offense-heavy early in the 2024 draft, taking 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 a new regime is now in charge. Bill Belichick is gone, and Eliot Wolf is the general manager. The recent draft classes were pretty bad in regards to skill position players, but if the 2024 class proves to be a great one, a lot of those past failures might be forgotten.