Drake Maye, the New England Patriots first-round draft pick last year, at No. 3 overall, finally got his chance to start an NFL game in Week Six last season, and he did not disappoint. In that game, October 13 against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium, the former North Carolina Tar Heel threw for 243 yards completing 20 of 33 passes for three touchdowns. He also rushed for 38 yards in just five carries.
The Patriots and their fans saw what they had been hoping to see â their quarterback of the future, for the first time since six-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady departed New England before the 2020 season, after 20 years in the organization. But there was still a problem.
In that game, Maye was sacked four times â the first of 34 he would endure in just 11 full games at quarterback for the Patriots. His sack percentage of 9.14 was the fourth-highest among NFL quarterbacks who started at least eight games.
Pats Must Upgrade O-Line to Maximize Maye’s Potential
It quickly became clear that to get the most out of Maye’s seemingly high potential, the Patriots would need to make sure he received better protection from New England’s offensive line. According to Football Insights, the Patriots offensive line registered the worst pass block grade in the NFL. But even with such poor protection, Maye still recorded a positive number in the “Expected Points Added” statistic, meaning that he brought value to his team despite playing under excessive pressure from pass rushers.
The Patriots offensive linemen allowed the highest pressure rate in the league on quarterback drop-backs, 39.4 percent, and were second-from-bottom on pass block win rate. Nonetheless, Maye’s 31.3 percent touchdown/first down rate when under pressure placed him fourth in the NFL.
How good could Maye be if he wasn’t running for his life most of the time? That is exactly what New England wants to find out. The Patriots signed former Baltimore Ravens right tackle Morgan Moses and ex-Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury in free agency, but they still need a left tackle. In fact, filling that slot is arguably the Patriots’ single most pressing need this offseason.
A new trade proposal floated by the Boston area sports network NESN would do just that â but how realistic is it?
In the draft day trade idea, the Cincinnati Bengals send four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and the remaining two years of his four-year, $64 million contract to New England in exchange for the No. 4 overall draft pick, which belongs to the Patriots.
In addition, according to this trade proposal, the Patriots would obtain the Bengals first-round pick, No. 17, as well as their first-rounder in 2026 â plus Cincinnati’s second and third-rounder this year, which come in at No. 49 and No. 81.
Is Trade For Brown Actually Doable?
That’s quite a haul, and the Patriots would certainly pull the trigger if the opportunity arose. But would it?
“For the Patriots and their fans, this is an unbelievable deal that would transform the offense and potentially make them a contender as soon as next season. They would get their next starting left tackle and still have a first-round pick to use, while also adding even more picks to their arsenal for more trades or to add more players,” wrote Musket Fire scribe Sara Marshall.
“However, this doesn’t feel like a deal the Bengals would ever entertain in a serious manner. Who would they be desperate to trade up for?” Marshall asked.
The Bengals are set at quarterback with Joe Burrow and also have two elite receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They could use better protection for Burrow, however. In the True Pass Set Grade category, in which the Patriots placed dead last, the Bengals ranked a concerning 28th in 2024.
Whether the Bengals would want to surrender Brown Jr. as well as four draft picks simply to get their pick of rookie offensive linemen is another story completely.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bengals Draft Day Trade Idea Ships $64 Million Pro Bowl Left Tackle to Patriots appeared first on Heavy Sports.