The New England Patriots would have the No. 2 pick if the season ended today, and they don't have an evaluation to make with a quarterback like Fields.
New England has clearly soured on Mac Jones, and while Bailey Zappe played well for a half in Week 14, he probably isn't the long-term answer, either.
For New England, things are a bit more complicated and they involve the future of head coach Bill Belichick. There has been plenty of speculation about his future in the NFL and whether it will be with the Patriots.
"I really honestly think only three people know what's going to happen next year: Bill, RKK [Robert Kenneth Kraft, the Patriots owner] and Jonathan [Kraft, the team's president]," former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman told Fox NFL Kickoff (h/t Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post).
If New England plans to keep Belichick or have a successor already in mind, like inside linebacker coach Jerod Mayo, then it needs to spend the final month evaluating players and coaches such as offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
The offense hasn't taken many positive strides under O'Brien this season, but it's fair to wonder how much blame should be heaped on Jones. Zappe, after all, did throw three touchdown passes in his second start of the season.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated told NBS Sports Boston's Sports Sunday that Mayo would be open to keeping O'Brien if he becomes New England's head coach next season.
If the Patriots decide to draft a new quarterback, they can likely trade up to secure one they're in love with. However, Bryce Young's lack of development in Carolina this season is the latest example of why the situation in which a player lands is more important than where he's drafted.
New England must determine where its biggest offensive holes are and whether O'Brien is the right coordinator to mentor the next quarterback of the future. Vetting the offense, likely sans Jones, over the final month would be invaluable in that regard.
