NFL Rumors: Patriots QB plan, Lions extension update, Brock Bowers landing spot

NFL rumors: Patriots plan to draft QB at No. 3 and sign veteran

Let there be no doubt. While there has been speculation about a potential trade, the New England Patriots plan to select a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, per Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels of MassLive.

That is only one part of their offseason plan, though. The Patriots also aim to sign a veteran QB in free agency, which means the No. 3 pick could start his career on the bench.

"Drafting a signal caller is only one step in this process. According to a source, the Patriots plan on signing a veteran free agent quarterback, too. The team is in no rush to start a rookie immediately and could play that veteran if they think it would benefit the younger quarterback to sit for a season."

Notably, the Patriots' new GM, Eliot Wolf, hails from Green Bay. We saw the Packers draft Aaron Rodgers to sit behind Brett Favre, before mirroring that same exact approach with Jordan Love. So, we shouldn't be too shocked by this news.

Jerod Mayo has his work cut out for him leading the next era of Patriots football. Bill Belichick ruled that franchise with an iron fist for decades, and he experienced great success. Now the Pats are learning new habits, embracing new routines. It will take time for this next era to take shape. That said, we should know the franchise QB in a little more than a month. That alone will give the Patriots a much-needed sense of direction.

Assuming Caleb Williams comes off the board at No. 1, the Patriots will be left to select either North Carolina's Drake Maye or LSU's Jayden Daniels. The Washington Commanders are expected to draft a QB in the No. 2 spot, so the Patriots' decision — barring a trade up — will essentially depend on the Commanders' brain trust.

That said, we cannot rule out a more ambitious, outside-the-box pick from New England. The Patriots tend to operate on their own wavelength as an organization. Maybe that carries over into the Mayo regime. Michigan's J.J. McCarthy has been picking up a lot of steam lately. He would be a huge reach at No. 3, but he's a proven college winner with a lot of classic 'Patriot Way' hallmarks. So, never say never.

In the end, New England probably lands the leftover between Daniels or Maye. From there, the question is which veteran replaces Mac Jones — and how expensive is that veteran?