Could New England Be A Surprise Landing Spot For Ohio State QB Justin Fields?

Without Tom Brady, the Patriots had their share of issues at the quarterback spot last season.

Cam Newton wasn't the dynamic player he was in Carolina, and the team had issues playing well whenever he struggled, which was often.

The team ended the season 7-9 and missed the postseason. They brought Newton back on a one-year deal, but that doesn't mean the club is committed to giving Newton 16 starts in 2021.

So what are the Pats' options? They have the 15th pick in the NFL Draft that will take place at the end of April, and they could use that pick to bring in a young, high-profile quarterback.

NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks recently joined colleague Daniel Jeremiah on the "Move The Sticks" podcast and threw out a couple names that the Pats could add.

"I keep an eye on somebody like Trey Lance or Justin Fields. Those are the two that would make sense for them to target," Brooks said.

"Hear a lot of rumors out there that they are really high on Justin Fields out of Ohio State. So, they'd have to (trade up) quite a ways to get Justin Fields."

Getting Fields at 15 may be a big stretch, so the team would have to do some trading to move up in the draft to get the Buckeye quarterback.

Right now in most mocks, Fields is expected to be taken after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.

Fields, 22, threw for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions last season.

If the Patriots can get a player like Fields, it makes sense for them to give him a year under Newton's wing so that he can learn the team's system and hopefully slide in and be the team's starter in 2022.