New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) in the huddle during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
Patriots Trade Proposal Swerves Jayden Daniels for ‘Star’ Lineman
Swerving a highly-touted quarterback like Jayden Daniels with the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft would be a risky strategy for the New England Patriots, but the risk can be mitigated by getting two first-round picks from the Denver Broncos in trade, and using one of them to select left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
The Penn State linchpin is the key figure in a trade proposal outlined by Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. He has the Patriots swapping the third-overall choice for the Broncos’ 12th and 76th picks this year, as well as a first-rounder in 2025.
Monson believes “the Patriots trade out of No. 3 because the team needs major work and they aren’t in love with the remaining quarterbacks. With the haul they receive, they start the rebuild in the trenches, selecting Olu Fashanu.”
While the “quarterback-desperate” Broncos would be be free to take Daniels, Fashanu could be a worthy consolation prize for the Pats. The 21-year-old “has the best footwork of any tackle prospect in years and could become a star pass protector.”
Fashanu wouldn’t solve the Patriots’ QB problem, but he offers excellent upside in two other ways.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu Can Help Patriots in Two Ways
Adding Fashanu to the lineup would not only replace Trent Brown after the beefy left tackle joined the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. The Patriots have already been doing their homework on a potential Brown replacement in this draft class.
Fashanu might be a safer pick as a more likely Day 1 starter. He was flawless in pass protection during his final season with the Nittany Lions, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who also highlighted how Fashanu “Mirrors very well out of a quick ready stance; easily picks up stunts and counters.”
