One of the many reasons the San Francisco 49ers traded up to the third overall spot in this year's NFL draft was their belief that the New England Patriots could trade up to No. 3 and beat them to Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, league sources told ESPN. San Francisco wanted to position itself to select a quarterback for the future and believed there were multiple worthy candidates. But the 49ers also were concerned that the Patriots would leapfrog them in the draft and position themselves to select Jones before San Francisco could. The 49ers considered the well-documented relationship between Bill Belichick and Nick Saban and knew that New England was doing legwork on the quarterback prospects in the draft. The Niners also believed at the time that Jones was the prospect the Patriots identified as their potential quarterback of the future. This belief contributed to the Niners completing the late-March trade that sent three first-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up to the No. 3 spot, which gave them the opportunity to draft Jones or any other quarterback they deemed worthy in that slot. San Francisco ultimately decided Trey Lance was its preferred quarterback, and Jones wound up with New England at the 15th pick anyway -- without the Patriots having to surrender any additional compensation. Jones will start New England's season opener Sunday against Miami, while Lance will serve as San Francisco's backup to Jimmy Garoppolo against the Detroit Lions. My Thoughts: To me, this just makes the 49ers move seem more desperate. They initially wanted the guy who is more NFL ready in Mac Jones but they gave in to pressure to grab the guy with more potential in Trey Lance. Potential is great, but with someone like Jones you know what you are going to get and can build your team around that skill set.
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Former NFL wide receiver David Patten, who won three Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, was killed in a motorcycle crash Thursday outside Columbia, South Carolina, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford. He was 47. According to South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Nick Pye, a motorcycle driver -- identified by the coroner as Patten -- crossed the median, causing a crash involving two other cars. One of the cars' drivers was also taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries. The crash remains under investigation by the highway patrol and the coroner. "I am heartbroken by the news of David's passing," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "He was a devout Christian who followed his passion following his football career and founded his own ministry. David transitioned from an undersized and understated wide receiver to a powerful and passionate preacher. In New England, he will always be remembered as a three-time Super Bowl Champion." Patten played for five teams over a 12-year NFL career but is best known for his four seasons with the Patriots (2001-04), including two iconic catches to help New England capture its first Super Bowl win during the 2001 season. He hauled in an 11-yard touchdown from Drew Bledsoe during the Patriots' 24-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game and followed that with a leaping 8-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady in the second quarter of the Super Bowl. It was New England's lone offensive touchdown in the 20-17 win over the Rams. When he retired during Patriots training camp in 2010, Patten described his time with the Patriots as the highlight of his career. "It breaks my heart to hear of David's tragic passing at such a young age," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a statement. "I am grateful to have coached David. He is an essential person and player in Patriots history, without whom we would not have been Super Bowl champions." |
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