The good news? The Patriots left Denver with an impressive over the Broncos on Christmas Eve, with Bailey Zappe orchestrating a second-half surge for New England and rookie kicker Chad Ryland redeeming himself with a game-winning, 56-yard field goal.
The bad news? Despite the short-term gains made by the 2023 Patriots roster on Sunday, that comeback win over the Broncos might have severely hampered the franchise’s plans of landing a blue-chip quarterback in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft in April.
Despite entering Christmas Eve with the projected No. 2 pick thanks to its 3-11 record, New England’s win in Denver and multiple losses from several other cellar-dwelling teams across the NFL now has the Patriots projected to pick No.