In a surprising move, the New England Patriots have expanded their roster of quarterbacks from three to five ahead of the 2024 draft. This development has sparked speculation about the team's plans for the upcoming season.

Coach Jerod Mayo addressed the media's questions about the sudden influx of quarterbacks during a press conference. When asked whether the team intends to keep all five quarterbacks for the offseason program, Mayo responded, "Well, that's yet to be seen. At this current time, we're still on the phone right now with potential free agents coming up here soon. We'll see how all the dominos kind of play out, but at the same time, you want to have a strong group. You want to have a strong room. I would say the way it looks now, we have a very strong room."

Prior to the draft, the Patriots already had Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe, and Nathan Rourke on their quarterback roster. However, they decided to bolster their lineup by selecting Drake Maye with the third overall pick and Joe Milton III in round six, just six spots before the infamous No. 199 where Tom Brady was drafted.

Coach Mayo emphasized the importance of competition within the team and stated, "We're in the business of trying to get good football players through the door, and Milton happens to be one of them." He also acknowledged that Maye was drafted as a quarterback and expressed excitement about the potential talent and depth in the quarterback room.

While it's unclear how the situation will unfold, speculation suggests that Rourke might be the first to be released, with Zappe potentially remaining through training camp and the preseason. On game days, the Patriots are likely to have Maye, Brissett, and Milton as the emergency quarterbacks. However, Mayo acknowledged that the final decision will ultimately depend on how the players perform.

The addition of new quarterbacks has certainly created a buzz amongst Patriots fans, who eagerly await the season to see how the team's renewed quarterback room will impact their performance on the field.