The Patriots may be willing to listen to trade offers for the No. 3 overall pick in this week’s NFL draft, but they won’t be easily swayed into making a deal.
In fact, it would take an “unprecedented deal” for the Pats to trade down otherwise all signs pointing to the franchise taking a quarterback, according to ESPN.
For now, it seems that the Patriots will head into Thursday’s opening round of the draft focusing on taking a quarterback, likely one of Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy unless they’re presented with an “unexpected blockbuster trade offer.”
It’s unclear what exactly that would entail, but it’s been clear for some time that the Patriots are in need of a franchise QB and their top three pick puts them in a place in the draft best suited to find one to potentially fill that slot.
The Vikings have been pinned as a team that could be in a position where they feel desperate enough for a franchise quarterback and use their No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks as part of a package to move up in the draft.
However, it’s not as though New England isn’t in need of one itself, especially after they traded Mac Jones to the Jaguars during the offseason.
“You can’t win without a quarterback,” a Patriots source told ESPN.
The outlet also reported that first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and some of the team’s top decision-makers have privately acknowledged that their legacies will be tied to the choice they make with the direction of the team’s quarterback position.
Even at the third pick, New England’s selection will be predicated on what the Commanders do at No. 2.
The Bears are expected to take Caleb Williams with the first overall pick and the Commanders have been linked to Jayden Daniels with the second pick.
Thus possibly setting up the Patriots to take either Maye or McCarthy.
There’s plenty of time between now and Thursday, but for the time being, the Pats seem locked in on making a pick with the No. 3 selection.
