NFL Rumors: What Patriots ‘Made Clear’ To Potential Trade Partner

The Patriots were “open for business” in the months leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, but that didn’t mean New England was actively looking to move off the No. 3 overall pick.

A trade-down has long been viewed as a potential route in New England, where you’ll find a roster with many holes beyond quarterback. And there are a few win-now teams out there, like the Vikings, that could be motivated to make a compelling offer for the Patriots’ highest draft pick in decades.

The problem for big-game hunters like Minnesota? New England reportedly is hell-bent on addressing its biggest issue Thursday night, and it has its sights set on a potential franchise savior.

“If he’s available, they probably hang up on Minnesota and make (Drake) Maye the pick at No. 3,” The Athletic reported Wednesday. “They’ve made it clear to the Vikings that it would take some wild offer to get them off their spot at No. 3 because of how badly they want a quarterback and how much they like Maye.”

The window to move into the No. 3 pick might not be completely shut on Minnesota, though. The Washington Commanders could force the Patriots to call an audible if they select Maye with the second overall selection. In that scenario, New England might set up a “bidding war” between QB-needy teams and turn its focus to J.J. McCarthy, per The Athletic.

To be clear, the most likely scenario Thursday night appears to be the Patriots selecting Maye after the Chicago Bears and the Commanders take Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, respectively. But you can’t rule anything out on Day 1 of the draft when teams often become desperate to make game-changing improvements.