People around NFL reportedly believe Patriots could trade No. 3 pick, sign veteran quarterback
There is recent precedent on what a possible trade down from the third overall pick could look like.
The Patriots still have over two months until they have to make a decision on what they want to do with the No. 3 overall pick, but some around the league believe there are early indications on what they might do with it.
“People around the league” think the Patriots are open to moving their top selection in the 2024 NFL Draft and finding a quarterback in free agency instead, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported Saturday. If the Patriots are shopping the pick, two teams to “keep an eye on” are the Falcons and the Vikings, according to Graziano.
What the Patriots do with the No. 3 overall pick will mark the first big decision for Eliot Wolf, who will reportedly be the team’s chief decision-maker for the roster. While Wolf has never been a lead decision-maker before, he’s held a high-ranking executive role with two different organizations. But between the 12 seasons he worked as a high-ranking member of the Packers’ and Browns’ front offices, those teams only traded down from their first-round pick twice.
Of course, this is an entirely different circumstance and this is the first time Wolf will reportedly get the final say. The Patriots can select their possible franchise quarterback of the future with the No. 3 overall pick as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels have been projected to be top-three picks in this spring’s draft. But it’s evident that they have several other holes to fill as well, which a trade down from the pick could help address.
If the Falcons, who hold the No. 8 overall pick, and the Vikings, who hold the No. 11 overall pick, are the teams most interested in trading up to No. 3, there is some recent precedent of teams holding draft picks in that range trading up to No. 3 overall to select a quarterback. In 2018, the Jets gave up the No. 6 overall pick, two second-round picks in that year’s draft (No. 37 and No. 49 overall), and their 2019 second-round pick in order to draft Sam Darnold third overall.
As for what it could cost the Vikings to move up to No. 3 overall, the 49ers gave up the No. 12 overall pick plus two future first-round picks and a third-round pick to get the third overall pick in 2021 to select Trey Lance.
Similar trade packages could be enticing for the Patriots if they’re prioritizing depth over the need for a top-end quarterback in the draft. The Patriots only hold seven picks, one pick in each round, in the 2024 NFL Draft and haven’t acquired any extra draft capital for the 2025 NFL Draft.
If the Patriots opt to go the free-agency route to try and fill their quarterback void this offseason, there are a handful of notable options expected to hit the market in March. Kirk Cousins leads the way, while Baker Mayfield likely earned himself a hefty payday after his turnaround season to lead the Buccaneers to NFC Divisional Round.
Beyond Cousins and Mayfield, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, and Jacoby Brissett headline the rest of the notable veteran quarterbacks set to hit the open market. Of that group, Brissett might be the most likely fit. Beyond starting his NFL career with the Patriots, Brissett also has ties with new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. The two worked together with the Browns in the 2022 NFL season, with Brissett starting 11 games for Cleveland while Van Pelt was its offensive coordinator.
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