Patriots Lead Exec: We’re Open For Business In First Round & Every Round

Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf had his pre-draft press conference on Thursday and told reporters the team is willing to do just about anything in terms of trading up or down. 

“We’re open for business in the first round and in every round,” he said via Doug Kyed.

Wolf added there are “ongoing” trade discussions with other teams at the moment. He also said the team would be “comfortable” using the No. 3 pick on a quarterback, per Kyed. 

NBC Sports’ Tom Curran previously reported that it would take an enormous offer to get the Patriots to trade the No. 3 pick at this point, more than three first-round picks.

Curran explains the Patriots have reached a consensus that either LSU QB Jayden Daniels or North Carolina QB Drake Maye have potential as future high-level starters, and one of them will be available when they pick at No. 3. 

To pass on a potential franchise starter, Curran says the Patriots would need more than the precedent of three first-round picks that’s been set for major trades up in the draft in recent years. 

“What I’m hearing in terms of ‘the bag’ that Jerod Mayo referenced last week, what kind of currency do the Patriots need to see coming to them? And I keep circling back to it’s gotta be three first-round picks, meaning Minnesota at 11, and 23 and their first-round pick from next year.”

“From what I’m hearing, it’s going to take a lot more than that for the Patriots to be moved off their spot. Because they as a team collectively understand the opportunity that these three quarterbacks represent at the top of the draft — take McCarthy out — these two quarterbacks, whether it be Daniels or Maye.”

New England has done extensive work on this current quarterback class, hosting most of the top prospects for official visits and spending considerable time with them during pro days and private workouts. 

The team signed veteran QB Jacoby Brissett but it’s clear he’s just a placeholder until someone else is ready, potentially a rookie drafted with the No. 3 pick. 

We’ll have more on the Patriots’ plans with the No. 3 pick as the news is available.