The third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is for sale. The New England Patriots are, according to ESPN, taking calls for trade-up offers from quarterback-hungry teams, including, of course, the Minnesota Vikings.
This report means New England may have a strong preference between North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, because if they loved both, they likely wouldn't be taking calls from other teams. ESPN reports the Vikings, who have two 2024 first-round picks (No. 11 and No. 23), have a preference for Maye. That makes sense considering Minnesota's new quarterbacks coach, Josh McCown, a 16-year NFL veteran, coached Maye as his high school quarterbacks coach at Myers Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Drake Maye - Josh McCown - Owen McCown
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 27, 2024
Myers Park High School, 2019 pic.twitter.com/tr33IZXJce
Should the Patriots end up trying to trade down, they could perhaps pull off a trade down and then trade back up -- similar to what the Arizona Cardinals did in Round 1 a year ago. The Cardinals dropped down nine spots from three to 12 in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft after acquiring a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 first-round pick from the Houston Texans. They then traded the 12th overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick and a 2023 fifth-round pick to the Detroit Lions to move up six spots to the sixth overall pick to select Ohio State offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. Arizona also acquired a 2023 third-round draft choice from Detroit as well.
If New England did attempt to subsequently move back up, it would assuredly be for the 2024 draft's No. 4 quarterback prospect, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
