Mike Reiss: Patriots staying at No. 3 in draft barring unexpected blockbuster offer
NFL draft week is here! Day one of the event kicks off on Thursday, and there’s still a ton of suspense regarding how things are going to play out, particularly at the top. Perhaps the most intriguing storyline is how the Minnesota Vikings will get their future quarterback.
According to ESPN NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss, it likely won’t come through a trade with the New England Patriots, who currently hold the third overall pick in Thursday’s first round. In a piece for ESPN, Reiss writes that the Patriots are planning on moving forward with picking at their current slot “barring an unexpected blockbuster trade offer.”
The stance makes a ton of sense for the Patriots, who are in need of a quarterback of the future in their own right. There are four primary quarterbacks widely viewed in that regard by draft analysts: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy. Picking in the third slot ensures they get one of those players.
That said, the Vikings are one of the few teams that have the draft assets to be able to pull off a “blockbuster” trade — if they value getting their quarterback that early. Minnesota currently sits with the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round, along with seven selections in the rest of the 2024 NFL draft.
However, outside of the two first-rounders, none of the remaining picks are before the fourth round, which means a trade with the Patriots would likely include early picks in 2025. Thankfully, the Vikings have a full complement of picks in 2025 (with an extra fifth-round pick in place of a sixth).
The question is, will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be willing to give up the assets needed to make such a deal? Would he and the Vikings’ decision makers be content to get whichever QB is left after New England picks and try to make a deal with the Arizona Cardinals — who don’t need a quarterback and might be willing to take less to move back?
We’ll find out in a couple of days!
