MAYE DAY
New England Patriots ‘considering all options’ with team poised for quarterback chaos ahead of their NFL Draft pick
Robert Kraft's relationship with Tom Brady could sway the team's selection process
THE New England Patriots are widely expected to select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick of the NFL Draft.
But all options remain on the table for the Patriots even at this late stage as they look to move on from the ill-fated Mac Jones era.
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The Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders are tipped to select Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels respectively as the top-two picks in the NFL Draft.
With a need to find a new quarterback, the Patriots are likely to stay at No. 3 and select Maye or even Daniels should the LSU star drop down the order.
But the Patriots have also made it clear that all options are on the table and that they would be willing to listen to teams who are looking to trade up.
"We’re open to anything," Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf said.
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"Moving up, moving down. We’re open for business in the first round and in every round.
"We have some holes we feel like we need to fill in the draft.
"We're a draft and develop team. The more picks we have the better.
"But if there's an opportunity to move up and strike if the board recommends it then we won't be afraid to pull the trigger on that either."
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Having traded Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, only Bailey Zappe, Jacoby Brissett, and Nathan Rourke remain on the roster at quarterback.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano has reported that Maye is the New York Giants' favorite quarterback in the first round.
He added that the Giants and Minnesota Vikings have most been active in discussions with the Patriots about the No. 3 pick.
The Patriots have fielded trade calls but haven't been blown away by a potential deal yet, the report added.
I'm a former No 1 overall NFL Draft pick - my career didn't turn out how I expected and I was the biggest ever bust
Should the Patriots trade down, they might be willing to go for Washington's Michael Penix Jr. or Michigan's JJ McCarthy.
During his final season in Ann Arbor, McCarthy threw for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just four interceptions in 15 games.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft's affinity for fellow Michigan player Tom Brady could play a role in the team's selection of McCarthy.
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NFL expert Charles Davis even has the Patriots staying at No. 3 and selecting McCarthy.
"Surprise! I was convinced for a while that New England would be the future home of Drake Maye (North Carolina), but now I'm questioning that line of thinking," he wrote on NFL.com.
"In this projection, after the Pats entertain a bunch of trade offers, they ultimately choose to 'run history back' in a sense, selecting another Michigan man to lead them ... albeit 196 draft slots higher than where they took Tom Brady nearly a quarter-century ago."
Davis has Maye going 11th overall to the quarterback-needy Vikings
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"The Vikings are armed for the fight (having acquired an additional first-round pick last month) and in position to move up if necessary in order to get their guy," he said.
"In this mock, they stand pat and still get him."
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