The New England Patriots had choices to commerce the No. 3 total choose, proper up till a number of hours earlier than the 2024 NFL draft, however it might have taken “one thing loopy” to get them to maneuver out of the spot that ultimately netted North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye.
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Credit score the New York Giants for a minimum of attempting. They needed to make it occur within the worst of how. It simply would have taken a “fairly vital” package deal for the Patriots to even flinch. And by vital, they meant a Ricky Williams-style cabinet of picks.
Normal supervisor Joe Schoen referred to as the Patriots at 3:32 p.m. ET on the afternoon of the draft’s first spherical and provided the Giants’ first-round choose (No. 6 total), a first-rounder in 2025 and one other choose this 12 months. It was not even near sufficient.
Patriots government vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf did not flinch when introduced with that provide. His reasoning? The Patriots wanted a quarterback!
Here is how the dialog performed out on the newest episode of “Laborious Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.”
Schoen: “You guys nonetheless listening [to offers]? You guys nonetheless making a choice? What do you assume?”
Wolf: “I feel we’re fairly pleased with sitting right here selecting. However, once more, if you happen to supply us [your first, second and third-round pick] this 12 months, [your first and second-round pick] subsequent 12 months …. I imply, I am exaggerating. However it is going to be one thing loopy like that.”
Schoen: “It will most likely need to be fairly vital. So, like a [first-round pick] this 12 months [obviously No. 6 this year], a [first-round pick] subsequent 12 months and one thing extra this 12 months isn’t going to do it? It is obtained to be multiples in ’25?”
Wolf: “Um, we’re on this state of affairs the place we simply most likely sit and choose a quarterback.”
Schoen: “Properly if something adjustments and also you needed so as to add one thing on that to take a swing, let me know.”
And with that, the Giants’ desires of touchdown one of many high three quarterbacks have been gone. Additionally they preferred Jayden Daniels sufficient to commerce up for him, however the LSU quarterback was a lock at that time to go No. 2 within the draft to the Washington Commanders.
So the Giants pivoted to discovering a playmaker for quarterback Daniel Jones. They’d contingency plans in case large receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers have been chosen fourth and fifth. However because it panned out, New York took Nabers because the sixth total select of LSU. Hardly a comfort contemplating he was the top-ranked large receiver, in keeping with large receivers coach Mike Groh.
It goes to point out that the Patriots have been by no means actually going to commerce out of the highest three as a result of no person would have conceded what they have been asking for. ESPN’s Mike Reiss described it all through the method as solely an “unprecedented deal” would entice Wolf and New England.
The Giants have been monitoring the method for months. In a earlier episode of Laborious Knocks, Schoen was proven strolling over to the Patriots suite on the NFL scouting mix and telling Wolf to “hold me in thoughts” in the event that they have been going to make a commerce.
New York now has to therapeutic massage the state of affairs and make Jones — the present and oft-injured starter — really feel needed. Jones’ contract permits the group an inexpensive out after this season, ought to they be so inclined to pivot in that path.
It is arduous to think about the Giants passing up that possibility on condition that they’ve already checked out discovering Jones’ potential alternative. It might be an attention-grabbing and sure awkward 12 months in New York with each events realizing this occurred and it being broadcast for the world to see.
