This was an all-time year for pre-draft trade rumors since so many teams across the NFL needed quarterbacks, and the New England Patriots were right in the thick of it with the third overall pick and Jacoby Brissett penciled in as their de facto starter.
General Manager Eliot Wolf had a lot of options at that spot and we heard every rumor under the sun surrounding it, but ultimately the front office decided to stand pat
Wolf recently spoke with ESPN’s Adam Schefter on his podcast and opened up about what went on behind the scenes and what went into the decision to take Maye, saying “We were listening throughout the process, we weren’t stringing these teams along…the opportunity to pick Drake (Maye) superseded anything that anyone offered.”
Eliot Wolf on the #Patriots’ trade discussions with teams prior to the draft:
“We were listening throughout the process, we weren’t stringing these teams along… The opportunity to pick Drake (Maye) superseded anything that anyone offered.”
(🎙️ The @AdamSchefter podcast) pic.twitter.com/Zip7A6TYHK
— Carlos Talks Pats (@LosTalksPats) May 7, 2024
It was a letdown that in a year with so many trade rumors, the only big move up was the obvious one of the Minnesota Vikings moving up for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but it’s also not surprising that things played out how they did.
We as fans have to remind ourselves every year how often unsubstantiated rumors are thrown out and how many things we hear are straight-up lies.
The Patriots needed a quarterback in the worst way, and if they felt Maye was their guy, there was no reason to trade down and risk getting someone who wasn’t their top option, or perhaps even waiting until next year to take a quarterback in a class without nearly the QB talent this draft had.
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