Patriots' NFC Rival Emerges as Candidate to Trade Up for Drake Maye

Could the New England Patriots make a blockbuster deal with their inter-conference rival?

The anticipation continues to build ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, as the New England Patriots sit in an ideal spot to make some considerable noise on Thursday night.

Landing at the third-overall selection of the night is the Patriots, who seem to be taking stock of every one of their options on draft night. Selecting a top-rated quarterback has been the general assumption for New England, but the possibility of a trade-down scenario is one that's picked up steam in recent weeks.

Among the teams to have rumored interest in a move up the board, the Minnesota Vikings have been the most frequent name appearing in whispers around the league, but it now looks as if another suitor from the NFC could enter into the fold as well.

According to insider Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the New York Giants are among the few teams interested to trade into the top of Thursday's draft, with their eyes set on UNC QB Drake Maye in a potential shift:

"The Giants are looking into trading up in the draft. That's something they're still currently doing. Number three with the New England Patriots, number four with the Arizona Cardinals, those are the two sweet spots. Those are the two teams they're staying in touch with to see if it's a possibility to move up. They're trying to trade up... It's for Drake Maye."

As the Chicago Bears have all but punched their ticket for Caleb Williams, along with the Washington Commanders looking increasingly likely to select Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye has become the coveted quarterback to bring in for the Giants.Standing at 6-foot-4 with an elite ceiling and athletic traits, it's not a shock to see a QB-hungry team like New York aspire for his services.

Still, as complementary of a fit it would be between Maye and Giants' coach Brian Daboll, it's largely reliant on New England's willingness to part ways with their top three selection. As the Patriots have their eyes set on finding a franchise quarterback of their own, it'll take an immense haul to pry them out of their spot right behind the Commanders.

As the landscape currently stands, the Patriots have seemingly received no eye-catching trade packages for their first-rounder, with one source describing any offers from opposing GMs as "laughable." Therefore, if the Giants truly wanted their hands on Maye, it's going to take a monumental price to do so.

Expect more rumors to be unveiled concerning the Patriots' draft plan as the clock continues to tick ahead of the first round, set to kick off in Detroit at 8 PM ET on Thursday, April 25th.