That Simmons thing was from Hard Knocks where Wolfe said to the Giants GM:
"If you offer us 1,2,3 this year, and 1,2 Next year- I mean I'm exaggerating" and the GM from Giants responds, "It would take something crazy like that?"
Giants then ask if a 1 this, a 1 next and something added this year would not be enough and Wolfe says not enough, and GM from Giants basically says not happening.
This was reported by ESPN, CBS sports and a few their outlets at the time also so this is likely what happened and probably did not change after this call.
"General manager Joe Schoen called the Patriots at 3:32 p.m. ET on the afternoon of the draft's first round and offered the Giants' first-round pick (No. 6 overall), a first-rounder in 2025 and another pick this year. "
In the last Decade I had Drake Maye, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert as 1,2 and 3 as prospects by a wide margin to the next guy. I would have traded three # 1's for Maye.
If you feel like Maye is/was not that level of prospect or a top 5 NFL QB the next decade, and you think JJ McCarthy was good enough, then you would make that Simmons trade, though that trade likely did not exist.