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(PHOTO: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston continues beating the drum that if another team wants to move up to #3 overall and make a trade with New England, it’s going to cost them.
A lot.
In fact, it would be an amount that Curran reports will have to be “historic”, which he believes will be a minimum of four first-round selections.
According to what he’s hearing, it’s going to take a package larger than what Miami received when San Francisco made its deal in 2021 to move up to the same spot when the 49ers ultimately selected Trey Lance.
As part of that deal, which allowed San Francisco to move up from # 12 to #3, the 49ers sent their #12 overall selection, their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, along with a 2022 third-round selection.
That haul played a huge role in Miami’s turnaround, which put them back in contention both in the AFC East and within the Conference. That’s likely the outcome the Patriots would be hoping for if another team hopes to sway them out of their spot.
“They want a massive amount,” said Curran on NBC Sports Boston Monday night on Arbella Early Edition. “So, you ask me what it will be, I don’t know, but I don’t think that they’re going to see it from merely three. So, exceed three, and then you can be in the conversation. Four? Will that get it done? Well, how far down the road is that next one coming? So that weighs into it as well. Five? I mean, to get caught up in the hypotheticals I think is less important than why.”
“Why would the Patriots be in a position to ask that? And that’s because this 2024 Draft is miles different from the 2021 Draft in which you were dealing with guys who were coming into the league in COVID and had multiple question marks around them.”
Whether or not anyone will make that leap is now the big question. There is a fair amount of desperation, both in Minnesota and in Denver. The Vikings are already feeling the heat internally, and it’s coming from the best wideout they’ve had since Randy Moss.
Following the departure of Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson has already made it clear he’s got one foot out the door and that his days as a Viking may be numbered.
Minnesota has seemingly done all it could this offseason to extend him, but nothing has come to fruition. It feels like he’s not thrilled with going from a contender in the NFC to a team that is now pinning its hopes on Sam Darnold.
That may be why if the Vikings take a swing at moving up, it would solve two issues. It would give them their quarterback of the future, as well as see them end up with the most important position on the roster be there on a rookie deal.
This would give them enough money to hopefully keep Jefferson in-house while still having plenty of money next offseason to build around whoever they take.
Out in Denver, Sean Payton is another factor in this. Payton’s trying to get his team back in contention and may not be concerned with the backlash, given the reward that could go with it. He could very well be thinking that if mortgaging the Broncos’ future doesn’t yield a star QB for them to move forward with, he’ll go back to working at Fox and it will be someone else’s problem.
He sort of hinted as much last month when he told reporters, “I would rather the angst be now than September and October.” That may be why he might be willing to take a stab at outmaneuvering Minnesota to make it happen.
Brian Daboll of the Giants is also in need of help. The Giants sit at #6 overall, and unless he solves his own QB problems, he’s someone else who could be feeling the heat. Giants GM Joe Schoen has played both sides of the coin, with some believing they’ll trade back and add picks, rather than possibly move up. But he’s expressed a need to upgrade from Daniel Jones, albeit he’s also pointed out that their issues along the offensive line didn’t do him any favors last season.
They also saw one of their best players, Saquan Barkley, move on to Philadelphia this offseason. So if they’re going to stick with Jones, they need to further build around him.
The team that could benefit the most from this is Arizona, which sits at #4. They’re the ones least in need of a quarterback and would likely jump at the chance to grab a massive package to inject more talent. They’re also potentially the reason why unless another team is coveting the player New England is after, the Patriots may not be the ones who ultimately get the offer to move back.
For now, the message is clear. If a team wants #3, they better come with everything they’ve got. Otherwise, Eliot Wolf and company will draft whichever quarterback convinces them they can be the future this team needs moving forward.
(EDITOR’S NOTE:Portions of the above appeared in this morning’s daily news and notes column.)
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