NFL Draft: Latest Buzz on Possible Vikings-Patriots Trade, Drake Maye

Will the Vikings send New England a major offer to move up to the No. 3 pick?

Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

With NFL Draft week finally here, the Vikings' much-anticipated quarterback decision in Thursday's first round is just days away. Will they trade up? If so, how high — and for who?

The furthest up the draft board the Vikings could seemingly go is to the No. 3 overall pick, which is owned by the Patriots. Minnesota is rumored to be very fond of Drake Maye, so they could have real interest in going up to 3 if the Commanders make Jayden Daniels the second overall pick. What could stand in the way of a deal getting done is that New England might be asking for a remarkable haul from the Vikings.

"The only way they're moving down is if another team offers an unprecedented deal," wrote ESPN Patriots insider Mike Reiss. "The most likely scenario, per sources, remains that the Patriots will stay put at No. 3 and select LSU's Jayden Daniels, North Carolina's Drake Maye or Michigan's J.J. McCarthy."

An "unprecedented deal" would appear to mean more than what the 49ers sent the Dolphins in 2021 to go from 12 to 3 for Trey Lance, which was two future firsts and a future third-rounder. Speculatively, New England might be asking for the Vikings' 11th and 23rd picks this year, their 2025 first-rounder, and their 2026 first (or at least a Day 2 pick in '26). That would be a truly massive haul. If you're Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O'Connell, and the Vikings, is the opportunity to get Maye worth that price?

Maybe. Maybe not. The alternative could be trading a lesser package to move up somewhere in the 4-8 range for J.J. McCarthy. But he may not have the same type of ceiling that Maye does.

"(I believe) that the Vikings want Maye more than the Patriots do," wrote Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. "If the Patriots were truly sold on Maye, they wouldn’t consider trading their No. 3 pick. My hunch is that the Vikings want Maye more, based on the fact that Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown knows Maye well, having coached Maye in 2019 at Myers Park High in Charlotte, N.C., where McCown’s two sons also played."

Speaking at a church event on Thursday, O'Connell talked about how he believes footwork can be fixed with coaching — that sounds like a pro-Maye argument — and joked about sending Patriots owner Robert Kraft flowers. Will O'Connell try to talk Adofo-Mensah into paying a hefty price to go get Maye at 3?

Here's another thing to ponder: What if the Vikings' call the Patriots' bluff? If New England doesn't love Maye, maybe they take McCarthy or even Marvin Harrison Jr. at 3. Another possibility raised by Volin in his article is the Bears trading up from 9 to 3 to get Harrison and pair him with Caleb Williams. If Maye slips out of the top three somehow (it's worth noting that he could also still be the Commanders' pick at No. 2), the Vikings could probably go get him in a deal with the Cardinals or Chargers for a slightly reduced price.

"If the Patriots want Maye at No. 3, there’s nothing the Vikings can do about it, and they’ll likely settle for McCarthy," Volin wrote. "But if the Patriots pass on Maye, the Vikings should be able to find a willing trade partner in the Chargers, who look like they would love to trade down from No. 5. The Vikings’ No. 11 and 23 picks might be enough to get it done."

Strap in, everyone. This week is going to be fun.

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