New Context On Patriots’ Reported Efforts Toward Trading Up In NFL Draft

Are the Patriots really trying to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft?

NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on Monday reported that New England recently has called teams in an effort toward trading up in the first round to select Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. The report contradicted other rumors indicating the Patriots actually are looking to do the opposite Thursday night.

So, what’s fact and what’s fiction?

Here’s new insight from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, one of the more tied-in reporters covering New England:

The Patriots are trying (to move up). That’s been the case for a while now. They’ve studied every QB, have worked to assess the price to trade up and will ultimately have to determine if the trade price meets the value of the QBs’ evaluations.

Make of that what you will.

Monday morning produced a ton of fascinating Patriots speculation. Most notably, Peter King reported New England could execute trades for both Jimmy Garoppolo and Julio Jones.

Normally, we’d expect the Patriots to trade out of the first round and draft a safety or offensive tackle in the second round, or something. But given Bill Belichick’s unpreceded free agency spending, we’re not ruling anything out.