Patriots Open To Dealing No. 3 Pick In NFL Draft, Jerod Mayo Says

Drafting a quarterback is a “priority” for the New England Patriots, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Sunday night. But that doesn’t mean the Patriots aren’t keeping their options open — at least publicly.

Mayo doubled down when speaking to media members during the first day of the NFL League Meetings in Orlando, Fla. He stressed New England’s interest in drafting a quarterback, after he told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche on Sunday morning it was a “priority,” but Mayo also didn’t close the door on any other potential outcome.

That includes dealing the No. 3 pick in a trade.

“So, obviously quarterback is definitely a priority,” Mayo told reporters, per Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. “With that being said, we’re still open to any type of deals that come our way.

“We’re very far in the process, and we still have a long way to go. Definitely feel like we have time to really nail down our prospects that we’re going to go after.”

Many have questioned whether the Patriots could trade down as a way to land more assets both this year and in the future. Given the number of holes the Patriots have — quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver, etc. — there’s an argument to be made that’s the smart way to build the roster.

However, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and others, the Patriots have not shown an appetite for trading down. And if they don’t it’s likely the Patriots address their top priority and draft one of the consensus top signal-callers including Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or perhaps J.J. McCarthy.