The Patriots will begin Thursday's first night of the NFL draft holding the third overall pick. We know this much. What we don't know is how they will use it or if they will use it at all.
This is because New England might decide to trade the pick to address several weaknesses in the rest of the team. While cornerback is not a top need for the team, there's a possibility that the Pats could end up with an All-Pro corner and still have the chance to pick a quarterback in the first round.
The rearrangement would need cooperation from the Denver Broncos, who have the 12th overall pick and are in great need of a quarterback. According to Sportskeeda NFL insider Tony Pauline , the Broncos are willing to offer star cornerback Patrick Surtain II in a trade to move up and select a rookie quarterback, rumored to be J.J. McCarthy.
“There’s talk that the Broncos will dangle cornerback Patrick Surtain II as part of a package to trade up for a quarterback,” Pauline wrote. “That is something I initially reported from the Shrine Bowl. … Any package to move up will include at least one future first-round pick as well as Surtain and the 12th selection in this year’s draft.”
Patrick Surtain II Would Be a Big Addition
This would be a very appealing offer for the Patriots. At No. 12, they could still choose Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, or they could opt for a much-needed top-level offensive tackle. They could also address the need for a top wide receiver with that pick.
And they’d receive a first-rounder in 2025, while building a formidable duo of Christian Gonzalez and Surtain at the corner spots. The team would still have Jonathan Jones on board and could use him as trade bait to further bolster their draft prospects, either this year or next.
This would be a substantial cost for Denver. However, after parting ways with quarterback Russell Wilson, and facing a record-breaking dead-money hit, the Broncos are in urgent need of an inexpensive and talented QB option, sooner rather than later.
“The Broncos’ determination to select a quarterback in this year’s draft has been discussed extensively,” Pauline wrote. “There’s talk that Sean Payton is prepared to give up a king’s ransom to move up and obtain one of the top signal callers available.”
The Patriots would require a significant incentive to trade down
Surtain is only 24 years old and has already made a name for himself as a standout in the defensive backfield. He had a tough season in a struggling Broncos defense, but still managed to secure a Pro Bowl spot after being named to both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams last season.
Surtain was the ninth overall pick from Alabama in 2021 and has appeared in 50 out of 51 games in his career.
Once again, he may not be a perfect fit for the Patriots, but could be viewed as part of an overall talent upgrade for a team looking to improve after a 4-13 record last year. The belief in the NFL is that the Patriots will select one of the best available quarterbacks—McCarthy, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye—at No. 3, but coach Jerod Mayo admitted the team would consider trading.
For a large amount of money, that is.
“Look, we are in a very favorable position at No. 3 where we can choose someone, or if someone offers a substantial amount of first-round picks, as we would say — you know, a lot of first-round picks — we definitely have to discuss those things,” Mayo said last month, per The Athletic.
Surtain and two firsts? That could be considered both a significant amount of money and a very large sum of money.
