Hard Knocks’: Patriots rejected Giants’ draft day trade offer on Maye

Up until a few hours before the 2024 NFL draft, the New England Patriots had the option to trade the third overall pick, but it would have required “something crazy” to force them out of the position that ultimately resulted in North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye.

Credit the New York Giants for at least trying. They wanted to make it happen in the worst of ways. It just would have taken a “pretty significant” package for the Patriots to even flinch. And by significant, they meant a Ricky Williams-style cupboard of picks.

General manager Joe Schoen called the Patriots at 3:32 p.m. ET on the afternoon of the draft’s first round and offered the Giants’ first-round pick (No. 6 overall), a first-rounder in 2025 and another pick this year. It was not even close to enough.

Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf didn’t flinch when presented with that offer. His reasoning? The Patriots needed a quarterback!

Here’s how the conversation played out on the latest episode of “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.”

Schoen: “You guys still listening [to offers]? You guys still making a decision? What do you think?”

Wolf: “I think we’re pretty happy with sitting here picking. But, again, if you offer us [your first, second and third-round pick] this year, [your first and second-round pick] next year …. I mean, I’m exaggerating. But it’s going to be something crazy like that.”

Schoen: “It would probably have to be pretty significant. So, like a [first-round pick] this year [obviously No. 6 this year], a [first-round pick] next year and something more this year is not going to do it? It’s got to be multiples in ’25?”

Wolf: “Um, we’re in this situation where we just probably sit and pick a quarterback.”

Schoen: “Well if anything changes and you wanted to add something on that to take a swing, let me know.”