NFL Draft Rumors: Commanders, Patriots 'Apprehensive' to Trade Picks Amid QB Buzz

Neither the Washington Commanders nor the New England Patriots is all that keen to trade out of the top three in the 2024 NFL draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter reported on SportsCenter "there will be lots of quarterback talk" during the NFL's annual league meeting. Some of that will include prospective suitors reaching out to Washington and New England about a trade, but the teams "are apprehensive to give up those picks," per Schefter.

The Commanders and Patriots are widely expected to take quarterbacks, with North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels floated as possibilities for either franchise.

In Bleacher Report's most recent mock draft, Maye was the pick for Washington with Daniels landing in New England.

The Commanders or Patriots could probably command a sizable return if they were to trade back because of the perceived gap between Daniels and the next best QB. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is No. 3 quarterback and ranks 29th overall on B/R's big board. Michigan's J.J. McCarthy follows Daniels at the position is the 54th-best player in the class.

If you're a QB-needy team outside of the top three, moving up to get Maye or Daniels might be a preferable outcome compared to reaching for McCarthy much earlier than his evaluation would warrant.

That requires Washington or New England to be open to the idea and based on Schefter's report, it's pretty much a nonstarter for now.