Patriots: Saints reportedly tried to trade up and steal Mac Jones

In the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots were widely rumored as a team that could trade up for a quarterback early on in the first round.

At the time, Mac Jones was considered a lock to go third overall to the 49ers, and there was a debate to be had in terms of where Justin Fields and Trey Lance would end up.

When the dust settled, Lance went to San Francisco, Fields landed in Chicago after the Bears moved up eight spots and the Patriots stayed put at No. 15 overall and were still able to nab Jones, who might’ve been their preferred option all along.

All in a day’s patient work.

It’s unclear whether the Patriots simply got lucky or played the board masterfully. Perhaps it was both. However, the latest post-draft buzz suggests they had a bit of luck on their side being able to draft Jones where they did.

According to insider Mike Lombardi of The Athletic, the Saints went to great lengths to try and  trade up above New England and nab the young quarterback.

The Saints reportedly tried to trade up and steal Mac Jones from the Patriots.

There was speculation indicating that New Orleans was trying to trade up into the top 10 to get a cornerback — South Carolina star Jaycee Horn was reportedly on their radar — but they were simply too far back at No. 28 overall to pull off such a trade.

However, Lombardi’s sources confirm the Saints either pivoted to try and trade up for a quarterback or were trying to do that all along.

"“But, and I’ve had this confirmed to me by two teams, they were trying to get up above New England to get Mac Jones,” Lombardi said on his “GM Shuffle” podcast. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. Everybody will deny it. I’m just telling you.”“They couldn’t get there. Why? Because Minnesota traded with the Jets (to No. 14) and Minnesota didn’t go back as far as New Orleans, and the Vikings got a good deal.”“No. 13 wasn’t moving because (Rashawn) Slater was there, and the Chargers weren’t going to move. No. 12 wasn’t moving because Dallas was going to take (Micah) Parsons. No. 11 became (Justin) Fields. So, there was nowhere for the Saints to go. I don’t know if the Saints called New England to try to trade for that pick or if they knew New England was going to just take Mac Jones.”"

It’s certainly fun to think about what the Patriots would’ve done had Jones come off the board just a few picks before them. They were reportedly intrigued by touted guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, but that ship sailed after the Jets jumped one pick ahead of them to draft him.

Maybe, in that case, they trade back and accumulate more picks or simply draft the next-highest offensive lineman on their big board. Who knows? Maybe an edge rusher like Kwity Paye, who surprisingly fell to the Colts at No. 21 overall, could’ve been in play for the Patriots.

Whatever the case, fans in Foxborough shouldn’t work themselves into a tizzy over something that never came to fruition. The bottom line is that New England seemingly played the board to perfection and ended up with their potential quarterback of the future in Jones.

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