Patriots have "explored" trading up from spot in second round of NFL Draft, according to report

BOSTON -- Most of the focus on the Patriots in this year's NFL Draft has been on the No. 3 overall pick. Yet the team has another valuable asset as owners of the second pick in the second round.

And according to a report on Thursday, the team is at least considering cashing in that value by trading up to get back into the first round.

ESPN's Mike Reiss dropped a quick nugget on Thursday morning that said the Patriots have "explored what it could look like to jump into back half of 1st round."

While the report didn't indicate how deeply or seriously the Patriots investigated their options, it does present an intriguing proposition for the team ahead of Thursday night. 

The team is presumably going to take a quarterback at No. 3 overall -- though trade opportunities could arise, depending on which quarterback is left at that spot and which teams might be desperate to move up to make that selection. And if the Patriots were to trade down out of the No. 3 spot, it could eliminate the need or desire to trade up into the first round by dealing away No. 34 overall.

Yet if the Patriots take that quarterback and still identify a game-changing opportunity somewhere late in the first round -- at offensive tackle or wide receiver, perhaps -- then the team may pull the trigger to move up and get that player instead of waiting around until Friday night to hope to land him.

Whatever the case may be, Reiss' report at least provides reason for all of New England to stay by their phones in the hours after the team is on the clock at No. 3 overall. The first round may not be over for the Patriots after making that pick.