Would the Commanders really pass on the LSU star at No. 2 overall?

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, which means silly season is in full swing.

While the Chicago Bears appear locked in on USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall, there’s plenty of speculation about what the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots will do with the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively. LSU’s Jayden Daniels, UNC’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy all have been floated as potential options for both teams — assuming they keep their picks and don’t trade down.

Evan Silva of Establish the Run added more scuttlebutt to the draft rumor mill Tuesday, writing in his NFL Mock Draft that Daniels is “rumored to be intent on playing for New England after Daniels’ meetings with Washington didn’t go as smoothly.”

Later Tuesday night, Daniels himself addressed that “rumor” with a post on X.

Looking forward to my upcoming visits. Glad to be home. https://t.co/8GqQs6s4jE

— Jayden (@JayD__5) April 10, 2024

This sounds like Daniels’ way of staying above the fray as the pre-draft rumors fly. The 23-year-old QB did meet with the Patriots on Monday but reportedly is set to meet with the Commanders on Monday and Tuesday of next week, so so even if you believe Silva’s speculation, Daniels still has time to make a better impression on Washington.

For what it’s worth, NBC4 Sports’ JP Finlay told our Tom E. Curran this week that current signs still point to the Commanders drafting Daniels.

“It seems they’re leaning Jayden Daniels,” Finlay told Curran on the Patriots Talk Podcast. “… Repeatedly, new head coach Dan Quinn and Adam Peters have talked about how important mobility is in the modern game. Then if you factor in Josh Harris as the new owner has said that he wants to model his organization like the Ravens — nobody’s Lamar Jackson, but certainly Jayden Daniels can run. I think that’s the lean.”

Then again, NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley reported Monday on Boston Sports Tonight that McCarthy is “high, if not first” on the draft boards of both Washington and New England, and that both teams’ interest in the Michigan QB is real.

The bottom line: It’s far too early to say what either the Commanders or Patriots will do with their picks. But if de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and his staff feel strongly enough about Daniels, Maye and McCarthy, then they’ll have a golden opportunity to choose between two of those three names at No. 3 overall, regardless of Washington’s choice.

If the Patriots are less bullish on at least two of these names, then perhaps they’d consider trading down, although our Tom E. Curran recently reported it would take a massive offer for New England to move off the No. 3 pick.