Patriots have reportedly laid 'groundwork' with Panthers to trade up to No. 8

The New England Patriots remain interested in grabbing a quarterback in the upcoming draft, as Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that the team has done "groundwork" with the Carolina Panthers to potentially trade up into the eighth pick.

According to Breer, the Patriots have their sights set on a specific quarterback, as he wrote that the trade could happen if Justin Fields is still on the board by the time Carolina picks.

"[T]he Patriots have sniffed around on a trade up into the top 10, presumably for a quarterback—and I can say that if Fields is sitting there at No. 8, there are strong ties between New England and Carolina, and some groundwork has been done on what a deal might look like," Breer wrote.

The Patriots currently have Cam Newton as their starting quarterback, with Jared Stidham backing him up. Neither of the two impressed on the field last season, which may have convinced Bill Belichick that he needs to find a real replacement for Tom Brady.

Could Fields still be available by the eighth pick? It's hard to know at this point. While Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson appear to be locked in for the top two spots, after that, it's really anyone's guess where and when Fields, Trey Lance, and Mac Jones will be taken.