The Patriots can put out all the joint statements they want, but it's obvious things are not going well in New England.

ESPN's blockbuster story on the power struggle between owner Bob Kraft, quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick is too well-reported to be much ado about nothing. Where there's smoke, there's fire, and a thorough reading of the piece makes it clear the simplest route to putting out the fire, if it ultimately becomes too unwieldy, would be for Bill Belichick to leave.

Kraft isn't selling the team. Brady is clearly there to stay until he retires, whenever that is. So as crazy as it sounds, given the fact Belichick is likely the greatest coach in NFL history, he's the most expendable part of the equation.

Which brings us to the Giants. The one team, many believe, Belichick would ever considering coach if his time comes due in Foxborough, given his ties to the organization and the Mara family. It would be very unlike the Patriots to simply fire Belichick, or release him from his contract - the details of which no one knows and likely ever will. So if the Giants want Belichick, Belichick is interested in leaving the Patriots and still coaching, and the Giants are willing to wait for him, they would almost assuredly have to trade for him.

So what would the Giants be willing to give up? To start, they can't give up any players. The NFL's anti-tampering policy does not allow teams to trade players for non-playing team employees, even high-ranking ones like head coaches and general managers. So forget the idea the Giants would trade Odell Beckham Jr. to the Patriots for Belichick straight up. That can't happen.

The league does allow for teams to trade draft picks and cash as compensation for the receiving team to allow the coach out of his contract, though.

In 2002, the Raiders infamously traded coach Jon Gruden to the Buccaneers for two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8 million in cash. It was an astronomical haul for Oakland, and the Patriots would likely be inspired to start the bidding there. It's hard to believe the Giants would be willing to part with so much, though, and that the Patriots would drive such a hard bargain (even though Belichick is clearly a better coach than Gruden).

Belichick likely would have no interest going to a Giants team that has been sapped of its best assets, starting with the No. 2 pick in April's NFL Draft. While business is business, at some point relationships between Belichick and Kraft and Kraft and Giants co-owner John Mara would have to play some role and make the deal a reasonable one.

If the Giants were to serious entertain a trade for Belichick, they should offer, at most, their 2018 second-round pick, their 2019 first-round pick and as much cash as is needed to seal the deal. They also would have to figure out what their front office structure would look like.

It's hard to see Belichick coming to the Giants to just coach, with no personnel control. It's also hard to see the Giants throwing new general manager Dave Gettleman out into the cold, or forcing him to turn over all control to Belichick. They'd have to work those kinks out. But if they get to that point, they'll find a way to get into the end zone and complete one of the biggest coups in NFL history.

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James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.