With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, there is an expectation that some big-time trades are yet to be made, and the Patriots are at the top of the list of teams most likely to participate. Because they had a free agency focused on improving the defense, some intriguing scenarios involve them acquiring game-changing offensive talent to support Drake Maye for the upcoming season.
Some of those holes on the roster could be solved through the draft, of course, especially with the increasing chance that WR Travis Hunter won’t be on the board anymore by the time the Patriots are on the clock at No. 4.
However, if New England still wants to add another receiver, they might prefer engaging in a trade that allows them to acquire a young but trusted veteran for their receiving corps, rather than waiting until a later round to select a rookie.
That has prompted at least one fascinating proposed trade to accomplish that, and it might be something the Patriots should, at the very least, seriously consider.
New proposed trade has the Patriots add a 1,000+ yard receiver to Drake Maye’s arsenal
With the No. 4 pick not being a desirable spot to be in if Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are off the board, the Patriots will likely look to trade down and hope to receive some valuable capital in return, possibly even a player.
Bleacher Report’s Mitch Milani attempted to achieve that in a proposed trade, where the Patriots would move down to pick No. 7 from the Jets and send the No. 69 pick as well. They would receive WR Garrett Wilson along with the lower pick, which makes the deal even sweeter.
At first glance, it feels like a fleecing by New England, as they add a 24-year-old, 1,000+ yard receiver to their roster and only move down three spots. That puts them in a prime position to draft a starting left tackle, such as Will Campbell, and alleviates the concern of drafting a receiver to help put the offense over the top.
But is it a deal too good to be true? Who would the Jets be moving up for? And why would they be willing to move on from Wilson already? He’s only been on the team for three seasons.
Not knowing who New York might be interested in moving up for, there is reason to trade away Wilson that benefits them. He will play out the final year of his contract in 2025. The current projection is that he will earn a 3-year contract worth around $70 million, which may not be a price the Jets are willing to pay, possibly not even exercising his fifth-year option, especially with a new regime making the decisions this year.
Because he’s set to hit free agency next year, it might be wiser for the Jets to trade him now for something rather than watch him leave next offseason for nothing, a path that Bill Belichick became known for during his 20+ years in Foxboro. It’s not always an approved move by the fans, but it’s hard to argue against when they get a solid return.
Regardless of its inevitable likelihood, it’s at least something worth considering for the Patriots if the worst possible scenario were to happen before they’re on the clock in Round 1. Adding a player like Wilson would be incredible for Maye and the offense as a whole, while also benefiting from only moving down a few spots and retaining a Round 3 pick, too.