There are three key players the New England Patriots need to re-sign for 2026. And they must make good decisions in the draft. But here is the perfect offseason trade the Patriots must make to get back to the Super Bowl after the crushing loss.
The offensive line and the edge rusher positions will be keys to how the Patriots stack up for the 2026 season. But those aren’t the places they need to go to find a key trade that will make them the favorite to get back to the big game.
Instead, the Patriots need to swing a deal that brings them an Alpha wide receiver. Stefon Diggs served as the No. 1 guy this season. But the days of him playing up to that level are gone.
Patriots should swing a deal for Eagles AJ Brown
Let’s be real about the Patriots’ wideouts. Diggs is a borderline No. 2 guy at this point in his career. He’s 32 years old, and probably needs to be a No. 3 guy at this stage.
In 2025, he caught 85 passes for just 1,013 yards. That’s an average of only 11.9 yards per catch. Even worse, Diggs totaled only four touchdowns. With a young and high-potential quarterback like Drake Maye, the Patriots’ No. 1 guy should have far better numbers.
And that’s where Brown enters the conversation. Granted, you won’t see a great deal of difference between Brown’s numbers and those of Diggs. But the connection between Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts deteriorated this season. Or maybe Hurts deteriorated.
Regardless, Brown had games where he disappeared. That should never happen. And it would not happen with the Patriots.
NFL insider Adam Schefter likes the idea of Brown landing with the Patriots, according to 97.5 The Fanatic via Sports Illustrated.
“I think he becomes a trade candidate here,” Schefter said last month. “There’s been enough noise around that with him wanting out. There’s been enough focus and attention to that area. I think it would be a surprise if there weren’t talks to see, ‘Okay, well, what could he bring back?’ To me, I see him playing in New England next year under Mike Vrabel.”
Outside of Diggs, the Patriots currently have Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams. There’s not a defense-scaring threat in that bunch.
But Brown is that. And his presence would lift all of those players. And the whole group would lift Maye.
But what would the Patriots offer?
The Patriots have the draft capital to make it work
New England has its own pick in all seven rounds. They also have the Bears’ pick in Round 4, along with picks previously held by the Chiefs, Vikings, and Steelers in Round 6.
So what could they offer to pry Brown away from the Eagles? First, they should keep it in 2026. If the Eagles demand something earlier than a fourth-round pick from 2027, the Patriots should close down the talks.
Interestingly, like the Patriots, the Eagles also have extra picks in this year’s draft. But the Patriots’ first-round pick would help the Eagles a great deal. If the Eagles acquired pick No. 31 overall as part of a deal for Brown, they would have picks Nos. 23, 31, 54, and 68.
Those four draft picks could go a long way toward finding a young receiver to replace Brown. And also filling in their other needs.
So the Patriots could offer their 1st and third round picks this year to the Eagles for Brown. That would give the Eagles, 23, 31, 54, and 95. In return, the Patriots would get Brown along with the better of the Eagles’ fourth-round picks (No. 122 overall).
This would mean the Patriots would pick at No. 63, 122, 125, and 131. That flurry of picks in the fourth round would allow the Patriots to address the offensive line, and also pick up a defensive player or two.
The Patriots don’t have a perfect roster by any stretch. But if they get a true No. 1 receiver, add a young edge rusher, and beef up the offensive line, this team will be good enough to make another run in 2026. Of course, they won’t have the easy schedule they had this year. And they also managed to have an easy postseason schedule because of circumstances. At least until they got to the Super Bowl, that is.
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