The New England Patriots have shocked the NFL this season with a league best 11-2 record through 13 weeks of the season. With their quarterback and coach of the future locked into the franchise in Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel, it may be time to shock the league once again by pursuing top talent on the trade market in the 2026 offseason.
Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire tossed out a mock trade for the Patriots this offseason that, though gutsy, makes sense for both parties involved.
McElroy’s trade idea calls for New England to call up the Minnesota Vikings and pursue arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson.
Patriots Tabbed to Pursue Jefferson This Offseason
McElroy lays out a few potential trade scenarios for Jefferson in his story, and each requires a steep price for New England to pay.
The most enticing of his ideas calls for the Pats to send two first-round draft selections to Minnesota, along with a player for Jefferson in return.
Alright Patriots fans, I know this idea sounds far fetched, but hear me out: this is an absolute win for both sides.
On New England’s side, the win is clear; you get the best wide receiver in the game to pair with Drake Maye, who looks like he could be one of the best QB’s in the NFL for the next 15 years. Jefferson would be under team control through 2028, giving New England a three year window with potential for a long-term extension in what already seems to be a Super Bowl window for the franchise.
Jefferson has been named to the All-Pro team in four of his first five seasons in the league, twice to the first team. Everyone knows the type of player he is, a dynamic, explosive receiver with MVP level talent.
And he’s clearly disgruntled in Minnesota with some of the dysfunction that has come from quarterback J.J. McCarthy and a declining roster around him. If Jefferson wants out of Minnesota and they’re open to hearing trades while his value is still sky-high, the Patriots should be racing to the phone to make a move.
Trade Would Be a Win For Minnesota Too
It’s tough to say a team made a successful trade when they move on from an elite talent like Jefferson, but the Vikings may have to pick from the lesser of two evils if they can’t right the ship soon.
A disgruntled star has a short shelf life before things become untenable, and Minnesota can get a haul for a guy like Jefferson. Two first round picks from New England to supplement their future drafts could go a long way towards helping the rebuild the Vikings are heading towards, along with a young player who would have to be included in the trade.
If the Patriots are confident in their current core, they don’t really need their next couple of first round picks, especially if those picks come late in the round. The time has come for New England where it’s no longer about building through the draft: the core is in place, now free agency and trades are the way to build a Super Bowl roster.
And what would be a better way to get the ball rolling than trading for a bonafide superstar?
