New England Patriots
A number of gamers at positions of want for the Patriots are rumored to be commerce candidates within the coming weeks.
Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby is the highest prize on the NFL commerce market this offseason, and Eagles large receiver A.J. Brown has been linked to the Patriots for fairly a while. However they aren’t the one notable gamers who would possibly get traded this offseason.
A number of different gamers at positions of want for the Patriots are rumored to be commerce candidates within the coming weeks. There appears to be a handful of large receivers, particularly, who might hit the commerce market attributable to a wide range of causes.
In fact, the Patriots might add in free company as they’ve roughly $40 million in cap house, or they may swing a deal for one of many prime two commerce candidates this offseason. But when the Patriots choose to deal with a few of their key wants on the commerce market, listed below are 5 different gamers that might make sense for them to contemplate.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
Pittman is perhaps the odd man out in Indianapolis between his large wage cap quantity ($29 million) and the staff’s potential pursuit to maintain large receiver Alec Pierce. Nonetheless, Pittman remains to be a high quality participant.
The 28-year-old large receiver logged 80 receptions for 784 yards and 7 touchdowns this previous season. Whereas Pittman’s receiving yards have been the fewest since his rookie season in 2020, he logged no less than 800 receiving yards in every of the earlier 4 seasons with some fairly bad-to-mediocre quarterback play. He’s had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons as properly, logging 109 catches for 1,152 yards in 2023.
Pittman has performed on the skin for many of his profession, however he’s additionally performed a good variety of snaps within the slot, too. Roughly one-third of his snaps got here within the slot final season, and he’s graded out as an OK run blocker in his profession. So, he may very well be an affordable candidate to interchange Stefon Diggs if the Patriots transfer on from the veteran this offseason.
If the Patriots have been to make a deal for Pittman, they could have to increase him or rework his contract. Any staff that trades for him this offseason can be on the hook for a $24 million cap hit in 2026, which remains to be a reasonably large quantity.
DJ Moore, WR, Bears
Much like Pittman, Moore is being rumored as a attainable commerce candidate as a result of the Bears must rearrange a few of their property.
Moore, who’ll flip 29 in April, had a productive yr in 2025, even when it was statistically the worst yr of his eight-year profession. He logged 50 receptions for 682 yards and 6 touchdowns because the Bears’ offense took a way more balanced method on offense. Earlier than final season, Moore recorded no less than 90 receptions and over 900 receiving yards in every of the earlier two seasons.
Additionally like Pittman, Moore has largely performed on the skin in his profession, however has performed a good variety of snaps within the slot and been a good run blocker. Nonetheless, he’s been finest utilized as a deep menace through the years, logging 16 landing grabs on deep throws (20-plus air yards) over the past 4 seasons.
And identical to Pittman, buying and selling for Moore would additionally seemingly require some contract adjustment. Whoever trades for Moore this offseason would tackle a $24.5 million cap hit, which is perhaps a bit too wealthy for any staff.
Walker Little, OL, Jaguars
It’s apparent that the Patriots might enhance their offensive line this offseason. Sadly for them, there aren’t many standout veteran offensive linemen who grow to be obtainable for commerce or in free company.
Little can be an intriguing addition, although. The 26-year-old has principally performed at left sort out in his profession, however he struggled this previous season as he allowed 9 sacks and 45 pressures in 14 video games this previous season, per Professional Soccer Focus. Nonetheless, Little battled a hamstring damage as he had the worst season of his five-year profession.
Whereas Little has largely performed left sort out, he additionally has expertise at guard and proper sort out. He hasn’t allowed a sack within the 5 video games he’s performed at guard in his profession, displaying he can no less than deal with taking part in on the inside of the offensive line. So, if Will Campbell is the Patriots’ left sort out transferring ahead, Little might slot in at left guard.
Whoever trades for Little this season can be on the hook for $12 million. That isn’t an outrageous quantity, and he’s below contract via the top of the 2027 season.
Uchenna Nwosu, EDGE, Seahawks
It’s uncommon to see a productive participant on the defending Tremendous Bowl champion seem on an inventory like this. However the Seahawks have a handful of key gamers set to hit free company this offseason, and Nwosu would appear to be a logical commerce candidate contemplating his age (29) and cap hit ($20.7 million).
So, Nwosu can be a powerful goal for the Patriots in the event that they have been to lose Okay’Lavon Chaisson in free company this offseason. Nwosu had seven sacks this previous season, logging 46 pressures, per PFF. Whereas he didn’t have a sack within the postseason, Nwosu had 9 pressures within the postseason, together with 4 within the Seahawks’ Tremendous Bowl LX win over the Patriots. He additionally had the pick-six that basically sealed Seattle’s win.
Nwosu handled a number of accidents within the 2023 and 2024 seasons that pressured him to play simply 12 video games over these two years. Nonetheless, he’s clearly been productive when wholesome as he had 9.5 sacks in 17 video games for the Seahawks in 2022.
Any staff that trades for Nwosu this offseason would tackle a $11.5 million cap hit. That’s definitely an affordable quantity for a participant of his caliber, however he’s additionally coming into the ultimate yr of his present deal. Meaning he’ll most likely need a new contract this offseason, no matter whether or not he will get traded.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jaguars
Thomas is arguably the highest participant on this listing. He definitely has the best upside as he’s solely 23 and already has a 1,000-yard season to his title.
However there’s additionally a purpose why Thomas is on this listing. He had an underwhelming Yr 2, logging 48 catches for 707 yards and simply two touchdowns. Some questioned if he’s a slot in head coach Liam Coen’s offense, because the staff nonetheless had a powerful yr. Others questioned if Thomas didn’t attempt as laborious as he ought to’ve this previous yr, with a number of performs displaying the large receiver showing to present a lower than stellar effort on some routes.
There’s nonetheless clearly some expertise in Thomas, although. He had 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, proving to be a big-play menace on the skin. He’d definitely add a component to the Patriots’ offense that they at present lack along with his capacity to make large performs persistently.
Contemplating Thomas is simply two years faraway from being a first-round choose, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Jaguars requested for related worth again in a commerce. ESPN’s Invoice Barnwell not too long ago floated the concept of the Payments buying and selling large receiver Keon Coleman and their 2026 first-round choose for Thomas and a fifth-round choose. So, that is perhaps what the Patriots have to surrender in an effort to hand Drake Maye a star large receiver.
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