The New England Patriots returned from the scouting combine in Indianapolis with a plan to improve their quarterback position, and with some fresh intel from around the league on what other teams are interested in. That’s why trades so often follow these NFL events.
There are a number of ways the Patriots can improve their team. They could have more than $100 million in cap space when free agency opens next week and they have the No. 3 pick in the draft.
But they could still survey the trade market, perhaps most notably by looking for a draft pick in return for quarterback Mac Jones. Let’s have some fun today and explore a few potential Patriots trades — even if some of them seem quite unlikely.
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Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine: What we’re hearing about the No. 3 pick
Mac Jones to the Vikings for a fifth-round pick
The Patriots want to sign a veteran quarterback next week and have that quarterback compete for the starting job with someone they draft with the third pick. That leaves Jones, 25, on the outside looking in after just three seasons in New England.
But if the Patriots are ready to pick their quarterback of the future, all parties would be better served by finding a new team for Jones. For the Patriots, keeping Jones while on his rookie deal has its benefits, but those might be outweighed by the awkwardness of having him try to unseat a rookie No. 3 pick for the top job. And for Jones, his multiple benchings have built up so much scar tissue that some in the building wonder whether Jones is salvageable as a Patriot.
This trade would give the Minnesota Vikings a still-young quarterback they can try to develop under Kevin O’Connell (who was once teammates with Jerod Mayo). If it works out for them, they’ll have gotten a starting quarterback for a Day 3 pick. If it doesn’t, they wouldn’t have given up much to get him.
Who says no? No one. Something along these lines feels likely, especially if the Vikings don’t re-sign Kirk Cousins.
DeVante Parker to the Panthers for a 2025 seventh-round pick
The Patriots don’t get much benefit if they cut Parker before June 1 — they’d gain only $133,000 in cap savings. But if they trade Parker before that date, their cap savings jump to $3.33 million, offering the team some incentive to move Parker, who has been disappointing since the Pats gave up a third-round pick to acquire him and a fifth-round pick in spring 2022.
Now, finding a trade partner could be tough because teams aren’t lining up to trade for injury-prone wide receivers in their 30s with a cap hit of $6.4 million. But if the Patriots only ask for a seventh-round pick next year, maybe they can get a deal done with a team like the Carolina Panthers that needs receiver depth.
Who says no? The Panthers. They could sign a receiver of Parker’s caliber when free agency opens next week, though a trade would allow them to know what they have before free agency begins.
DeVante Parker has 64 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons in New England. (Paul Rutherford / USA Today)
The No. 3 pick to the Vikings for Justin Jefferson
OK, let’s get wild.
Mayo said one of his goals this offseason is to acquire some difference-makers on offense who keep defensive coordinators up at night. No non-quarterback in the NFL does that more than Jefferson, who is probably the league’s best wide receiver. He’s only 24 years old, has amassed an astounding 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns in 60 games, is considered a team-first guy and is one of the most marketable players in the NFL. For a Patriots organization that has dealt with some boring football in recent years, Jefferson would be a massive boost for the product.
The Vikings haven’t been able to sign Jefferson to the huge extension he’s seeking, and if they think re-signing him will be tough, it could behoove them to get a big haul back for Jefferson — like the No. 3 pick. (For the record, the Vikings do think they’ll re-sign Jefferson and have emphasized publicly they have no plans to trade him.)
Who says no? Both teams. This is probably the rare trade that, though mostly fair, doesn’t make a ton of sense for either side. The Patriots need the pick to begin building around a new quarterback, and the Vikings can’t give away perhaps the league’s best non-quarterback, a player their fans are ecstatic about. But, hey, it’s fun to contemplate.
Pick No. 34 and a 2025 second-rounder to the Bengals for Tee Higgins
The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins in a move that keeps him under contract for another year as they try to capitalize on their Super Bowl window with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins leading the offense.
But just placing the franchise tag on Higgins doesn’t put an end to trade speculation. They could pull off a tag and trade, sending his new deal to another team.
In this scenario, the Patriots would be giving up quite a bit for Higgins, but that’s the price you pay for a big receiver who can dominate on the outside. Higgins has averaged 63.5 receiving yards per game since entering the league in 2020 as a second-round pick.
The offense Alex Van Pelt is bringing to the Patriots would benefit from an outside receiver who can win one-on-one matchups, which Higgins can do.
Who says no? This is a tough one. Maybe the Patriots say no if they look at this as a lengthy rebuild and don’t want to give up two high picks for Higgins (though they could use him to give their new quarterback a top receiving option). And maybe the Bengals say no to give themselves their best chance at a Super Bowl even though this deal would serve them well in the future. But this could be a tough deal to turn down for both sides.
A third-round pick for Evan Neal
It’s been a rough first two years as a pro for Neal, who has struggled at right tackle. But he was the No. 7 pick in 2022 for a reason, and perhaps a change of scenery would do him good.
The Patriots badly need help at offensive tackle even if they re-sign Mike Onwenu (which is no sure thing).
This could help the Pats solidify one of their two offensive tackle spots, even if it seems unlikely Neal will live up to the potential that made him a top-10 pick.
Who says no? Probably the New York Giants. They have little to gain by acknowledging the Neal pick was a disaster after just two years and moving on from him.
(Photo of Tee Higgins and Justin Jefferson: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
