The New England Patriots desperately need to add help to their offense to aid in quarterback Drake Maye’s development this season. The Patriots pulled the trigger on taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick when they knew their roster was full of holes. It’s somewhat early in the offseason, but Maye is stuck in third place on the quarterback depth chart.
The Minnesota Vikings have entertained trading Justin Jefferson
Alex Ballentine with Bleacher Report has a trade that could help the Patriots. The Minnesota Vikings have not yet inked star receiver Justin Jefferson to a new deal. Last week, a report surfaced that the Vikings were willing to trade Jefferson during the draft if they had a chance to move up to get Malik Nabers. There’s a good possibility the Vikings would still trade Jefferson if they could get a decent offer.
The New England Patriots would need to give up a few picks
Ballentine thinks the Patriots must give up a haul to land Jefferson. They believe the Patriots are in a position where adding a player of Jefferson’s caliber could fix the offense and make the team appealing for free agents in the next offseason:
The money isn’t a problem for the Patriots. Their roster is at a point where no one is close to the top of the market at their position right now. They would love to have the problem of signing a receiver to a contract that pays them over $30 million a year.
That’s especially true now that they’ve drafted Drake Maye. They have their quarterback prospect, but he’s throwing to one of the worst receiver rooms in the league. By the end of the year, his best options might be DeMario Douglas and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
That’s a tough environment for Maye to have success. After the disappointment of Mac Jones, the Patriots might be better off making the aggressive move of adding a special player like Jefferson to jumpstart the offense.
Ballentine’s trade proposal
Patriots Receive
- WR Justin Jefferson
Vikings Receive
- 2025 first-round pick
- 2025 third-round pick
- 2026 second-round pick
- 2026 fourth-round pick
The Patriots would give up a lot of picks for a player who they will have to pay handsomely. However, the Vikings are giving up a player they cannot replace. Frankly, the Patriots need to make a move like this in the next year or so. They’ve put too much into Maye to have him become a bust because he doesn’t have anyone to throw to.
