Patriots: Russell Wilson reported trade price shouldn’t scare Bill Belichick

The Patriots would have every right to go all out for Russell Wilson.

The New England Patriots are currently searching for their third starting quarterback in as many seasons, and if fans should take anything away from the latest updates on that quest, it’s that they shouldn’t hold their breath about it concluding anytime soon.

According to reports, the Patriots are exhausting all of their options on the quarterback market, which included sniffing out potential deals for both Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz, though didn’t get far in either of those endeavors.

That decision, though somewhat maligned, was understandable considering that neither player would elevate the Patriots to a surefire playoff contender.

What couldn’t be forgiven, however, is if they bypassed the opportunity to trade for Russell Wilson because of his rumored evaluation.

While we recognize fans who are terrified of the Patriots mortgaging their draft capital in return for a quarterback who’s seemingly on the back nine of his career, when you think about it there really isn’t a strong enough reason for GM Bill Belichick not to pull the trigger on a Wilson trade.

Here’s why Russell Wilson’s trade price shouldn’t frighten the Patriots.

Per the latest buzz, roughly one-third of the league has called Seattle inquiring about Wilson’s availability, and the consensus understanding is that they would hang up the phone if buyers didn’t start the bidding at three first-round draft picks.

That price will make you blush a little, but Wilson would be totally worth it, and it mostly boils down to the Patriots being notoriously wasteful with first-round selections. The fact of the matter is they haven’t unequivocally hit on a first-round pick since Dont’a Hightower and Chandler Jones back in 2012.

Since then, they’ve drafted the likes of Dominique Easley, Malcolm Brown, Isaiah Wynn, Sony Michel and N’Keal Harry, none of whom have proven to return first-round value.

Assuming the Seahawks’ asking price for Wilson is accurate, it basically means (in theory) that the Patriots could trade three of those players for a top-three player at the QB position. We’re no experts at evaluating talent, but how could you possibly turn down such a deal?

And when you look at the Patriots running game, Wilson stands to benefit exponentially. New England was able to run the ball effectively with Cam Newton under center and virtually no passing attack. Wilson would help open up even more lanes in the running game and perhaps help N’Keal Harry find his form. All for the cost of three mid-to-late first-round picks. Come on. This would eliminate any development or fit headaches. Wilson checks all the boxes.

We would normally advocate against a team depleting itself of resources, but considering that Wilson is still in the middle of his prime and seemingly getting better with age — plus the fact that the Patriots couldn’t hit on a first-round pick if their life depended on it — there really isn’t a viable excuse that exists that should dissuade them from pulling the trigger on a potential blockbuster.

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