Patriots: Possible trades Bill Belichick could make with leftover cap space

If there’s one thing we learned about Bill Belichick this offseason, it’s that he has every intention of competing in the playoffs again after he missed out in 2020.

While the de facto general manager has morphed the New England Patriots back into a playoff-caliber team, they have a lot of room for improvement before we can even think about vaulting them into the championship conversation.

However, that could change if they made a few more blockbuster moves, and there’s still plenty of time remaining in the offseason for that to happen.

The only question the Patriots have to ask themselves is which player(s) would take them over the top.

You’d be surprised how many players in the league are disgruntled with their current teams. In other words, the Patriots should have no shortage of targets, especially considering they still have close to $15 million remaining in salary cap space.

Luckily for them (not really), we’ve taken the initiative and identified some potential players Belichick and Co. should pursue via trade.

Here are three trades the Patriots could make with their leftover cap space.

3. Help Odell Beckham Jr. Become a Star Again

The only reason Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t fall higher on this list is because he’s been linked with a move to the Patriots for years and nothing came close to materializing. However, the sheer intrigue behind such a blockbuster trade is impossible to ignore.

Anybody who watched the Browns last season knows their offense functioned more efficiently without Beckham, who had his year cut short due to a torn ACL. The 28-year-old superstar has never really fit in Cleveland’s system since they acquire him via trade two years ago, and the Patriots should look to free him from his situation.

Beckham has been adamant in declaring his allegiance to the Browns and that he cares about winning more than individual accolades. However, something tells us he’d much rather star in an offense than be a passenger who pops off for the occasional big game.

Odell Beckham Jr. would complete the Patriots’ offense.

That could change with the Patriots.

Beckham has three years left on his contract with an average of $14 million in annual salary, so the Patriots would have no problem absorbing that onto their payroll. And for all those fans claiming he’d be a poor cultural fit, do you really think Belichick wouldn’t put him in his place?

We all know New England’s offense is lacking a game-breaking wide receiver, and acquiring the three-time Pro Bowler via trade would put those concerns to bed in swift fashion. Again, we’re not sure it’s in the realm of possibility, but Beckham’s evident lack of chemistry with Baker Mayfield proves his future in Cleveland is anything but a sure thing.