Patriots: 3 monster playmakers New England could trade for midseason

The New England Patriots finished 7-9 last season, but a rebuild was never really a possibility considering how much cap space they were projected to have.

As virtually every analyst in the industry predicted, the Patriots overhauled their middling roster and fans can now say with confidence that it’s a supremely talented bunch.

We’d even go as far as to say that it’d be a colossal disappointment if they missed the playoffs again.

However, like almost every roster in the NFL, the Patriots’ isn’t without its flaws. In fact, depending on how the first half of next season plays out, de facto general manager Bill Belichick could be a major player once the trade deadline rolls around.

For the sake of time, let’s keep this conversation focused on New England’s offense, which, despite adding Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith in free agency, still lacks a premium No. 1 pass catcher for Cam Newton and, eventually, Mac Jones.

Luckily for the Patriots, they could have their pick of a few star playmakers before the trade deadline.

These 3 playmakers could be midseason trade targets for the Patriots.

3. Allen Robinson

It wasn’t long ago that Allen Robinson removed all tracings of the Bears organization from his social media accounts. It also wasn’t long ago that Robinson signed his franchise tag tender with Chicago, which put an end to any trade speculation involving the 27-year-old receiver.

So, where does Robinson stand with his current franchise? It’s honestly hard to tell, but the fact he reported to mandatory minicamp without a new deal in place suggests he’s content.

However, all it takes is a couple of highlight-reel catches — Robinson might be the best in the business in that department — and 100-yard games for the former second-rounder to become disgruntled with his contract situation again.

The Patriots should be monitoring Allen Robinson’s contract dilemma.

What makes the Patriots an ideal fit for Robinson? Well, for starters, they were speculated as a potential landing spot for him during last year’s trade deadline and again in free agency this offseason before he signed the franchise tag.

Even more pertinent is that New England has the requisite cap space to offer Robinson an extension that would reward his production over the last two seasons: 200 catches for 2,397 yards (!) and 13 touchdowns with 12.3 yards per reception.

The Bears’ defense is built to win now, but their offense might not be on the same wavelength, especially following the selection of quarterback Justin Fields, who’s currently the backup behind … blockbuster offseason signing Andy Dalton.

It certainly isn’t a great situation for Robinson, and we’re not just talking about his contract.