The New England Patriots are relatively draft-poor, currently holding only eight picks in the 2022 NFL draft, but several trades may be available to add more picks. There are many underperforming players on their current roster who may be of interest to other teams and could return a pick.
Trading underperforming players is not usually a great way to accumulate substantial draft capital. In this case, however, the Patriots might be better off cutting ties with certain players and amassing whatever draft capital they can to add to a roster that needs additions in any of a number of positions.
As the draft rapidly approaches on April 28, here are some players who might fetch a pick in trade either before or during the draft.
Patriots’ best trade possibility before or during the draft
The New England Patriots have only three premium picks, one in each of the first three rounds. That’s not nearly enough to make a dent in their most prominent area of need, improving a defense that started strong and then fell apart late in 2021.
That’s why a different strategy makes better sense. That would be to totally shore up the offense, make it essentially whole, and then turn to the defense. The two most important needs on offense are offensive tackle and a No. 1 wide receiver. So who might be traded to accumulate more picks, keeping in mind that most would likely be lower-round picks at that?
First on this list would be their solid but unspectacular NFL starting tackle, Isaiah Wynn. Wynn is in the last year of his rookie deal. The Patriots have picked up his fifth-year option for $10M, a questionable move at best. Wynn is a decent left tackle, but he’ll never be a great one because of his size. He just doesn’t have the requisite length to do that job out on the island.
Wynn could play right tackle or — even better — guard, but the Patriots have never tried either, for whatever reason. They need to make a decision on Wynn. Wynn might fetch a fourth-round pick for a team with cap space that needs a starting tackle. If you can get a fourth-rounder for Wynn, take the pick and run. Trent Brown is your ready-made starting left tackle. The starting right would be Michael Onwenu or a draft pick.
Two Patriots wide receivers who can be traded before 2022 NFL Draft
The Patriots’ current offense includes two wide receivers who could be trade bait. One is obvious, while the other is not so obvious. The not-so-obvious choice is possession receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers is a solid number two receiver. He is playing this season on a second-round tender, which indicates that he is valued by the Patriots.
Meyers caught 83 passes in 2021, leading the team in receptions. That’s an excellent production and he may be the apple of some team’s eye (Hello, Las Vegas Raiders and Josh McDaniels!). As such, Meyers is the Patriots’ best opportunity to land a premium pick in this season’s draft by trading a player.
Meyers will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Having acquired DeVante Parker and with Kendrick Bourne onboard, they can afford to trade Meyers for a minimum of a third-round pick. That would be contingent on one thing: that the team drafts a top wide receiver with either its first or second-round pick.
Drafting a No. 1 receiver and an offensive tackle early will basically make the offense whole. Getting a second-rounder (they may have to throw in a fourth or fifth-rounder to get that) or a third-rounder and maybe a later pick for Meyers would provide additional draft capital to fill the myriad holes on defense. They can draft another wide receiver later to provide competition.
Trading your statistically best wide receiver from any previous season is risky. Yet, if the Patriots don’t intend to pay him next year, it’s better to cut ties early, get a premium pick, and use that pick to draft defense.
A very difficult trade for the Patriots to make
The next trade candidate is wide receiver Nelson Agholor who totally underwhelmed with only 37 catches in 2021 after being a big signing in the 2021 offseason. Agholor makes big money. According to Spotrac, he’s taking up nearly $15M on the cap for this season with a $10M dead cap hit. That’s a truly abysmal salary situation for the Patriots.
Yet, if the Patriots can find a taker, they may still gain almost $5M in cap space. Realistically, he’ll be virtually impossible to trade, but if the Patriots can unload that salary for even a seventh-round pick, it’s a great move.
The next and last two suggestions are defensive linemen, neither of whom move the needle very much on the defensive line. Neither last season’s free-agent acquisition Davon Godchaux nor Dietrich Wise Jr. would provide very much on the open market. They are easily replaceable, though, and if the Patriots can get even a late-round pick for either, it’s worth the deal.
These are some thoughts on players the Patriots can possibly trade to garner more 2022 draft capital. Who do you think they might be able to deal with for additional draft picks? We’d like to hear your views.
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