Because the Patriots are presumably going to add more firepower to their receiving corps this offseason, the team continues to be connected to the most desirable trade candidates who might become available before the 2026 season begins.
It has mostly kept them in the conversation for Eagles' AJ Brown, with speculation continuing to name them the No. 1 trade destination if he is moved during or after the draft. There are other receivers that could be on their radar, though, like George Pickens, who the Cowboys franchise tagged earlier this offseason.
Although that would seemingly make him off limits, he is yet to reach an agreement on a long-term extension with Dallas, and until he signs on the dotted line, he is far from untouchable.
And based on the most recent comments from head coach Brian Schottenheimer, it doesn't appear that a deal is close to being agreed upon. In fact, he admitted that he's not sure if Pickens will attend voluntary workouts this offseason, and that's a good sign for the Patriots.
Brian Schottenheimer says he's been in contact with #Cowboys WR George Pickens, but has not gotten assurance Pickens will participate in the voluntary offseason program.
— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) March 30, 2026
"No, and I haven't pushed that on him. We're all going through the process. It's almost April, we're still a… pic.twitter.com/yTp0hbIZLy
The longer the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, the higher the chances are that Pickens could be traded before the 2026 season begins, and there is no reason for the Patriots not to be on the phone immediately to make an offer.
Prolonged extension talks between the Cowboys and George Pickens work in the Patriots' favor
After releasing Stefon Diggs and only signing Romeo Doubs in free agency, it's clear the Patriots have more upgrading to do for their receiving corps, and their best bet appears to be via trade.
While acquiring Brown would be a homerun move that not many Patriots fans would complain about, the Eagles have been going back and forth about whether they're willing to let him go, and there's a good chance they won't trade him until after June 1 to save more cap space.
If the Patriots aren't sure about waiting that long or putting too much emphasis on trading for Brown, they could shift some focus to someone like Pickens, who would be an immediate WR1 that could develop with Drake Maye for years, since he is just 25 years old.
He would give the quarterback an immediate deep threat who proved just how good he could be with a reliable player under center last year. Not only did he log the most receiving yards of his career with 1,492, but he also scored the most touchdowns (9) since he came into the league in 2022.
That was accomplished even with CeeDee Lamb on the field, dominating most of the snaps and looks from Dak Prescott.
Pulling off a trade for him, should the Cowboys make him available, wouldn't be cheap for the Patriots, but they have every reason to get it done if they can make it work. Pickens might even be a smarter option than Brown, depending on who you ask.