There are plenty of reasons to believe that the Patriots might get involved in a blockbuster trade ahead of or during the upcoming draft. There's also a chance it could happen afterward, depending on who the player is or what the team is asking for a return, and the options appear to go beyond just wide receiver AJ Brown.
Although there is still speculation that the Raiders will move on from Maxx Crosby, or at least attempt to, there are other options for the Patriots to consider, especially since two Giants players have recently asked for a trade.
One of those players is defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, an underperforming pass rusher with significant potential to become a dominant piece of a defense. He showed that to be true in his sophomore season in 2023 by recording 50 combined tackles, 16 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and 11.5 sacks.
He hasn't been able to replicate that season, and part of it may be due to his unhappiness in New York, which led to his trade request, and a fresh start might do him some good.
The Giants initially claimed they had no interest in moving on from their 2022 first-round draft pick. But that appears to have changed in the mind of new head coach John Harbaugh, as he just opened the door for the Patriots to inquire about a potential trade as soon as possible.
John Harbaugh doesn't consider any Giants player untouchable if the right trade offer is made
While speaking to SNY this week, Harbaugh was asked about Thibodeaux and his future with the franchise. After complimenting him as a player, the head coach made it clear that he is not off-limits from being traded.
“I think he’s a great player. I’m excited about him. I was fired up to see him today. He looks great, in great shape. I’m thinking about him on the field. I’m thinking about getting him plugged into our defense and getting him rolling. You want to talk about is he a trade possibility? Everybody’s tradable. Everybody.”
That's much different than what the organization had previously stated, and now that we've seen the massive extension the Jaguars just gave to Travon Walker, there might be more reason to believe the Giants will be inclined to trade Thibodeaux rather than watch him walk in free agency for nothing.
It could be something the Patriots are willing to give to him if he were traded to New England, and it might be fair to say the extension would have some incentives in it, given the questions about his consistency on the field.
Regardless, pulling off a trade won't be cheap, but the current rumored asking price is a Day 2 pick, so a second or third-rounder, and that's far more affordable than any other star pass rusher the Patriots might have had their eye on.
At just 25-years-old, Thibodeaux could be an anchor of the defensive line for years to come, along with Christian Barmore and Milton Williams. The idea of those guys all working together, along with the expected additions from the draft, is enough to make a Patriots fan dream of this trade coming to fruition.