The New England Patriots set about to remedy several key positions in the 2026 offseason. Two were exposed in the Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks. They clearly needed upgrades on the defensive and offensive lines after seeing their struggles on the biggest stage, and whether they have done enough is subject to serious conjecture.
Another glaring need they still have to address is the tight end room.
They made a concerted effort to do just that, but an injury to Julian Hill has derailed the process. The Patriots also drafted Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon in the third round to back up both Hunter Henry and Hill, but Hill's injury has now placed him in what should be viewed as an untenable position.
At this point, they probably need to trade for a young veteran tight end, preferably. A recent projection by ESPN's Ben Solak suggests that Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is a lock to win "NFL Offensive Player of the Year", and that may present a golden opportunity the Patriots can't refuse.
The player in question who could possibly be available is young Raiders' tight end, Mike Mayer.
A Patriots' trade for the Raiders' Mike Mayer would be a perfect solution
The Raiders might just be the trading partner for the Patriots to get their tight end, with Brock Bowers expected to win the NFL's "Offensive Player of the Year" award.
That news may help New England take advantage of the Raiders' bounty to pry their other solid tight end, Mayer, away in a trade.
Bowers is an amazing hybrid tight end and wide receiver all rolled into one. He'll likely be ready to step up his game after an injury slowed his 2025 progression. Last season, he "only" had 86 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns.
With that in mind, maybe the Patriots can craft a deal to bring backup tight end Mike Mayer to Foxborough.
Mayer has just turned 25, and the fourth-year young tight end would fit the bill for the Patriots to a T. The 6'4", 256-pound Mayer had 35 catches for 328 yards and a touchdown on only 50 targets in 2025. He has just the profile that may work.
With his promising but unspectacular 2025 season and with Bowers ahead of him on the depth chart, he might just be available to New England in a trade.
The Patriots can dangle draft picks and maybe include one of their receivers as a sweetener in a deal. Both Kayshon Boutte and Pop Douglas are legitimate NFL wide receivers and might reduce the draft-pick haul the Raiders request. After the edge, the tight end is the thinnest position on the Patriots' roster at the moment.
If Mayer is available and the cost isn't prohibitive, they should try to make a deal. Hunter Henry isn't getting any younger, and there's no NFL-tested tight end behind him.
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