Wild trades have been a part of the NFL landscape for generations. A "where were you" moment among Patriots fans could be the day the team poached Randy Moss from the Raiders in 2007, pairing Tom Brady with arguably the best receiver to ever play the game.
New England's roster undoubtedly needs some constructing and Mike Vrabel are eager to get to work in surrounding Drake Maye with an infusion of talent. Most of that will likely come from free agency and the draft, but Patriots fans should always be on the lookout for guys they could trade for.
3 wild trades the Patriots could make this offseason
1. Two second-round picks and Kendrick Bourne for A.J. Brown
This one would not be cheap in terms of what the Patriots would have to give up nor what the Eagles are currently paying Brown ($32 million per year), but Brown does have ties to Mike Vrabel from his time in Tennessee, and he represents the No. 1 wide receiver the Patriots need.
Brown is the highest-paid receiver in the NFL and is under contract through 2029. While it's doubtful that Philadelphia would give him up coming off a Super Bowl championship, New England could shock the NFL world with a deal such as this.
The Patriots would have to give up multiple draft picks, and likely some players, but Brown's talents could be worth it.
2. A 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick for Myles Garrett
The Browns are clearly looking to hit the reset button - that contract Deshaun Watson signed is looking worse and worse by the year - and Garrett has expressed a desire to be traded.
Couple that with the fact that the Patriots lack that game-wrecking pass rusher on the edge; why not empty the checkbook for Garrett?
Like Brown, Garrett won't be cheap. Cleveland will certainly want some high-level draft picks and a first-rounder. Garrett isn't worth sacrificing the No. 4 pick this year, given how much work the Patriots' roster needs, but he could be worth a steal if the price is right.
3. A fourth or fifth-rounder for Deebo Samuel
Samuel is growing unhappy in San Francisco and is another guy who has requested a trade. Given his skillset and versatility, a guy like Samuel would thrive in Josh McDaniels' offense.
Eliot Wolf should certainly call John Lynch and the 49ers about Samuel. The Patriots have the middle-round pick flexibility to give up a fourth or a fifth-round pick—or maybe both, plus a veteran like Bourne—for Samuel.
The 49ers have numerous top-line players they'll have to pay for the next two offseasons, and Samuel knows his time in San Francisco is coming to an end. So, if the Patriots want to prove to Maye that they're serious about upgrading the offense, this is a splash the team needs to make.