Over the past few years, there have been some unbelievable trades made in the NFL that would typically be unheard of. The wide receiver market has been reset almost every offseason over the last few years, as top-name players like A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, and D.K. Metcalf were moved in blockbuster trades.
The Patriots were rumored to be involved in a massive deal this offseason, as they exited another disastrous season with the most cap space in the league. Considering how much help their offense needed, it was expected that they would make a big-time trade for the caliber of receiver they hoped to give Drake Maye.
It was therefore unsurprising to hear that they were connected to Metcalf before the Seahawks traded him to the Steelers.
At first, it looked like it was a missed opportunity for the Patriots to snag an impressive player for their young quarterback to work with, as Pittsburgh only gave up a second-round pick for the two-time Pro Bowler. However, the latest update from those in the know just made it clear New England had no chance of getting Metcalf, no matter what they offered.
The Patriots were ruled out of the D.K. Metcalf sweepstakes before even trying for a trade
Besides the comments Metcalf made in an interview stating he didn't want to play in a cold climate like Foxboro, which seemingly put the Patriots out of contention for him, the latest comments from Marshawn Lynch and Michael Robinson suggest that New England was never going to get the receiver this offseason.
The comments were made on a recent episode of the former players' podcast, “Da Get Got Pod with Marshawn Lynch & Mike Robinson,” with former Seahawks and current Raiders head coach Pete Carroll in as the guest.
Lynch mentions that once Las Vegas hired Carroll, he "tried to bring everybody up out of that building," referring to Seattle. Robinson confirmed that Metcalf wanted to join the Raiders to reunite with his former head coach before being traded to the Steelers.
Although the Patriots are not explicitly mentioned, it is clear beyond what we already knew that Metcalf was not considering them as a team he wanted to be traded to, which came into play given that Seattle wanted to send him to a team he actually wanted to play for.
It appears that the rumors were true, suggesting New England was not on the shortlist for one reason or another. There was some hope that Vrabel's presence and the solidification of their quarterback situation with Drake Maye under center would have been enough to sway Metcalf, but playing for Mike Tomlin and not having a quarterback was more appealing to the 27-year-old.
Regardless, the Patriots appear to have secured the necessary upgrades for their receiving corps by signing Stefon Diggs in free agency and drafting Kyle Williams in the third round. The group appears to be in much better standing than they have been in for many years, which makes missing out on Metcalf sting a little less.