At this point in the offseason, the Patriots have been linked to several potential trades to address the biggest weaknesses in their roster ahead of training camp. Perhaps the most obvious area that needs upgrading is their tight end room, mostly due to Julian Hill's season-ending injury, leaving just Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon to carry the load.
Beyond that, there has been a lot of talk about finding a legitimate successor to Henry, given that he is entering the final year of his current contract and there's a good chance he either won't return in 2027 or will retire due to his age. And while Raridon could become the right guy at some point, the assumption is that won't be as soon as next season.
Therefore, trading for an established tight end appears to be the best course of action. There have been several players suggested, but a recent favorite among Patriots fans has been Bears star Cole Kmet, for all the right reasons.
He has consistently been considered a trade candidate all offseason, and given that Colston Loveland is projected to be a bigger part of the offense this upcoming season, it looks like Kmet will inevitably be the odd man out.
Because of that, trade proposals have become the leading topic of conversation surrounding the tight end, and the latest ideas make it clear that the Patriots have no reason not to call the Bears to make an offer.
The projected price for Cole Kmet is exactly why the Patriots should make the trade
With a few trades still expected either before the season begins or by the deadline later this year, analysts are putting their ideas out there, giving the Patriots a sense of what it might take to get Kmet on the team.
The latest proposal comes from Wynston Wilcox of FanSided.com, and he suggests the Panthers send a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Bears for Kmet. And although that's not a proposal for the Patriots to acquire the tight end, it is hard to overlook just how cheap it would be to get a 27-year-old on the roster.
There aren't many players at the position who would boost their current offense that would go for something as perfect as a future sixth-rounder, as someone like Raiders' Michael Mayer would almost certainly go for a much higher price.
And while there's a fair argument to make that trading for Mayer might be a better plan overall, especially given that he was drafted by Josh McDaniels when he was the head coach, there's a good chance the Raiders aren't going to budge on him just yet, or the Patriots would be unwilling to send the kind of draft capital a trade would demand.
That makes Kmet even more desirable, and he could instantly become a long-term solution for Henry's presumed departure sooner rather than later.
At the very least, it's something the higher-ups should strongly consider and keep on the short list of potential trades before this season's deadline. Kmet is a solid player who would bring the kind of production Henry has had over the last five years, and he could become the next security blanket for Drake Maye, just as their current tight end has been.
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