Over the past five years, the Patriots have not been in a position to compete for the division or the playoffs, so most of the conversation surrounding them going into a Week 16 matchup has revolved around the upcoming free agency and draft. That has included talk of some big-time signings and trades, many of which fans wanted to see.
This season, however, has been far more successful than anyone anticipated, so discussions about the 2026 offseason have not yet begun. But that doesn't mean some analysts aren't already proposing some outlandish moves that Mike Vrabel and Co. could make.
That's how you could describe the latest take from NFL analyst Brett Kollmann, who shares a lot of valuable knowledge about the game on social media.
His latest suggestion wouldn't fall into that category, though, as the idea of the Patriots trading their biggest superstar would surely put Vrabel's job at risk.
There's no reason for the Patriots to entertain a blockbuster trade for Christian Gonzalez
In a response to a tweet about the problems the Lions have had this season regarding their defense, Kollmann suggests that a trade involving cornerback Christian Gonzalez seems inevitable.
While that would certainly make the Lions a better secondary, it would make no sense for the Patriots, who heavily depend on his production to lead their cornerback room, not to mention the massive drop-off in performance when he's not on the field.
You can see the Lions trade for Christian Gonzalez coming from a mile away tbh https://t.co/1AyqsKZ58R
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) December 16, 2025
Facing backlash for the sheer idea, Kollmann doubled down on his proposal by stating that the Patriots could benefit from receiving two first-round picks in return for Gonzalez, and maybe even get another player like him with one of the picks.
That makes sense, of course, but why do that if you already have a Gonzalez on the team?
Although receiving two first-round picks would be invaluable for a team looking to rebuild its roster through the draft and with young, hungry players, that doesn't mean they should ship off their best players right now, especially ones like Gonzalez, who they can easily build around.
It would be a massive mistake that Vrabel would have a hard time defending.