The New England Patriots have made a Super Bowl run no one expected. Per usual, the greatest franchise of all time is being criticized once again, this time for their easy schedule. While they had the easiest strength of schedule in the league, their trio of playoff wins legitimizes their defense as one of the league's best.
Their 12 draft picks and cap space will help them continue improving their squad, but veterans could be the best way to add juice ahead of 2026.
The Patriots saw major roster turnover this season after spending the most money in free agency and making 11 draft picks. New England's squad is young, and despite their cap space, it seems unlikely they'll go hog wild in free agency again. Instead, I'd expect them to ship off a handful of draft picks for veteran depth.
In a recent article, PFF's Bradley Locker cited 15 trade candidates this offseason. Five of them were quarterbacks, a position the Patriots have under control, but three players stood out as potential solid additions in Foxborough.
The Patriots could look to the trade block to solidify their squad
WR D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
Moore is far and away the most established player of the three players Locker suggested. The former Panther was a star with Justin Fields under center, but he took a major step back with Caleb Williams and other young pieces coming in.
Over the last two seasons, he's had just 1,648 yards, and in 2025, he saw career lows in catches and yards.
The Bears are in win-now mode, so parting from Moore may not be their first instinct. Nonetheless, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden have stepped up as legitimate young threats, while Colston Loveland has quickly become one of the league's most promising tight ends. Moore has the highest cap hit of anyone on Chicago at $28.5 million.
Should they be able to nab a third-round pick for him, they'd save $16.5 million, making a move a real possibility.
The Patriots were able to get a thousand yards out of Stefon Diggs this season after most people thought he was on his way out. If McDaniels could revitalize Moore's career, it would potentially free up the Patriots to use their first-round pick on another playmaker to go along with him.
CB/KR Deonte Banks, New York Giants
The former first-round pick has found a way to contribute on special teams as one of the league's top kick returners. His coverage numbers are very poor, however. He's allowed a completion rate of more than 80% this year and has been penalized seven times.
John Harbaugh's new regime values special teams, but they'll also value strong cornerback play, something they can't rely on Banks for. Shipping him to New England for one of their four sixth-round picks would help New York stack draft capital ahead of the Harbaugh era.
New England needs cornerback depth badly. Beyond their three starters, Alex Austin and Charles Woods could use upgrading, while Miles Battle hasn't proved he's more than a special teamer. Banks has struggled in New York, but the Patriots have a history of finding solid play out of athletic corners.
New England would be wise to ship one of their late-round selections to potentially nab a solid CB4 in the former Maryland Terrapin.
SAF Quan Martin, Washington Commanders
Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson have become mainstays on the backend of the defense, but safety depth is a major issue. During Woodson's brief injury against the Texans, New England was forced to play Dell Pettus, who played just 113 snaps during the regular season. Adding depth is a necessity, especially if Hawkins is to walk in free agency, as unlikely as that seems.
A former second-round pick, Martin had a rough 2025. He allowed the most catches and yards of his career, allowed four touchdowns, and opposing quarterbacks had a near-perfect passer rating when targeting him. After two seasons without a single penalty, four flags were thrown on the ex-Illinois safety this year.
Martin will have the motivation to step up in what will be a contract year in 2026. If the Patriots could nab him for their fifth-round pick, he'd immediately offer experience and depth to the back end of a defense that desperately needs it. Martin started his college career as a cornerback, moved inside to the slot, and eventually returned to safety in the NFL.
His versatility means New England could kill two birds with one stone, adding a third safety and cornerback insurance.
The Patriots are sitting on a pile of draft picks, and it feels unlikely Robert Kraft will be interested in spending big in free agency in back-to-back years. The best way to supplement this squad may be through the trade market, particularly on defense.
While adding a star like A.J. Brown, or even the aforementioned Moore, would be exciting, additions of those like Banks or Martin could help solidify the team's future.