There was a lot of hope from Patriots fans going into the 2025 offseason that the new regime would somehow secure a clear-cut, top-of-the-league wide receiver. The belief was that the only way to accomplish that was through a trade, and as things stand, that appears to still be the case, even after signing Stefon Diggs.
Although the longtime Bill was an exciting addition, there feels like there might still be room for more talent in the receiving corps. The Patriots have dabbled in trying to make that happen, with new reports claiming they attempted to trade for Rashod Bateman, and now they could potentially express interest in another talent like Terry McLaurin.
Based on their push for Bateman and even their hope of signing Chris Godwin to a contract averaging $30 million per season, it doesn't seem far-fetched to believe they would be willing to sacrifice some draft capital and cash to obtain a player like McLaurin. Because of his possible availability soon, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggested a trade that would be difficult for any Patriots fan to argue against.
Proposed trade for Terry McLaurin would be a tremendous get for the Patriots to boost Drake Maye's future
With $60 million remaining in cap space for the season ahead, there's a good chance Mike Vrabel and Co. would be willing to spend some of that if the right opportunity presented itself. It's hard to imagine if McLaurin were to explore a trade, that they wouldn't be one of the teams getting on the phone to talk to GM Adam Peters, even if it might be expensive to get the receiver in the door.
Given how blockbuster trades for wide receivers have gone in recent years, Knox suggests the Patriots send a 2026 second-round pick, along with tight end Austin Hooper, to acquire McLaurin, which seems to be right on par with other trades, such as the Steelers getting DK Metcalf.
Although this might only be a trade proposal, and maybe it's not rich enough for the Patriots to successfully obtain a player of McLaurin's caliber, it would be far too good of a deal to pass up, even if New England had to throw in another mid-to-late round pick to sweeten it even further.
Knox believes, however, it would be enough as it is and notes Diggs' recovery from an ACL injury and McLaurin's reliability as a big reason Vrabel should be all-in on getting a trade done.
"Diggs was signed to be the No. 1 receiver but comes to New England with plenty of question marks. He's coming off of a torn ACL and has already caused an off-field distraction with a certain viral boat video. Hollins had a few big plays with Buffalo last season but has rarely been more than a third or fourth receiver.
McLaurin, meanwhile, showed last season that he can be a tremendous asset for a young, developing quarterback. He didn't have the best statistical season of his career when paired with Daniels, but the two were an incredibly efficient duo—McLaurin provided a quarterback rating of 133.0 when targeted."
He also notes the Commanders' need for a proven tight end, making the addition of Hooper all the more sensible. Because they have an unproven second-year player in Ben Sinnott and an aging Zach Ertz, they could certainly benefit from someone as consistent as Hooper.
It wouldn't necessarily be ideal for the Patriots to lose one of their top two tight ends, but they have Hunter Henry leading the way and hope that Jaheim Bell can demonstrate that he can be a solid backup. Additionally, there is a strong belief that Josh McDaniels will want a fullback on the team, which would add even more depth to the tight end room, making Hooper's departure less painful.
Regardless, sometimes a team has to do what it has to do to acquire a player as talented as McLaurin, and this deal would be a big mistake to pass on. It'll be interesting to see if the Commanders make him available, which might happen sooner rather than later, allowing the Patriots to make an offer.
Until then, we'll have to just sit and dream about McLaurin suiting up in a Patriots jersey this fall and for years to come.