During the Patriots' rebuilding process over the last few years, there were discussions about trading their first-round picks for the caliber of talent their roster desperately needed, which, of course, never happened. The assumption is that it was due to how high their selection was and to viewing it as too valuable to trade away.
But that won't be a problem this year, since they are not on the clock until No. 31. That would presumably make them far more interested in trading it for a talent deemed a first-rounder.
One of those players could be receiver A.J. Brown, who has been connected to the Patriots over the last few months. If that doesn't pan out, however, as they are expected to wait until June 1 to reach a deal, they could swing for the hills by trading for George Pickens instead.
Although the Cowboys intend to franchise-tag the receiver, he has yet to sign the contract, and extension talks are reportedly not being discussed at this time. Pickens has already stated he won't attend any offseason workouts until an agreement is reached; if not, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Cowboys could trade the receiver during the draft.
If that's a possibility, the Patriots need to be all over it.
The Patriots cannot pass on the opportunity to trade for their next WR1 if the Cowboys make him available
Given the Cowboys' reluctance in recent years to hand out blockbuster contracts to their star players, there's a good chance Pickens doesn't receive what he's looking for and is ultimately traded rather than walking for nothing in free agency next year.
Things might come to a head going into the draft, and the Cowboys could shock everyone by moving Pickens on opening night, as Knox suggests.
"The Cowboys might be even more eager to land an offensive playmaker if they decided to trade Pickens during the draft's opening night. While keeping him long-term makes plenty of sense in a vacuum, paying Pickens a market rate alongside CeeDee Lamb could be problematic.
According to ESPN's Todd Archer, the Cowboys "have not had discussions" with Pickens about a long-term deal. If an extension doesn't seem either likely or sensible, trading Pickens and getting a receiver on a rookie contract could be an option."
The salary implications don't favor the Cowboys, who recently extended CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. They traded away Micah Parsons because they weren't willing to meet his contract demands, so it's not difficult to imagine that the same fate could be coming for Pickens.
That opens the door for the Patriots, who need a longtime WR1 for Drake Maye, and they need to expand their options beyond just AJ Brown. Although he would easily become the quarterback's next favorite weapon, his age and alleged knee issues raise enough concerns that exploring other receiver options is necessary.
Pickens is an ideal pick, as he is just 25 years old and coming off a season where he recorded 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He accomplished that while Lamb, who has been Prescott's WR1 for six years, also logged over 1,000 receiving yards and 75 catches.
He proved he would be worth the investment to Dallas, but if they're not willing to pay him what he's worth, the Patriots need to get on the phone and make a deal they cannot refuse as soon as possible, even if that means passing on a trade for Brown this summer.