The New England Patriots extended their win streak to three on Sunday, beating the Jets in a mistake-riddled game. TreVeyon Henderson and Pop Douglas each fumbled, while A.J. Brown's highly anticipated return was a disaster.
On ten targets, Brown caught only three and set a franchise record with four drops in a game. Furthermore, a muffed onside kick with seconds left nearly cost New England.
Injuries have plagued the Patriots this season, but they didn't stop them from moving to 4-2. Romeo Doubs, the team's leading receiver through six weeks, was placed on IR following a shoulder injury. The former Green Bay Packer joins Mack Hollins on injured reserve, and he'll miss at least the next four weeks.
With two of the team's top receiving options down, New England may look to add a player via trade, despite A.J. Brown's return. While the Cleveland Browns' 4-2 start has been better than even the most delusional fans could have anticipated, they still could be willing to move one of their veteran receivers.
Jerry Jeudy could be a Patriots trade target ahead of the deadline
Over the next few weeks, the Patriots may not need to add a receiver, but if Pop Douglas, Efton Chism, and Kyle Williams struggle, adding former first-round pick Jeudy could be a solid move.
In six games, Jeudy has caught 12 passes for 150 yards, averaging just 25 yards per game. Before his most recent matchup against the Ravens (4 catches for 69 yards), he averaged just 16.2 yards per game through the first five games.
In large part, Jeudy's lack of production stems from the performance of the Browns' rookie wideouts, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. Concepcion was selected in the first round, while Boston, a second-round pick, has been one of the league's most impressive rookies so far.
Add second-year players Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. to the mix, and it becomes clear that the Browns' priority is working towards the future.
Jeudy, 27, is on a $13.5 million contract and in the final year of it. If the Browns' season takes a turn, or they simply deem him surplus to requirements, trading him to a win-now Patriots squad could make sense.
From New England's perspective, the ex-Bronco offers veteran presence that could be paired with Brown until Doubs returns. With Douglas and Chism as slot options and Williams as a pure deep threat, Jeudy could provide an intermediate outside threat, filling a role left vacant by Doubs and Hollins.
The Patriots should look to add reinforcements at receiver
The argument against trading for Jeudy would be to point to the Week 4 win against Buffalo. While a group of backups got the job done, a few caveats remain. For one, Doubs and Hollins were the top-producing receivers in that game.
The top overall receiver was Hunter Henry, who, while a productive seam threat, is seldom deployed out wide.
Brown will make up for at least a piece of Doubs and Hollins' production, but it may be overzealous to expect a player who just had three drops to consistently deliver nine catches, 111 yards, and two touchdowns.
Additionally, the Bills' defense is among the worst in football. Allowing 28.5 PPG, they're ranked 28th in the league and are the worst unit in the AFC. Their passing defense ranks 31st, and Maye's 269 yards were below par compared with their 285.8 passing yards allowed average.
Over 76% of Jeudy's snaps this year have come on the outside, and against the Ravens in Week 6, that figure jumped to over 87%, a season high. In the game, he managed a season-high 69 yards.
The Browns' unprecedented lead in the AFC North may make them hesitant to trade anyone just yet, especially a veteran wideout who just had his best game of the season. As a result, Jeudy's price could be a bit higher than it would have been before the season began.
Still, it's hard to believe he couldn't be had for a Day 3 pick, much like when he was traded to Cleveland in 2024. At that point, he was also in a contract year.
Assuming the Browns regress to the mean, Jeudy could become a talked-about trade piece at the deadline, but if New England can get ahead of that buzz by dangling a draft pick at the Browns for an overshadowed veteran in the final year of his deal, it could be enough to bring him to Foxborough.
Just two seasons ago, Jeudy posted a career-high 1,229 yards, 235 of them against his former team, the Broncos. Jeudy has legit NFL talent, but at times it's remained untapped.
If Josh McDaniels and company believe he can solidify the receiving corps over the next few weeks and become a strong rotational weapon late in the season, a late-round pick is well worth the price for a Super Bowl hopeful squad.
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