Many improvements were needed to the Patriots' roster upon Mike Vrabel's hiring as the new head coach after a disastrous season that saw the team lose more games than they won. It was reasonably considered a daunting task, as even Bill Belichick failed to accomplish it during his final seasons in New England, but Vrabel has nailed it thus far, with plenty of cap space remaining to make some more big signings or trades if necessary.
Some players who would have been great additions to the team have already been made unavailable, but the Patriots continue to be in the conversation for potential trades for players who are likely to be on the roster bubble this summer.
While most of the players who have been mentioned post-draft are not the most exciting, the latest suggestion from Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox might be the best one yet. He listed the Patriots as one of two teams to be potential landing spots for Bears tight end Cole Kmet, who might be dealt before the 2025 season starts.
The Patriots could round out their tight end room by trading for Cole Kmet
Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, there was some speculation that the Patriots would use a high-to-mid-round pick on a tight end, especially since there was some impressive talent in this year's class. So far, last year's selection, Jaheim Bell, has already been considered a roster cut this summer.
That didn't happen, so they could easily look to add more depth to their tight end room, currently led by Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, by trading for Kmet, a 26-year-old with three years left on his contract. That's partly why Knox believes he's a good fit for New England, besides adding more weapons for Drake Maye to work with.
"Kmet has three years left on his contract with cap hits of $11.6 million in each season. Chicago might not want to pay that much for a No. 2 tight end.
The New England Patriots should be interested in Kmet if he becomes available. They need to put pass-catchers around second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and Kmet could be a long-term option for them at tight end."
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If prioritizing young talent to make up their roster is something that Vrabel and Eliot Wolf want to continue to optimize, then Kmet fits the bill and could be an immediate boost to the offense.
Henry and Hooper are great leaders, and because Kmet is currently a TE2 in Chicago, it might make for a tricky tight end room. But both veterans are getting older, and there's a good chance that the Patriots won't keep them around long-term. Hooper received a one-year contract this offseason, so it's clear he's not a long-term solution, opening a door for Kmet to take over in his place.
He could easily work with Henry through the end of his contract, which has him tied to New England through next season, and move into his position if Henry is not re-signed. That would seemingly fit what the Patriots are trying to assemble with their roster, and Kmet is an impressive talent for Maye to work with.
During his five-year career with the Bears, Kmet has recorded 258 receptions for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has proven to be a reliable player for any quarterback, and he's worked with several throughout his career. The asking price might be a bit high because of that, but the Patriots have the means to get a trade done if they view him as a valuable addition.