The Patriots have long needed a superstar wide receiver for their offense, dating back to the days when Tom Brady was the starting quarterback. It has become an annual tradition to see whether they will finally get the player they need, and 2026 is following suit, especially after they decided to release Stefon Diggs one year into his three-year contract.
That explains why they were heavily connected to Alec Pierce, who was expected to experience his first free agency this year, and a player like AJ Brown, whom they'd have to trade for. It's looking like they'll have to work out a trade to get the caliber of player they need, and they just missed out on a perfect candidate who is now going to suit up with the Broncos.
The Dolphins are in rebuild mode, and on Tuesday morning, decided to send star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to Denver for a first-round pick and more.
He had been dangled as a potential trade candidate ahead of last season's deadline, a move many felt the Patriots should explore, but the Dolphins held off until the offseason to move him. And although it was unlikely to see an in-division trade, the Dolphins sent him to an AFC contender, so nothing was likely off the table.
The Patriots need to work with a sense of urgency to improve their receiving corps this offseason
Looking at the available receivers the Patriots could trade for, it keeps coming back to Brown, and while he would be the upgrade fans have longed to see, he might not be their best long-term option.
With lingering knee concerns and turning 29 this summer, there are some questions about the Patriots' desire to bring Brown to the roster. He would certainly help elevate Drake Maye and the offense. As he's not really shown much evidence of slowing down, there might be other players worth considering who are younger and without an injury history to worry about.
One of those could have been Waddle, who thrived during his tenure in Miami despite taking a backseat to Tyreek Hill since the 2022 season. He proved he could be the WR1 that a team was looking for, and he ensured Tua Tagovailoa essentially had two top-caliber receivers to work with.
The Patriots could have benefited from that, and maybe they should've been more aggressive in pursuing Waddle. Clearly, the Dolphins are tearing it down, and if the Patriots were legitimately willing to part with a first-round pick for Brown, surely they would have for Waddle, too.
And maybe the Dolphins wouldn't have had much of an issue with keeping Waddle in the division if it still meant they would receive substantial draft capital in return.
If anything, this should send some sort of urgency to the Patriots to get a WR1 on the team this offseason sooner rather than later. They can inquire about the availability of other players rumored to be traded, such as Saints' Chris Olave or Cowboys' George Pickens.
That's the route they'll have to take if they want to remain competitive not only in the division but in the conference, especially after seeing the Bills trade for DJ Brown and now the Broncos have Jaylen Waddle.