There has been a lot of speculation about what the Patriots will do with the third overall pick despite the overwhelming majority believing they are almost guaranteed to take a quarterback.
A few scenarios have altered that thought, though, as some chatter suggests New England will sign a veteran quarterback in free agency and look for a rookie quarterback in a later round, meaning they would trade their first-rounder for more draft stock instead.
That idea has since become the basis for many mock drafts, with the Patriots trading with either the Raiders or the Vikings to put them out of the top 10. With those scenarios, the idea of receiving more than just additional draft picks in return has been floated.
One of the more exciting trade proposals have Minnesota swapping first-rounders and adding another pick or two, along with receiver Justin Jefferson. It may seem outlandish at first, but he's due for a new contract that the Vikings may not be able to afford or don't want to pay. Trading him allows them to move on from him and get their new quarterback.
That's just one of the shocking trades the new Patriots staff could pull off this offseason. There are two more that many fans would love to see unless you're the team dealing the player.
3 shocking trades the Patriots could get done this offseason
Justin Jefferson
The Vikings have been involved in trade conversations regarding Jefferson for the last year, with a lot of speculation about them moving on from him before last year's trade deadline. Of course, that didn't happen, but they found another fantastic young receiver in the draft, Jordan Addison, who allows them to feel more comfortable letting Jefferson go elsewhere this offseason.
On top of that, based on new reports and words straight from head coach Kevin O'Connell's mouth, the Vikings look to be losing their longtime starting quarterback Kirk Cousins due to his demands for a new league-leading contract. That has made them a top candidate to be a trade partner for the Patriots to move off the third overall pick.
If they do that, the Vikings could include Jefferson to increase the trade's value without adding a bucketload of picks.
In that trade proposal, the Vikings and Patriots swap first-rounders (NE receives No. 11, while MIN receives No. 3), allowing both to still pick early. And then the Vikings send Jefferson and probably another pick or two, depending on who you ask.
All of this will be predicated on who the Patriots choose to sign in free agency, the Vikings' willingness to move on from arguably the best receiver in the game, and what New England hopes to receive in return.
It seems like a possibility, even if it doesn't seem realistic to some.
Davante Adams
Despite Tom Telesco's emphatic response when asked about Davante Adams' involvement in trade rumors this offseason, every player has a price, and teams will be willing to move on from them if the price is right. So, nothing is off the table for any player, even Adams.
Like the Vikings, reports have indicated the Raiders are interested in moving up in the draft, specifically new head coach Antonio Pierce's desire to select Jayden Daniels. Their best chance of doing that would be to trade with the Patriots since Drake Maye and Caleb Williams are projected to be the first two quarterbacks off the board.
To get that done, Las Vegas could follow the same steps proposed for Minnesota: swap first-rounders (Patriots get No. 13, Vikings get No. 3), send Adams, and another couple of picks. They're not in the same situation regarding their receiving corps as the Vikings are with Addison, but Adams is 31 years old, and they could easily find a more than-quality replacement for him in the draft this year due to the deep class of receivers.
This could be a win/win for both teams. The Raiders get the quarterback they want, and the Patriots fill a significant void with one of the best players in the game.
Justin Fields
One of the most debated proposed trades this offseason involves the Patriots and the Bears. Because Chicago is expected to take Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, they will likely be looking to send Justin Fields to a new team for more draft picks.
The Patriots have been a team consistently connected to the idea, as they need a new quarterback. But what they send for Fields has become a hot topic recently.
Despite the quarterback being a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, he hasn't performed anywhere near well enough to be valued that highly by the rest of the league three years later.
In some proposals, the Bears send the No. 9 pick, Fields, and picks in future drafts to New England for the No. 3 pick, which doesn't seem all that enticing for the Patriots, while others believe they could send their second-rounder (No. 34) to Chicago for the young quarterback.
No matter what all the components were, it would definitely be considered a shocking trade for both teams and would make for quite an interesting start for Jerod Mayo's tenure and solidify a new era in Chicago.