How Mac Jones could give the Patriots a Pro Bowl receiver

Because it's looking like Calvin Ridley is only stringing along the Patriots until free agency officially begins tomorrow, they will need to pivot to another receiver in hopes of either signing or trading for them to improve their 2024 offense.

There aren't really any remaining free agents that the team considers worthy of going after, but there is one way they can solve their issue, and Mac Jones would be involved despite being traded to the Jaguars yesterday.

New England received a sixth-round pick in return for the quarterback, and the Chargers are said to be taking calls inquiring about trades for some of their top players. Because they still need to cut cap space before tomorrow's 4 pm deadline, they may be willing to trade away receiver Mike Williams, which the Patriots would love to have.

Given his age and injury history, it's fair to assume they would accept a sixth-rounder for him, and the Patriots have an extra to offer from the Jones trade.

Imagine if the quarterback's parting gift was to give them a Pro Bowl receiver. It would be quite a story since that's exactly what he needed on the offense during his three years as the starting quarterback, yet they wait until he's gone to bring one in.

It might be the path the Patriots will need to take as the talent pool has dwindled even more than it looked before the legal tampering period began. If Ridley is officially out, that leaves trade possibilities for Tee Higgins, which seems increasingly unlikely, Williams, and the longshot of managing to get a trade for Justin Jefferson done if the Vikings are dead set on moving up for a quarterback.

Otherwise, it's going to be full steam ahead to the draft.

Since the Chargers have already been in contact with Eliot Wolf, perhaps it's a deal that could get done sooner rather than later.

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